PS2 games going digital in 'Only on PlayStation Network' campaign

by Justin McElroy on Oct 3rd 2011 8:28AM

As if you don't have enough games to worry about this torrential fall, Sony is adding to the downpour with its "Only on PlayStation Network" campaign. Every Tuesday this month, we'll not only be getting exclusives but a selection of "rare classic games" including God Hand, GrimGrimoire, Maximo, Odin Sphere and Ring of Red, all coming tomorrow. (We guess that since your PS3 doen't play PS2 games any more, those really are only on PSN.)

Industry Gamers reports PlayStation Plus members get every title at 20 percent off during launch week and those that spend more than $60 in October on the service will get a $10 credit for November. We're unclear on what other PS2 games to expect, but here's the lineup of PSN exlusives so you can plan your buying accordingly:

October 4 - Eufloria and Rochard
October 11 - Sideway: New York
October 13 - Sodium Collection
October 18 - Okabu and RocketBirds
October 25 - inFAMOUS: Festival of Blood and PixelJunk Sidescroller

Source: Industry Gamers, PlayStation.Blog

Tags: Odin-Sphere, only-on-playstation-network, playstation, playstation-network, ps2, ps3, psn

Reader Comments (98)

It starts...

Any news on whether they'll at least be upscaled to not look completely terrible? Playing SD games on an HDTV is not pretty.

@squallgengar

They wont be.

@squallgengar

I also wonder if they'll have trophy support.

@Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell

They won't. Announced on the PS Blog comments.

I've been hoping for this for a long time! Now bring more than just the rare ones, have them work on Vita, and you have my business!

in before "I'm not buying games I already own on disc!" rage

@Punkrawk Bbob

Looks like you got in just in time.

I guess it's safe to say that we are in a point of time in which companies can sell the same product years later in a different format for even more money. I understand it's only logical as technology changes, but seriously, there's something wrong here.

@pluupy the majority of PS3's can't physically play ps2 games so...
seems to make sense they can now somehow manage to get them to work digitally...

one way costs them money the other costs us money.

@pluupy

I don't see what would be wrong here. Companies are offering versions of some of their old products for modern consumption. It seems fair to me.

Sony has no obligation to make sure my PS1, PS2, and all the games I bought are still working (at least once the warranty is up). They also have no obligation to make sure all new generations of hardware are compatible with previous generation software. It's NICE if they are, but not mandatory.

I try my best to make sure my old hardware is stored well enough so that it works when I want it, but one day my old PS1 and PS2 won't work anymore. If there ever is a time I want to replay an older game, I at least know there may be a chance to play it because Sony is still offering it in some format. My only other choice is making ISOs of all my discs and using emulation software, which doesn't always work out.

@Lerkero Hear Hear.

@Lerkero so then having said that you have no guarantee that Sony will allow you to play ps3 games on the ps4 or that anything you bought on the PSN will work on the ps4 as well...

enjoy those future 3D HDTV remakes of classic ps3 titles

@(Unverified)

Uuuaauuuuhhh.... You are already "outraged" that the PS4 may not have backwards compatibility...?! ...Really...?!!!

I guess you didn't start playing console games until last generation. Backwards compatibility was an added feature and not the norm.

@(Unverified)
Did you rage when the Super Nintendo did not have backwards compatibility with the NES? Did you rage when the N64 didn't have it either? Or the GameCube?

Backwards compatibility isn't an expected feature, it's an extra. On top of that, it's an extra that isn't 100% guaranteed to work at all times. Just look at the 360's half-assed backwards compatibility feature. They completely dropped support for it for no reason yet we're not seeing people rage.

@PointlessPuppies
To an extent, it's understandable when cartridge-based systems lack backwards compatibility. Different cartridge formats, and what not. Even then, Sega had the Power Base Converter which allowed one to play Master System games on their Genesis (which was a pretty bulky add-on).

Even so, most of Nintendo's portables were backwards compatible. Game Boy Color could play legacy Game Boy games. Game Boy Advance could play GBC and GB games. DS could play GBA games (single-player only), and 3DS can play DS games. And when Nintendo didn't have backwards compatibility (Game Boy micro, GB/GBC on DS, all GB on DSi or 3DS), quite a few people did get annoyed with it.

Oh, hey, they're releasing a version of the Wii in Europe that won't play GameCube games! And the Wii U won't play them, either! People do seem to be annoyed about that, even though it's clearly a cost-savings measure (the GameCube ports and the self-adjusting disc drive).

I just don't see how it's unreasonable that people want to play their previous games on a newer system. It allows you to have fewer systems hooked up and play more games (and for some people, they can sell the old system for cash towards the new one).

@pluupy
Dang people I meant there was sonething wrong with buying the same product twice. Lol

@pluupy

Then don't buy it.

If you've already got the game then play it on the system you bought it for.

@ptcamn
Actually, BC has been the norm for the disc based game era.

I'd be more excited for this if I thought for a single second that SCEA was going to take this opportunity to approve games that got denied localizations for requiring an English-language vocal track, despite the fact that that standard was inconsistently applied. But they won't, so I am still completely apathetic.

Is this really Sony's big announcement they've been hyping? I don't quite understand this mentality of just releasing games from a previous generation. You didn't see Sony re-releasing PS1 games on the PS2. They had to make new games for people to play. But now they're trying to relive their greatest generation of gaming. Yes, PS2 was awesome, but now we're on the PS3. We shouldn't be relying on old, outdated games to try and raise a sinking ship. We shouldn't be reliving the past, but looking toward the future. You want to play old PS2 games, buy a damn PS2. That's it. It's not like these are even remakes.

@ProtagonistZero
The point of the matter here is that these games are now digital, meaning that not only are they available for convenience at any time but that with the following generations of Playstation consoles, Playstation and Playstation 2 games are readily available should a game become rare or unavailable.

@pluupy

What's actually funny is you probably believe that this is the intention. However I find it hard to believe that Sony executives sit in a boardroom and say, "Hey, let's make all these games digital so that we can preserve them for later generations." Converting these games to a digital format and making them work on the PS3 takes time, money and manpower. It's more likely that the executives sat in a boardroom and said, "Since we need more money to keep this generation alive, and we're not churning out good games like the PS2 used to, why don't we make all these PS2 games available digitally so we can make some money on them."

@ProtagonistZero

I didn't realize the PS3 was a sinking ship.

Maybe this is to support the upcoming release of the Vita as well.

@ProtagonistZero not turning out good games like the PS2 era!?! uhhhh lets year....this is year 5....and there are waaaaaaaaaaay more great games on PS3 that I have at this point and time than I did 5 years into the PS2 life cycle....and I had over 200 PS2 games by 2006 when the PS3 came out....I easily have had more fun this gen thanks to the online factor.

@ProtagonistZero check the date. Not October 4 yet.

@ProtagonistZero

Speak for yourself Camelot ¬_¬

I was delighted that I could play many of the games I had and wanted to play as a kid on my PS3 when they released classic titles. Old though they may be, many of those games are more fun then half the games released today on any console.

Yes, I bought my PS3 to play PS3 games, but its even more awesome that I can play my PS1 and PS2 games on it as well, just in case I want to backtrack or have a blast to the past experience. Just because you are hypnotised by uber graphics and have no appreciation of the term "Retrospect" doesn't mean everyone has to share your flawed opinion.

Any bonus is good news, be thankful, no one is forcing you to pay for anything ¬_¬

@ProtagonistZero People like me, who didn't take full advantage of the PS2 era are pleased with this, don't talk as if it was only you who matters.
I'm glad there are HD Collections being released for game I didn't get to play at the time

At first I was like, "Oh cool", then I was all, "But we should have PS2 compatibility."

@Gooblechev I think a good of thumb for new consoles should be to have backwards compatibility for the last generation version. That said, I will totally buy God Hand again because it's God Hand.

Cool. Always wanted to try Odin Sphere and God Hand...as long as they're not prohibitively expensive. Probably won't have time until next year at this rate, though...

@baby sea tuna

Just for those two games, I feel this way about this great news...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlGSlzkNuDg&feature=related

@baby sea tuna
God Hand is one of my favorite games. I'm guessing it's going to eventually become a cult classic.

So...do these run on a PS2 emulator Sony has developed for the PS3?

If that's the case, then.........

I never owned a ps2 so I'm sort of excited.

@bargaingamer
They're only 50 bucks at GameStop...and they're slims.
What's stopping you?

@pluupy If he has a ps3 why buy a ps2? Aren't most games BC or on PSN?

@bargaingamer

Your name is misleading. Getting a PS2 is the best bargain in town. THOUSANDS of games on a system at $60 or less depending where you find it is a great investment.

@Doctalen

Appart from the original models, PS3s can't play PS2 games.

@bargaingamer

I owned one for about a year. The best games I played was the first three Ratchet and Clanks. I'd love to see an HD collection of those. I ended up selling my PS2 right before Halo 2 came out after playing CE at a friend's house. I was a broke college student, so I didn't really have the money to buy a lot of games during that period. There are some games I missed out on that I'd like to see on PSN at least.

@pluupy Well PS2 games do look like crap on an HDTV.

Holy molly, Maximo?

Rare and classic indeed. It's like if demon souls had a baby with crash bandicoot.

Happy to see it going to PSN so everyone can enjoy it. (as with the rest on that list.)

taken long enough for them to do this....I wonder if they will play on the Vita...

@Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi

Im really hoping thats the point!

@Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi Yep, I only care if theyr'e on the Vita. I have all the PS2 games I want, and my PS2 and can play them on my tv that way, but if I can play them portably, that changes things a bit, and I would definatley buy some PS2 games to play on the Vita.

@Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi
Unless the Vita has some way to emulate the L2, L3, R2, R3 buttons it probably won't be the case. I highly doubt these will play on the Vita. I really wish they would, but I'd say there is a very, very slim chance.

So instead of restoring backwards compatibility they're giving us a half-assed compromise?

@Faceless Troll

It seems full-assed to me.

PS2 digital copy
Play it on a PS3
PS2 playback on a PS3

Now....PRICE is an important question. $10 would rue my world and wallet. Anything more, and I'm going to treat this like G.O.D. for Xbox Live, which translates to "I will completely avoid it."

@Faceless Troll

you probably should have bought one of the fully BC consoles

@eat it Or Sony should have kept the features they promised. Instead you have fanboys jumping through hoops to justify why it's okay to screw over customers that didn't hop on the day one bandwagon.

@Faceless Troll

The only way to restore backwards compatibility for PS2 games would be another hardware revision and would end up costing more than a regular Slim. Sure, you could buy an old backwards compatible model that's still alive, but due to the early hardware flaws, they're all ticking time-bombs.

This method will (probably) save us money in the long run and will cost Sony less. If they keep supporting this and make it Vita-compatible, it's okay by me. Bring on the digital-age, Sony. Bring it on.

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Odin Sphere

PS2 games going digital in 'Only on PlayStation Network' campaign

Reader Comments (98)

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 8:38AM squallgengar said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 9:06AM This Little Man Says His Name Is said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 11:38AM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 2:57PM tylerh1701 said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 8:39AM Arsenic13 said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 8:40AM Punkrawk Bbob said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 8:47AM baby sea tuna said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 8:43AM pluupy said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 9:04AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 9:54AM Lerkero said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 10:24AM Cavall said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 10:44AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 11:38AM ptcamn said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 12:10PM PointlessPuppies said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 12:33PM BPMOmega XBL PSN Steam said

Posted: Oct 4th 2011 3:07AM pluupy said

Posted: Oct 5th 2011 7:41AM This Little Man Says His Name Is said

Posted: Nov 10th 2011 10:06AM VideoGameFan said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 8:43AM John Z said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 8:44AM ProtagonistZero said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 8:48AM pluupy said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 8:54AM ProtagonistZero said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 9:07AM eat it said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 10:56AM Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 11:47AM semisanity said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 2:35PM Spunky Monkey 190906 said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 2:42PM HardRojo said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 8:45AM Gooblechev said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 10:45AM Roto13 said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 8:45AM baby sea tuna said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 9:32AM RagingStormX said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 12:14PM SushiGummy said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 8:47AM Viriathus said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 8:47AM bargaingamer said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 8:50AM pluupy said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 8:52AM Doctalen said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 8:54AM CaptainProtonX said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 9:07AM This Little Man Says His Name Is said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 9:20AM ItsameMatt03 said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 10:33AM Faceless Troll said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 8:49AM SmashZilla said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 8:50AM Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 10:26AM Cavall said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 2:01PM Hoops said

Posted: Oct 4th 2011 9:39AM qrayg said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 8:53AM Faceless Troll said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 8:57AM CaptainProtonX said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 9:11AM eat it said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 9:17AM Faceless Troll said

Posted: Oct 3rd 2011 9:25AM Apsac D said

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