European PS3s to use emulation for backward compatibility

[Mr. Monday Morning]

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3157441

Sony needs to start finding ways to save money on manufacturing PlayStation 3s, but most assumed that would come from cheaper chips became and more affordable Blu-ray production. Not so for Europe, however, as Sony Computer Entertainment Europe announced today they're actually removing the chips that allow for hardware-based backwards compatibility. They're going the Xbox 360 route and attempting software emulation for the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 game libraries.

We've contacted both SCEE and SCEA for comment on the issue. What's to stop Sony from instituting the same policy on future revisions of American hardware?

SCEE's rationale is a bit reaching. The company claims the change means to generate a focus on PlayStation 3 software, rather than the old 'n broken machines. Does someone want to remind Sony that PS2 actually outsold PS3 in America last month? Clearly, the best response would be to start ignoring that hardware base. SCEE president David Reeves explains:

"Games designed for PS3 offer incredible graphics quality, stunning gameplay and massively improved audio and video fidelity that is simply not achievable with PS and PS2 games. Rather than concentrate on PS2 backwards compatibility, in the future, company resources will be increasingly focused on developing new games and entertainment features exclusively for PS3, truly taking advantage of this exciting technology."

The press release says the European PS3 will be compatible with a "broad range" of original PlayStation games (they're easier to emulate) but a "limited range" of PS2 releases. They'll be launching a website on March 23rd with a searchable list of what will work and promise downloadable patches for more games. Based on experience with Microsoft's updates, however, this announcement says backwards compatibility will be forgotten a year from now.

What happened to Sony's old mantra of complete "legacy" backwards compatibility? Let's help Ken Kutaragi rewind to last fall:

"...the PS3 will feature backwards compatibility with PS and PS2 games from day one. I'm emphasizing this because, from what I hear, there are some platforms that haven't been able to completely do this. It's costly in terms of hardware, but we'd rather [invest] firmly on compatibility from the beginning, rather than to have issues later on."

From what we hear, that's not true anymore.

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It's like they *want* to fail

[Xero]

lol, pwnd.

[Just John]

Dear lord...


Now I'm gonna have to take the bastard apart and fuck around inside.

[DS]

I didn't read the article, well I skimmed it, but from the title and the "It's like they *want* to fail", I don't quite understand. The 360 uses emulation for their backward compatibility but it has hardly failed.

Ah, I see the article even states that. Why would they be trying to fail then?

[Silent]

The press release says the European PS3 will be compatible with a "broad range" of original PlayStation games (they're easier to emulate) but a "limited range" of PS2 releases.

I'd say that's why, DS.

[ct2k]

Friend of mine has had a PS3 for about 3 weeks and says its awesome, but he cares more about graphics than anything so I don't really pay attention to him

[Funky Fly]

Well, that would kill any hope I'd have for getting a PS3 soon if I lived in Europe. Although, it's not like I'm dying for an NTSC PS3 right now either. The game line up hasn't been all that good, and I'm not sure if they've fixed those reported hardware kinks or updated the backward compatability list either.

[ct2k]

Can Sony really have fucked up so titanically?


Part of me thinks maybe, but a larger part thinks a lot of people will buy anything with PS in its name

[Funky Fly]

It seems like this time around everyone was just tryingto ride the wave of success from their last system.

[Disturbed316]

And the shit continues.

[Silent]

It seems like this time around everyone was just tryingto ride the wave of success from their last system.

Eh, not Nintendo, I don't think the Gamecube could be considered nearly as successful as the Xbox, and not nearly as much as the PS2.

I think the potential of the PS3 is good, I own one, and bought myself a big HDTV for it (and my 360 as well, but still,) and everything looks great. I like the design of the system, the online could be better if they add some more features to it (Xbox Live does totally stomp the PlaystationNetwork right now.) I'm really excited for Lair, I think it's going to be a killer game.

Also, Final Fantasy and Metal Gear Solid, and Army of Two come to mind off of the top of my head.

Big problem I'm having is that I plunked down $500 for the system plus $60 for Resistance (which really is a fantastic game I thought,) but every other game blows right now. I basically made an investment that I hope pans out into something successful. Blu-Ray isn't looking too promising right now, I own a handful of movies for it, and they do look incredible, but the price gouging is bullcrap. I can't afford to build a library of Blu-Ray movies like I have of DVDs, because I will go broke.

I'm a PC gamer at heart, but I used to be console all the way before I had a decent computer, and I purchased the 360 and PS3 in hopes that it would bring back some of the love I have for the console gaming, but it's going to take more then what Sony is currently doing to get me to actually take my attention away from the PC to play their console.

Lair is going to rule though.

[Kane Knight]

With Virtual Console games and the usual rehash, I'd say Nintendo's riding a wave...Just not the same gen as everyone else.

[Silent]

Well that's true, I didn't really think of that. I don't own a Wii so I often forget all of it's features, but that's a good point.

[Bad Company]

Silent, Good read.
As a PC Gamer at heart I can't find myself getting torn away from my PC games to play xbox 360 titles. Do you have the HD DVD Addon for the 360?

[Silent]

No, I don't have it. I bought the HDTV after I had already got the PS3, so I figure that Blu-ray is enough for now, I barely use that enough as it is. Also, I heard the HD-DVD drive for the 360 is kinda crappy, is that true?

[Gerard]

Find it funny that europe\uk are already paying out the ass for this console, and now were getting a console thats had shit removed from it and its still priced far higher than anywhere else in the world. :foc:

[Funky Fly]

I probably would be more of a PC gamer if my computer were better than decent. I mean, it handles all my school, work and entertainment needs (outside of gaming), but I am definitely not gonna be able to play anything beyond Diablo 2 without some serious lag.

[Dorkchop]

HAH! The PS2 outsold the PS3 last month.

[Silent]

PS2 is still outselling most systems I think.

[Kane Knight]

PS2 is the system with the most support. What did you expect? Catalogue of thousands of hit or hot games, still supported concurrently with next gen systems...Cheaper...

[Funky Fly]

Yup, there are 15 or so games on my list of games to buy that are PS2 games. And that comes long before I have any inkling of desire to get a PS3 just yet.

[Dorkchop]

Same her, Funky. I've recently gotten back into playing it, and realising there are a lot of really good games that I've missed out on this past year (I didn't play it for pretty much all of 2006...... Stupid DS being so awesome).

[Bad Company]

No, I don't have it. I bought the HDTV after I had already got the PS3, so I figure that Blu-ray is enough for now, I barely use that enough as it is. Also, I heard the HD-DVD drive for the 360 is kinda crappy, is that true?
Dunno, but I don't think they will ever be able to release games on HD-DVD for the 360 without going for an internal drive, as the USB bus won't be quick enough.

[Fignuts]

Friend of mine has had a PS3 for about 3 weeks and says its awesome, but he cares more about graphics than anything so I don't really pay attention to him

Ironic considering ign did graphical comparisons of all the multi platform games, to see which system performed better. Xbox did better with almost every game.

[Kane Knight]

Yup, there are 15 or so games on my list of games to buy that are PS2 games. And that comes long before I have any inkling of desire to get a PS3 just yet.

I'm trying to avoid buying PS2 games, so if a 360 version comes out, I'm all over it. And yet, I still have at least 5, and probably more.

[Kane Knight]

Ironic considering ign did graphical comparisons of all the multi platform games, to see which system performed better. Xbox did better with almost every game.

It will continue to do so, too.

Sony's bragging about how hard it is to use the Cell. Problem is, they've made the PS3 very user-unfriendly (Well, programmer unfriendly). More than likely, the 360 will be doing better for at least another year, and probably longer. Not only because they've had an extra year to work on it, but because it's easier to make things work.

However, a lot of people will swear that the graphics are better on a PS3. Hell, people swore the graphics were better on a PS2.

[Silent]

It will continue to do so, too.

Sony's bragging about how hard it is to use the Cell. Problem is, they've made the PS3 very user-unfriendly (Well, programmer unfriendly). More than likely, the 360 will be doing better for at least another year, and probably longer. Not only because they've had an extra year to work on it, but because it's easier to make things work.

However, a lot of people will swear that the graphics are better on a PS3. Hell, people swore the graphics were better on a PS2.

Yeah, Sony seems to have lost all perception of what is good for business. I've heard that several developers are frustrated with the PS3 because it's so difficult to develop for.

I think the PS3 looks a little better then my 360, but I don't own any of the same games for both of them, so I can't do any real comparisons. Also, I use HDMI to play the PS3 and only the Component cables for the 360, so I'm not sure if there's a big quality loss there. The 360 could very well look a lot better then the PS3..

[Kane Knight]

TBH, I'm jacking into a low def TV with a S Video cable. I wouldn't rerally see the full effect anyway, in most cases. But I've seen GoW on an HD TV, and I think I chain orgasmed.