Sony Promises Backwards Compatibility is dead

[BuRn7 CaK3]

With the PS3 Slim having been announced just days ago, the sexy, streamlined console has been the topic of much conversation. Those hoping to pop in their favorite past-generation PlayStation titles, however, might find the updated console a bit underwhelming.

Having only been available on early 80gb versions of the PS3, Sony has had a sticky past with the ability to play classic titles. Unfortunately for PS1/PS2 enthusiasts, this is not about to change with the PS3 Slim.

Never shy to bluntly state his mind, Sony's John Koller weighed in on the topic. "It’s not coming back, so let me put that on the table," the hardware marketing director said. "It’s not as big as a purchase intent driver as you may be hearing. We’ve got such a substantial lineup of titles on the PS3; most people are buying the PS3 for PS3 games. They’ve buying it for PS3 games and Blu-ray movies. That won’t be returning."

Way to let everyone down gently, John. Everyone likely understands that a PS3's primary focus is to play PS3 games, but backwards compatibility is an easy way to reward Sony fans that have stayed loyal to the company's lineage. Perceived value is a heck of a marketing tool.

Basically Koller is waving his hand in front of us Obi Wan-style and saying, "you don't really want backwards compatibility." Your mind powers will not work on us, boy. Who doesn't want a three-in-one console?

Game Informer (http://gameinformer.com/News/Story/200908/N09.0820.1413.00424.htm)


PS2's are $99 anyways. I mean, if you want to really play PS2 games. Just either get the old PS3 that has compatibility or just get a PS2. This doesn't bother me that much since I hardly even play XBOX games on my 360. I don't think it'll make a difference when I get a PS3 that I cannot play PS2 games on it.

[The Highway To Hell]

I'm not getting it. The new one looks ugly anyways (the old one still looks sexy though).

[BuRn7 CaK3]

I'm not getting it. The new one looks ugly anyways (the old one still looks sexy though).

Like I said in the OP after the article. This doesn't bother me. When I get a PS3, I want a PS3 for a PS3 to play PS3 games. Not PS2 games.

While the fat PS3's do look better. The Slim PS3 uses 1/3 of the power that the fat ones use, Which is you are a green-nut, then that would be best for you.

[Baanu_Rass]

Never shy to bluntly state his mind, RB forum's Baanu_Rass weighed in on the topic. "I'm not buying one, so let me put that on the table," the forum goer said. "I don't want to have more systems than necessary. I've got a nice backlog of games; I would be buying a PS3 for PS1/2/3 games. I've already got a Blu Ray player so that does nothing for me."

[The Highway To Hell]

Like I said in the OP after the article. This doesn't bother me. When I get a PS3, I want a PS3 for a PS3 to play PS3 games. Not PS2 games.

While the fat PS3's do look better. The Slim PS3 uses 1/3 of the power that the fat ones use, Which is you are a green-nut, then that would be best for you.Well I got to have something to play my Battlfront 2... if I ever decide to buy it.

[mysticneji]

I'm glad I got the 60GB system when it was first released. So I have backwards compatibility. Although I haven't really played any of my PS2 games. Maybe I'll pop in Kingdom Hearts 2 one of these days and try to finally finish it.

[Sarge51]

BC is the such a big thing now, though. If Sony can't do this, then they'll lose cool points from me. I'm sorry, I have too many wires hooked to my TV as it is. I don't need more when they could have merged three systems into one. I mean, look at the PS3 it's freaking huge! They couldn't fit a PS2 slim in there somewhere? :p

Which reminds me, Nintendo, get to work on your BC. I need two TVs to hook up your NES, SNES and N64! :mad:!

[maitee1]

I feel for the people who like to still play their PS2 games.

Maybe this is the way that $ony is trying to screw their loyal customers. Since if you can't find an early version of the PS3, you have to have that PS2. Seems like they took a page from M$'s book.

[Julio_Strikes_Back]

why don't they release a USB playstation 2 disc drive? They could definitely make some extra scratch off of that.

[killer_roach]

I feel for the people who like to still play their PS2 games.

Maybe this is the way that $ony is trying to screw their loyal customers. Since if you can't find an early version of the PS3, you have to have that PS2. Seems like they took a page from M$'s book.

Personally, I find a slim PS2 and component cables to be more than sufficient for playing PS2 games, but your mileage may vary. :)

The main thing is that it would be cost-prohibitive to redesign the PS2's processors to be spun off on Sony's fabs, and possibly doubling (or more) their orders to a contract fab for the parts would put pressure on the costs of both the PS2 and the PS3.

About your best hope is for software emulation at this point, although the PS2 was so finicky of a piece of hardware that emulation is going to be difficult.

Or just get a PS2.

[moose39]

Like I said in the OP after the article. This doesn't bother me. When I get a PS3, I want a PS3 for a PS3 to play PS3 games. Not PS2 games.

Well, I play FFVII on its PS1 disc on the PS3. But then again, that game's out on the PSN, so it looks like I should delete my saves and start all over again. (http://i352.photobucket.com/albums/r338/bassmaniac20005/0730091145.jpg) <--Yeah, I did that. I went from 54 to 99 in about a day and a half. :(

[FloodOne]

I bought my ps3 shortly after launch because my ps2 died.I think it's a real bonehead move to not include BC.

I, personally, have played quite a few ps2 games on my 60gb. If I had waited to buy a ps3 now, I would probably not buy one at all.

Actually, I might not even be gaming now at all. I don't like where the industry is headed, so chances are slim that I'm going to continue after this generation.

[forrest99]

yeah is that why ps2 has more sells than ps3. Ha they are crazy. I guess they had to do something to drop the price

[FloodOne]

yeah is that why ps2 has more sells than ps3. Ha they are crazy. I guess they had to do something to drop the price

you do realize there hasn't been a BC manufactured ps3 in almost two years right?

[metalhead27]

Well it's probably true, it still seems like a bad business to not be BC with the BIGGEST SELLING console ever. Then again, I just bought Playstation games after getting a PS2, so maybe they're missing more sales than they think, especially as prices go down. Still not a big deal to me (until my PS2 dies that is).

[HeyRiles]

I used to love backwards compatibility, but now that I'm older I get bored of older games more quickly. There's a very small handful of games left on N64 that I would still play, and probably just as much on GameCube

I certainly couldn't imagine this as a dealbreaker for a number of people - strictly from a business perspective, there's no reason to waste resources on perks for a niche market

[Zidane]

Wouldn't it make more sense to let PS2 games be backwards compatible while the PS3 releases a steady stream of old school PS1 games?

[Mega-Tallica]

Damn, Sony for getting my hopes up!:mad:

[gosox333]

Does this mean there's no chance of ever getting a BC firmware update?

Right when I had gotten my hopes up, too.....

[ultimatespidey81]

i have BC on my ps3 and i have yet to play any ps2 games on it since the day i bought the system way back on launch day. and i loved ps2 games: ffX, vice city, god of war, gh2 etc etc.

to me BC is not a selling point as the current titles im playing keep me entertained enough to not have to go back and revisit the past.

[nashphx13z]

I'm glad I bought the PS3 Motorstorm bundle. B/C FTW!

[Sarge51]

People To Kill:
Robert Pattinson
Jason Statham
Peter Jackson
Sony

[trg007]

I dread the day my PS3 eventually dies, since it's the original 60GB model with 4 USB ports and the PS2 hardware in it. Though I have to admit, I've played PS2 games in it probably twice since I've owned it.

[LinkStrifeLeonhart]

This sucks. My PS2 from back in 03 is completely dead and won't read any more discs no matter the way I orientate it. It would have been nice to get a PS3 Slim and be able to play some of the PS2 games that I would like to catch up on, but that isn't going to happen.

A shame, really. It impacts my decision to buy a Slim. I'll wait until a couple of months out and see how well they perform. My main driving force is to play RPGs on the PS3 so it won't hurt me to wait since there would be no online community.

[killer_roach]

People To Kill:
Robert Pattinson
Jason Statham
Peter Jackson
Sony

Sarge, like you were going to buy a PS3 anyway.

Kinda like the odds of me dusting off my copy of Halo 3.

[LinkStrifeLeonhart]

Sarge, like you were going to buy a PS3 anyway.

Kinda like the odds of me dusting off my copy of Halo 3.

Kinda like the odds of any topic about a console not ending up in a console war.

[Sarge51]

Sarge, like you were going to buy a PS3 anyway.

Kinda like the odds of me dusting off my copy of Halo 3.

Hey, I was considering it with this talk of backwards compatibility. That's the reason I sold off my PS3 to begin with. :)

I don't like your assumptions, mister! -points finger-

[HeyRiles]

Kind of like the odds of me not being ridiculously handsome

[killer_roach]

Well, the PS3 Slim announcement thread was doing pretty good until 360-only people started whining for hardware BC (moving the bar yet again on what makes a system a good deal, and would, if implemented, be something else the 360 lacks).

Whatever happened to just enjoying the games?

[LinkStrifeLeonhart]

Well, the PS3 Slim announcement thread was doing pretty good until 360-only people started whining for hardware BC (moving the bar yet again on what makes a system a good deal, and would, if implemented, be something else the 360 lacks).

Whatever happened to just enjoying the games?

Doesn't it make more sense to buy another console because it has features the one you have doesn't?

[jonoo24]

lol. what they should do is make the ones with the ps2 chip in them, and sell them for 400$.

One, sku, just adding it to the pot.

[Sarge51]

I'll just buy a PS3 Slim because it's cheaper than what I sold my old PS3 for and use the PS2 to play PS1 and PS2 games. -__-

It would be a lot nicer to have BC, though. Even the WII has BC. =P

[BYC]

Backwards compatibility is mainly a non-issue that companies are making an issue. Although a nice feature, most people do not need it. It's a convenience that I never used with the PS2 with PS games.

[jonoo24]

I'll just buy a PS3 Slim because it's cheaper than what I sold my old PS3 for and use the PS2 to play PS1 and PS2 games. -__-

It would be a lot nicer to have BC, though. Even the WII has BC. =P

That's nintendo. MUCH harder to replicate PS2 then GC.

[Tank9088]

I love having backwards compatibility on my 360, need something to play Battlefront and Kotor on.

[killer_roach]

That's nintendo. MUCH harder to replicate PS2 then GC.

The hardware in the Wii is basically just die-shrunk and overclocked from what was in the GameCube. Backwards compatibility is a cakewalk, because it's the same hardware.

That being said, I am surprised that Sony or some of their closer developers hasn't tried taking the Microsoft route and recompiling binaries of their older titles to get them to work on the newer hardware... maybe the money and/or the interest isn't there. (Probably also something they should've looked into at the start of the console's life, which is what Microsoft did to create a library foothold by allowing, in particular, the Halo and Project Gotham games to run on the 360 as well)

[FloodOne]

I'll just buy a PS3 Slim because it's cheaper than what I sold my old PS3 for and use the PS2 to play PS1 and PS2 games. -__-

It would be a lot nicer to have BC, though. Even the WII has BC. =P

Dude... how many people are unaware that ALL ps3 systems play ps1 games. It's run off of an emulator.

The BC ps3 systems actually had the Emotion Chip inside of them. It was a ps2 crammed inside of a ps3.

It was worth the $600 I spent on it, easily.

[jonoo24]

Dude... how many people are unaware that ALL ps3 systems play ps1 games. It's run off of an emulator.

The BC ps3 systems actually had the Emotion Chip inside of them. It was a ps2 crammed inside of a ps3.

It was worth the $600 I spent on it, easily.
This. except 800$ on ebay.

[Perfxion]

The thing with me is this:
If I really wanted to play a PS2 game, I boot up my PS2. If I want to play my PS3 games or watch a BR disc, then boot up my PS3.

BC is a real non issue when people want a unit to be cheaper. Something has to give. It will be either be non-blu ray or non backwards compatibility. I am glad its the latter.

[DethTung]

The PlayStation 3 hasn't really resonated with me. While I do enjoy LittleBigPlanet, Guitar Hero/Rock Band, Fallout 3 and Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, a lot of the games on there just don't appeal to me. I enjoy shooters and open-ended games- it just seems that the genres are conforming to pre-set fiction genres and story paths. I don't want to shoot Nazis, aliens, super-soldiers and zombies over and over again, just like how I've run out of enjoyment with every single way of killing pedestrians. I don't want to do the same general aesthetics with every game.

The PS2 absolutely dominates the PS3 in this regard. The scope of genres and thematics was much broader there.

[FloodOne]

The PlayStation 3 hasn't really resonated with me. While I do enjoy LittleBigPlanet, Guitar Hero/Rock Band, Fallout 3 and Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, a lot of the games on there just don't appeal to me. I enjoy shooters and open-ended games- it just seems that the genres are conforming to pre-set fiction genres and story paths. I don't want to shoot Nazis, aliens, super-soldiers and zombies over and over again, just like how I've run out of enjoyment with every single way of killing pedestrians. I don't want to do the same general aesthetics with every game.

The PS2 absolutely dominates the PS3 in this regard. The scope of genres and thematics was much broader there.

Have you heard of Demon's Soul, Valkyria Chronicles, Disgaea 3, inFamous or Ratchet and Clank? I can guarantee that the first two are unlike any other game you've ever played, and inFamous fits your open world need. Ratchet and Clank is one of the most unique Action games ever.

[instantdeath999]

I love backwards compatibility...

[xIxUn4GivenxIx]

I think that is one of the down falls of the PS3. I mean, xbox 360 lets you play most of the O.G. xbox games so it would of been smart for sony to allow old games to play. In a way John is so cocky about the PS3 game sales.

[jonoo24]

The PlayStation 3 hasn't really resonated with me. While I do enjoy LittleBigPlanet, Guitar Hero/Rock Band, Fallout 3 and Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, a lot of the games on there just don't appeal to me. I enjoy shooters and open-ended games- it just seems that the genres are conforming to pre-set fiction genres and story paths. I don't want to shoot Nazis, aliens, super-soldiers and zombies over and over again, just like how I've run out of enjoyment with every single way of killing pedestrians. I don't want to do the same general aesthetics with every game.

The PS2 absolutely dominates the PS3 in this regard. The scope of genres and thematics was much broader there.
infamous

[nashphx13z]

I think that is one of the down falls of the PS3. I mean, xbox 360 lets you play most of the O.G. xbox games so it would of been smart for sony to allow old games to play. In a way John is so cocky about the PS3 game sales.

I have a PS3 80GB Motorstorm package (from 2007) and it plays most PS2 games (all the ones I own). The new PS3's don't, though.

[DethTung]

Have you heard of Demon's Soul, Valkyria Chronicles, Disgaea 3, inFamous or Ratchet and Clank? I can guarantee that the first two are unlike any other game you've ever played, and inFamous fits your open world need. Ratchet and Clank is one of the most unique Action games ever.

Let's see...

-Demon's Soul looks like it'd be right up my alley. I've always found enjoyment in action RPGs.
-I haven't been able to find a copy Valkyria Chronicles, but I have played it and I found enjoyment in it.
-inFamous is one of those games I've been following since it made its debut in Game Informer. I haven't played it yet, but it looks awesome.
-I've never gotten to playing Ratchet and Clank. However, I try any chance I can to give it a go.

[jonoo24]

Let's see...

-Demon's Soul looks like it'd be right up my alley. I've always found enjoyment in action RPGs.
-I haven't been able to find a copy Valkyria Chronicles, but I have played it and I found enjoyment in it.
-inFamous is one of those games I've been following since it made its debut in Game Informer. I haven't played it yet, but it looks awesome.
-I've never gotten to playing Ratchet and Clank. However, I try any chance I can to give it a go.

Have you played the ratchet and clank demo? Any one will do, it's loads of fun.

inFAMOUS IS awesome.

[FloodOne]

Let's see...

-Demon's Soul looks like it'd be right up my alley. I've always found enjoyment in action RPGs.
-I haven't been able to find a copy Valkyria Chronicles, but I have played it and I found enjoyment in it.
-inFamous is one of those games I've been following since it made its debut in Game Informer. I haven't played it yet, but it looks awesome.
-I've never gotten to playing Ratchet and Clank. However, I try any chance I can to give it a go.

See? There are quite a few games for the ps3 you would enjoy. Just because you don't own one, doesn't mean there aren't plenty of games you would dig if you did own one.

[BYC]

I think that is one of the down falls of the PS3. I mean, xbox 360 lets you play most of the O.G. xbox games so it would of been smart for sony to allow old games to play. In a way John is so cocky about the PS3 game sales.
BC is nowhere near a legit reason. Remember, all the early PS3 had BC, but sales were still bad.

The 2 main reasons are price and the lack of a need to upgrade. $600 for a system is far too much. The 2nd is the fact the PS2 was still going strong. Sony was caught in a catch 22. If they marketed the PS2 being obsolete, it meant losing PS2 sales. It's difficult to market 2 systems that weren't meant to compete against each other, but ended up doing so.

And then MS cut their prices. And Nintendo complete blew out of the water. Doesn't anybody remember all the people saying "why should I buy a PS3 when I can get a 360 AND Wii instead?"

[FloodOne]

BC is nowhere near a legit reason. Remember, all the early PS3 had BC, but sales were still bad.

The 2 main reasons are price and the lack of a need to upgrade. $600 for a system is far too much. The 2nd is the fact the PS2 was still going strong. Sony was caught in a catch 22. If they marketed the PS2 being obsolete, it meant losing PS2 sales. It's difficult to market 2 systems that weren't meant to compete against each other, but ended up doing so.

And then MS cut their prices. And Nintendo complete blew out of the water. Doesn't anybody remember all the people saying "why should I buy a PS3 when I can get a 360 AND Wii instead?"

QFT.

Punters always want to see the mighty fall, and as such, will always find a way to validate not owning a ps3. If you want to miss out on amazing games, by all means, I don't care.

But don't justify your reasons as anything more than fanboy behavior.