Kotaku Australia » backwards compatibility

Sony Comments On PS2 God Of War Games Coming To Blu-ray

Michael McWhertor — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:30:00 +0000

Sony surveyed potential God of War III fans this week about what they’d like to see in a collector’s edition for the PlayStation 3 sequel, including repackaging the first two games on Blu-ray.

That would almost certainly indicate that PlayStation 2 games would be playable on the PlayStation 3, a backwards compatibility option that the most recent PS3 configurations don’t offer. And that would be just about the greatest thing since in-game text chat to hit the console.

Not so fast, Sony Computer Entertainment reps say. The console maker is not announcing updated PS2 support just yet.

“It is simply a marketing survey. The goal of it is to do focus group testing,” SCEA reps told Kotaku. “We’re just trying to find out what would resonate with the God of War community.”

SCEA reps indicated that, while PlayStation 2 backwards compatibility isn’t out of the question, don’t assume that dangling the prospect in your face is a promise.

“If that was the number one requested thing, that would be something they would need to see if that was most technically feasible,” reps clarified.

“Obviously with Blu-ray, we’re able to put more content on the disc,” we were told. “But in terms of having seen God of War II on a Blu-ray disc on a debug and playing it that way, no, that’s not something I’ve seen.”

While the door has been left open to allow the possibility—which could be technically possible on a game-by-game basis—keep your expectations lowered. We’ll all be happier that way.

Is PlayStation 3 Backwards Compatibility Dead? Maybe Not

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 22:20:51 +0000

The one version of the PlayStation 3 that currently supports PlayStation 2 software—via emulation of the “Emotion Engine”—looks like it’s about to go the way of the dodo. Exactly how crushed should those of us be, should we want to experience PS2 classics on our future PS3s? Oh, totally crushed for now, but the future may provide a glimmer of hope, backing us away from the ledge. PlayStation Network director Eric Lempell says there are “possibilities” the PS2 playing capabilities could come back to the gutted PS3 in the most recent issue of EGM.

When asked by the mag if the now BC-less console kills any chance of offering PS2 games via the PlayStation Store, as it does for original PlayStation games, Lempel said “We haven’t talked about that yet, but there are possibilities through technology and software emulation to make that possibles.”

Lempell chose not to talk about “specific plans at this point” but that doesn’t mean we can’t hope. And pray. And start online petitions.

The full interview, which is actually with Sony Computer Entertainment SVP of marketing Peter Dille—he says backward compatibility is “important to us”—is in the newest issue of EGM, which is in subscriber hands now. We hope that 1UP will publish the interview online, in-full, at some point soon.

Best Buy Says PlayStation 3 80GB Is On Its Way Out

Michael McWhertor — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 03:45:00 +0000

We’ve received multiple tips from readers—ones who also happen to be Best Buy employees—who have informed us that the North American retailer hasn’t received stock of the PlayStation 3 80GB model for the many weeks and is expected to discontinue carrying the model soon. According to our sources, Best Buy stores have also been asked to pull advertising materials related to the 80GB model, currently the only version that features PlayStation 2 backwards compatibility.

Rumours of a 120GB model have been spread to retail employees, but this conflicts with reports from other Best Buy moles who say that internal communications indicate only one model—the 40GB barebones edition—will be stocked after January 28th.

PS3 Fanboy has visual evidence of the notice to employees about the 80GB discontinuation, further proof that backwards compatibility may soon be a thing of the past. We’ve been bugging Sony about the situation all day, but have yet to receive anything other than a paraphrased “hold tight” about the rumours.

Best Buy discontinuing 80GB PS3 [PS3 Fanboy]

Xbox 360 Backward Compatibility Updates “Winding Down”

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 21:20:00 +0000

Speaking with Albert Penello, group marketing manager for the Xbox 360, at CES this week, we touched on the future of the Xbox past. The most recent update to the list of original Xbox games that are playable on the Xbox 360, bringing the total to 465 previous generation games may very well be the last, according to Penello. “I don’t know if we have plans to do any more releases,” Penello said “It feels like we kind of hit the point of diminishing returns there. I know with the Xbox Originals, there are still things happening there, but in terms of a lot of engineering work around bringing out new titles, I think they’re winding that down.”

He pointed out that Microsoft’s promise to focus on the “top selling” original Xbox titles has been, from a corporate standpoint, delivered upon. “For the most part, we’ve crossed off games that people want to play,” he said, adding that “There’s always going to be a notable exception here or there.”

Penello noted that, outside of Halo 2, internal data points to low numbers of backward compatible games being played on Live, with BC updates “not being downloaded that much anymore.”

While some of the more fondly remembered Xbox games, like Otogi and The Chronicles of Riddick, haven’t made the list yet, Penello tells us not to hold our breath. “At this point the stuff that’s left is work per title, every title now is almost a one-off. Right now we have to think, are we really going to do 300 one-off titles? I know it’s not exactly the answer everyone wants to hear, but I feel like it’s time.”

Watch for more from our interview with Penello later.

Xbox 360 Even More Backwards Compatible

Mike Fahey — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 18:40:39 +0000

Today is the day I put my original Xbox to rest. Larry Hryb has posted a list of newly backwards compatible titles for the Xbox 360, and with it my last non-compatible game, the brilliant Armed and Dangerous, now works in my 360. A little stuttering during the cut scenes, but the gameplay is solid and the humour intact. In fact, I nearly missed posting this story because I got wrapped up in playing, so it obviously works well enough. Armed and Dangerous is joined by Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance, Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone, The Bard’s Tale, and…The Guy Game, along with many more, bringing the BC list past the 300 mark. Hit the jump for the list in its entirety. *sigh* Goodbye, giant black box. I don’t know I’ll fill the space left in my entertainment centre left by your passing. Perhaps a small island nation.

November 2007 Back Compat titles added:

2006 Fifa World Cup Germany
25 to Life
AMF Bowling 2004
Apex
Arena Football
Armed and Dangerous
Baldurs Gate: Dark Alliance
Batman Rise of Sin Tzu
Bionicle
Blade II
Blinx: The Timesweeper
Blitz The League
Blood Omen 2
Blowout
Breakdown
Burnout 2: Point of Impact
Cabelas Dangerous Hunts 2
Championship Manager 2006
Colin Mcrae Rally 2005
Crime Life: Gang Wars
Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2
Dungeons& Dragons Heroes
ESPN College Hoops 2k5
ESPN NFL 2k5
Fantastic 4
FIFA 06 Soccer
Fight Night: Round 3
Final Fight: Streetwise
Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone
Freedom Fighters
Freestyle Street Soccer
Future Tactics: The Uprising
Godzilla Destroy All Monsters Melee
Godzilla Save the Earth
Goldeneye Rogue Agent
Greg Hastings Tournament Paintball Max’d
High Heat MLB 2004
Hunter: The Reckoning
Indiana Jones And The Emperors Tomb
MLB Slugfest Loaded
MVP Baseball 2003
MVP Baseball 2004
MVP Baseball 2005
Nascar Thunder 2002
Nascar Thunder 2003
NBA 2k3
NBA Ballers
NBA Inside Drive 2002
NBA Street V3
NCAA College Basketball 2k3
NCAA March Madness 2005
NCAA March Madness 2006
NFL 2k2
NFL 2k3
NHL 2005
NHL 2K3
NHL Hitz Pro
Nightcaster: Defeat The Darkness
NTRA Breeders Cup: World Thoroughbred Championships
Playboy The Mansion
RLH Hunt or be Hunted
Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown
Rocky
Rugby 2006
Shattered Union
Shrek Super Party
Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter
Starsky & Hutch
Syberia II
Techmo Classic Arcade
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Test Drive
The Bard’s Tale
The Chronicles of Narnia The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
The Guy Game
The Lord Of The Rings: The Third Age
Thousand Land
Thrillville
Tom and Jerry in War of the Whiskers
Turok: Evolution
Van Helsing
WarPath
Worms 3D
Zathura

November ‘07 Back Compat Update [Xbox Live's Major Nelson via Saving Progress]

Jack Tretton Says Dropping BC Wasn’t For Cost Measures

Michael McWhertor — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 01:00:17 +0000

The feature-gimped PlayStation 3 with a 40 GB hard drive is coming to North America at a reduced price, but without the ability to play PlayStation 2 games. If you thought Sony was removing the PS2 guts out of the system, saving them gobs of cash and passing the savings on to you, late adopters, maybe you should think again. According to the Wall Street Journal’s paraphrasing of SCEA boss Jack Tretton, the removal of PS2 backward compatibility and other components isn’t “dramatically reducing Sony’s cost of manufacturing” on Sony’s behemoth console.

Instead, the handicapping of the PS3 was part of an effort to “encourage buyers of the entry-level PlayStation 3 to purchase more games designed specifically for the new system”. If only there were some other ways of doing that outside of ripping out the PS3’s ability to play PS2 games better than an actual PS2 in so many cases.

God, I just can’t think of any. Obviously having better PS3 software won’t work. Nor would working more closely with third parties to help them ship their PS3 ports of Xbox 360 titles day and date, feature for feature. I’ll admit… I’m stumped!

Sony Slashes Price of PlayStation 3 [Wall Street Journal (subscription required)]

Sony Will Continue To Update BC For 60, 80GB PS3 Owners

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 09:30:00 +0000

I’m getting as sick of it as you, so this is the last backwards compatibility post. I promise. So let’s end the whole sorry mess on a high note! For anyone who already owns a 60GB unit, know that Sony haven’t forgotten about you. SCEE’s Nick Sharples has told us that for the millions of consumers who already own a PS3, they’ll continue to work on backwards-compatibility updates:

The current PS3 system software and future updates will continue to support backwards compatibility for the current 60GB and 80GB models.

Good news for existing owners! Also, I wonder why he mentioned 80GB. Sharples works for SCEE, which has never seen an 80GB model. Unless he knows something we don’t.

Sony Could Run BC On 40GB PS3s. They Just Don’t Want To.

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 02:56:13 +0000

This whole backwards-compatibility thing on the new 40GB PS3 is a pinch confusing. Why, exactly, can’t the new model run PS2 games when the old one could? Tired of asking questions of the night, I instead asked SCEE, who fired back a super-detailed, super-helpful guide to the 40GB’s BC capabilities. Which is published in full after the click. For now, though, let’s just focus on the part where they tell us they could run PS2 games on the 40GB PS3. They just can’t be bothered:

The 40GB model, to be launched in Europe on 10th October, is a new model and is not equipped with any of the semi conductors from the PS2, and backwards compatibility would therefore have to be achieved by software emulation alone. The sheer numbers of PS2 titles available, together with the increased complexity of using a software only solution for each and every title means that to ensure accurate software emulation for the majority would be technically challenging, time consuming and costly. As we have mentioned on several occasions, our engineering resources are now focused on developing new and innovative features and services for the PS3 and, as a result the 40GB model does not have backwards compatibility with PS2 titles.

Who doesn’t enjoy a spot of corporate indifference, eh folks?Sony’s Friendly Guide To 40GB PS3 Backwards Compatibility

PS one
The PS3 has never been equipped with either the CPU or GPU that were used in the original PlayStation, and the backwards compatibility for PS one titles has therefore been made available through software emulation from the beginning. Therefore backwards compatibility for PS1 titles remains the same no matter how many times the model is changed.

PS2
On the other hand, backwards compatibility for PS2 titles is largely made possible through the use of actual semiconductors, supported by the PS3 system software. The 20GB and 60GB PS3 models launched in Japan and the USA were equipped with both the PS2 Emotion Engine and Graphics Synthesiser chips and we could therefore guarantee over 90% backwards compatibility for PS2 titles.

The 60GB model launched in Europe was a new model (shared with the 80GB model launched subsequently in USA) which contains only a modified version of the Graphics Synthesiser chip from the PS2 and not the Emotion Engine chip. The European launch model therefore used a combination of software and the modified version of the PS2 Graphics Synthesiser chip to deliver backwards compatibility for PS2 titles. As a result the percentage of
backwards compatible PS2 titles was slightly reduced.

The 40GB model, to be launched in Europe on 10th October, is a new model and is not equipped with any of the semi conductors from the PS2, and backwards compatibility would therefore have to be achieved by software emulation alone. The sheer numbers of PS2 titles available, together with the increased complexity of using a software only solution for each and every title means that to ensure accurate software emulation for the majority would be technically challenging, time consuming and costly. As we have mentioned on several occasions, our engineering resources are now focused on developing new and innovative features and services for the PS3 and, as a result the 40GB model does not have backwards compatibility with PS2 titles.

The current PS3 system software and future updates will continue to support backwards compatibility for the current 60GB and 80GB models, and publishers can check their new PS2 titles to ensure they play on the 60GB and 80GB models.

Keen gamers, for whom backwards compatibility is important, can still purchase the existing 60GB PS3 Starter Pack which contains an extra SixAxis controller, two first party titles and has extensive backwards compatibility with PS2 titles.

Think they left out the bit that says “keen gamers had also best get cracking”, because if they don’t get a 60GB model now they’re up shit creek without so much as a paddle.