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40GB PS3 could do backwards compatibility?
Author: Joe MartinPublished: 9th October 2007
There are some truly quality titles which owners of the 40GB PlayStation 3 will be missing out on.
Gone is the backwards compatibility of the more expensive versions, so 40GB owners will not be able to play any of their PS2 games on the PS3. That fact has divided gamers into two distinct factions - those who, like Tim, only want to play the newest games and enjoy them in all their glory. Or those who, like me, would prefer to be able to play their old games once their old consoles inevitably break down (but who can't afford to break the bank on a more expensive PS3).
Luke Plunkett of Kotaku falls into the latter camp and has been spending a fair few hours lately worrying about his old library of games. He's taken it upon himself to contact Sony and find out just why the new version of the PS3 can't do backwards compatibility. Here's what he got told:
"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."
So, there you go. Sony could give the new model backwards compatibility, it just doesn't want to.
How important is backwards compatibility to you? Let us know in the forums.
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BTW there is an inaccuracy in your article the 40Gb will play PS1 games as that has always been done fully in software rather than needing any hardware units.
And what's this about Sony's engineers working on "new features" for the PS3? Stop mucking around with the console, we don't need any more versions already!
Wait a minute. I could have sworn that our PAL PS3 machines *already* had this "feature"? I thought our backwards compat was software based? They removed the chips the NTSC/JAP editions had for cost reductions, etc.
So if that's the case, how would it be difficult at all? Unless of course the installed OS is drastically different on the new 40gig edition than that of the current ones available, wouldn't any of the firmware updates also include backward compat features?
Weird.....
If you read the linked article you will see that the first JAP/US units has both a PS2 EE and GS chip, Euro and later PS3 in all territories had only the GS+, the 40Gb removes the GS+ chip.
Come on that is a tired old complaint and is the same for all hardware from each company when comparing US and UK prices not just Sony.
also is this sony admentting there screwed up with the PS3 and so they are starting to chop it to pieces to justiful the consoles existents
How is that, sony have given a new cheaper version.
You go to a fiat Garage to buy a new punto, you dont get all the upgrades you get in the expensive model in the cheap model. If you did then there would not be 2 models.
Doh
If you want backwards compatibility then by the 60gb model. Simple. If you dont want to pay that then tuff, you got go with the cheaper model and miss out on a few things.
Who cares. :)
I'll keep my PS2 until it breaks so I can get perfect PS2 gaming...
@ LeMaltor: You're very lucky, the PS1 seems pretty sturdy, unfortunately I had my old one stolen so I can't comment on it's longevity, but I heard they're pretty good. PS2's however, I only know one person with a PS2 who didn't have it DRE on them.
I bought my PS2 the same time my bro did not long after the launch and his is still working and been passed onto our older brother for his kids. There is still life in that fat brick.
Sony also took out some of the PS2 chips from the 60gig model that reduced it's backwards compatibility.
That's ********.
I've had my PS2 since launch day, and it still works fine. It's been chucked about, mistreated, and never fails to play games.
Like said a guy before, where is the time when a console got the same tech spec from beginning to end.....
Console become like PC.... and I find that annoying.
Now, here's a question: when were the days when a console didn't have any of it's original features removed at a later date?
Revisions and updates are what keep consoles "fresh" and help drive additional sales for companies along with bringing added value and maybe some reliability to existing/future owners.....sadly in this case, it hurts Sony's credibility and affects customer relations, but from a business standpoint it just makes sense to focus on what really matters (to everyone) and that's looking into future endeavors....
At least with the other consoles, they waited a bit longer before bringing out new editions - and they tended to add functionality on to the console, not take it away.
That said though, I'm not at all interested in backwards compatibility (never had a PS2), but I am seriously thinking about buying a 40Gb model...
It could also be taken as Sony listening to the consumer, having had one from the start I'd say its been quite good, Sony have gone a long way to addressing featureset through the firmware and very quickly responding to problems that there have been with the unit. BC was very important to me and when Sony gimped the Euro unit I was pissed, fortunately ASDA had the slims at £50 at the time so I picked one up, Sony fixed the software very quickly though and I ended up trading in for the 3 and all but 2 titles worked, a month later all my titles worked :cool:
It took MS until about June/July this year to get decent BC at all on the 360 and that was only because Sony did such a good job of it in the first place otherwise it would have remain the pit of **** that it was.
All consoles go through component reduction as part of cost cutting measures its just never been as visible as it is these days with the popularity of trashy 'net media sites, theres been about 15 versions of PS2 and same sort of thing for PS1, it happens a lot and it happens early on as they loose a bucket load of dosh on the hardware.
But Sony replaced it, and it worked fine :) (until i broke it by attempting to mod) the latest PS2 i have is a V4 (so its pretty old) the laser is dead but the console is still going fine
N64 as far as Im aware had only one version of the hardware, though you could buy expansion pak memory addition. I'm more fed up with different versions of the same console being around with differing capabilities, Microsoft are by far the worst offenders to me with the 360's lack of hard drive in the core. in the past new variations of consoles have come along for two main reasons, change in technology has enable the console to be produced cheaper/smaller, fair enough, and to alter the colour of the console to horrid pastel, clears, metallics and pinks to cater to people who don't know what paint is. But in both those cases the consoles kept all the functionality of the previous editions, and apart from a stock sell of period didn't sell two versions at once, you just bought a ps2, or a megadrive.
I want to be able to just buy any game in the consoles life cycle, insert and play, not have to worry about some saying in the future, ah well that game wont work with the 2.36b version as they took out the pinkness chip.