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Sony to reintroduce PS2 emulation on PS3?

Published on 30th June 2009 by Joe Martin

A patent filed by Sony in December 2008 suggests that backwards compatibility may return to the PlayStation 3.

A patent filed by Sony in December 2008 suggests that backwards compatibility may return to the PlayStation 3 after having been culled from most models of the PS3 console.

For those not in the know, the PlayStation 3 originally launched with the ability to play PlayStation 2 games off the disc and the 20GB and 60GB models that went on sale in the US and Japan had this feature for the first few months that the console was on sale. The consoles that went on sale in PAL territories such as the UK though were never able to play PS2 games and Sony then removed the feature from all PS3s on sale when new versions (the 40GB, 80GB and 120GB).

According to the new patent discovered by Siliconera though, Sony may be looking to reintroduce PlayStation 2 emulation on the PlayStation 3.

Even better, though early PlayStation 3s achieved emulation on the hardware side via a PS2 chip, the new method is a pure software solution and should enable PS2 emulation on all existing PS3s if Sony chooses to enable it.

The bad news is that, even though the patent was filed months ago, Sony still hasn't announced or confirmed any interest in opening PS2 emulation for the PS3 and, as Kotaku points out, the patent doesn't mean that you'll be able to play PS2 games off a disc. It may instead indicate that Sony is going to start selling PlayStation 2 games on PSN, rather than letting gamers play the games they already have.

How important is backward compatibility to you when you buy a new console? Let us know in the forums.

28 Comments

Discuss in the forums Reply

Psy-UK 30th June 2009, 11:27

Well...at least they're not releasing yet another SKU.

xaser04 30th June 2009, 11:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by article
For those not in the know, the PlayStation 3 originally launched with the ability to play PlayStation 2 games off the disc and the 20GB and 60GB models that went on sale in the US and Japan had this feature for the first few months that the console was on sale. The consoles that went on sale in PAL territories such as the UK though were never able to play PS2 games and Sony then removed the feature from all PS3s on sale when new versions (the 40GB, 80GB and 120GB).

The original UK 20GB/60GB PS3 is able to play PS2 games thanks to still having the RSX GPU from the PS2 (The EE was emulated by the cell CPU / software).

IIRC the main reason why the later PS3's didn't have any PS2 backwards compatability was sony said the RSX was impossible to emulate in software / by the cell cpu due to bandwidth limitations. This turnaround could be interesting.

MajorTom 30th June 2009, 11:45

I just want to be able to play Mashed Fully Loaded without digging out the old xbox! Best party game ever and the only reason I still have the old box.

Veles 30th June 2009, 12:01

I thought the US/Japanese PS3s had hardware emulation because they hadn't sorted software emulation yet. When it was released in Europe the original SKUs for the first few months had the emulation software, and the US/Japanese ones switched to this too to reduce the manufacturing costs. Then they released their cheap version where they cut the emulation, not because it cost more, but because they wanted people to buy more PS3 games.

As far as BC goes, for me it's either hardware or not worth bothering with. I attempted playing KotOR 2 on my 360 and there was a bug which made the framerate crawl when something decloaked (even off screen) which made it incredibly annoying to play. Plus I play my 360 through a monitor right now so if it won't play at 60Hz then it won't play. So I do still own my xbox with a nice stack of games, and my PS2 and GC.

That reminds me, I still need to grab 4 GBAs and FF:CC

LeMaltor 30th June 2009, 12:24

woo gt4 on ps3 without having to dig ps2 out :D

yakyb 30th June 2009, 12:29

TBH i was considering buying a PS3 a while back and the lack of PS2 emulation was a deal breaker for me so i did not buy one (and im bvery glad i didnt)

Mentai 30th June 2009, 12:52

Backwards compatability is a deal breaker for me, I really hope they bring it back. I have a lot of unopened PS2 games, as I only got the PS2 6 months ago and I grabbed a large back catalogue that I had always wanted to play. I also don't have room for my TV where I live atm, and the PS3's HDMI going to my monitor would help. That's not to say the PS3 isn't attractive with bluray and a few titles, but at 700NZD there is no way I'm grabbing it unless it does everything I need it to.

Blademrk 30th June 2009, 13:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Veles
That reminds me, I still need to grab 4 GBAs and FF:CC

got that, which reminds me: I need to see if the DS/DSLITE will work in place of a GBA and then grab another 2 GC to GBA cables.

pizan 30th June 2009, 13:55

Wait...so on the PS3 i bought off my cousin, he got it at USA launch date, I can play PS2 games?

TurtlePerson2 30th June 2009, 13:55

Backwards compatibility was so important to me that I bought a used PS3 so that I could get a 20 GB model rather than a cheaper 40 GB model.

CardJoe 30th June 2009, 14:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by pizan
Wait...so on the PS3 i bought off my cousin, he got it at USA launch date, I can play PS2 games?

Likely, yes. Grab an old copy of GTA and see.

Nexxo 30th June 2009, 14:57

PS2 backward compatibility is a necessary condition for me to consider a PS3. I do not have many PS2 games but they are all classics: Rez, WipeOut 2097, Ico, Shadow of the Collossus, Katamari.

kenco_uk 30th June 2009, 15:37

I'd be in a mess without Ribbit King.

Mentai 30th June 2009, 15:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nexxo
PS2 backward compatibility is a necessary condition for me to consider a PS3. I do not have many PS2 games but they are all classics: Rez, WipeOut 2097, Ico, Shadow of the Collossus, Katamari.

Damn I still need to find Ico and Katamari. The 2nd hand Shadow of the Colossus copy I found for 20NZD was in excellent condition and even had the postcards that originally came with it, I was so happy haha.

s3v3n 30th June 2009, 16:51

I think the original launch consoles came with both processor and gpu chips, requiring no emulation. Later on they dropped the processor and made 80GB version with only the gpu chip with some software emulation. Then a little before they came out with the 160GB line, they dropped all BC across all tiers.
This is just the US consoles though.

Paradigm Shifter 30th June 2009, 17:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by

I've got the original 60GB UK/EU model PS3, and it has a sort of *******ised software/hardware PS2 emulation. I've got a list of PS2 games that hate the PS3 with that software emulator (most of them JRPGs) so despite the fact that there are a few games out there that work OK... most don't. With the 100% hardware 'emulation' in the original US models I wasn't aware of any issue. But unless they can sort out the software emulation issues, it's still going to be a case of keeping a PStwo handy for those games that just don't want to know... :(

TreeDude 30th June 2009, 17:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blademrk
Quote:
Originally Posted by Veles
That reminds me, I still need to grab 4 GBAs and FF:CC
got that, which reminds me: I need to see if the DS/DSLITE will work in place of a GBA and then grab another 2 GC to GBA cables.

It will not. The DS/DS Lite lack the port necessary to use the cable. I tried this myself as both my wife and I have DS Lites and I have my GC. Ended up taking FF:CC back very dissappointed.

themax 30th June 2009, 18:07

Maybe it's just me. But lacking B/C isn't a huge issue for me. I still have all 3 last gen consoles so with or without it I wouldn't have noticed between the Wii/360/PS3 if I really wanted to play my older games. Slim PS2's aren't that expensive (or even that big) considering and I would imagine alot of you still have the old hardware if you are still playing PS2 games. I will admit it was convenient though, my PS2 is just a DVD player in my bedroom now which saved me a $30 Wal-Mart purchase for one.

Even still, with B/C I was dissapointed Sony didn't ship the PS2/PSOne Memory Card transfer kit with the console at launch in the U.S. I hate buying accessories I don't need (especially when it will only be used once).

pizan 30th June 2009, 18:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by CardJoe
Quote:
Originally Posted by pizan
Wait...so on the PS3 i bought off my cousin, he got it at USA launch date, I can play PS2 games?

Likely, yes. Grab an old copy of GTA and see.

sweet nice, now im going to go play RE4 then RE5 in a marathon. Then maybe go thru the entire GTA series from ps1 to ps3

sandys 30th June 2009, 18:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paradigm Shifter
I've got the original 60GB UK/EU model PS3, and it has a sort of *******ised software/hardware PS2 emulation. I've got a list of PS2 games that hate the PS3 with that software emulator (most of them JRPGs) so despite the fact that there are a few games out there that work OK... most don't. With the 100% hardware 'emulation' in the original US models I wasn't aware of any issue. But unless they can sort out the software emulation issues, it's still going to be a case of keeping a PStwo handy for those games that just don't want to know... :(

You're unlucky all my jprgs and other ps2 games work just fine, BC was updated a few times when did you last try them, not had a single game fail, I think the 60gb PS3 software/hardware BC is superb.

Only game I can recall with an issue was GT4 which showed a small discoloured map in the corner but was still playable and PES6 but that got fixed with an update.

I panicked and bought a new PS2 to replace the one I sold to get PS3 when I heard BC was apparently gimped for UK but in a couple of months I had tested all my titles and sold my PS2 again, no need for it, games looked better through PS3 on HDTV.

Paradigm Shifter 30th June 2009, 18:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandys
You're unlucky all my jprgs and other ps2 games work just fine, BC was updated a few times when did you last try them, not had a single game fail, I think the 60gb PS3 software/hardware BC is superb.

Only game I can recall with an issue was GT4 which showed a small discoloured map in the corner but was still playable and PES6 but that got fixed with an update.

I panicked and bought a new PS2 to replace the one I sold to get PS3 when I heard BC was apparently gimped for UK but in a couple of months I had tested all my titles and sold my PS2 again, no need for it, games looked better through PS3 on HDTV.

Ah, OK... Disgaea works but has some odd corruption issues at times, Disgaea 2 will load the menus but the colours are screwed up and it crashes after a while. Makai Kingdom won't even load for me. I'm not using a recent firmware, though - whatever was on the disc for Eternal Sonata. My PS3 isn't online, so I don't really bother about keeping it up to date unless I buy a new game that needs an updated firmware. (That thinking has served me well overall - I've avoided most of the issues that people experienced early on with Assassin's Creed or GTAIV, for example...) Last time I tried 'em wasn't a good experience so I stopped trying and stayed using my PS2. I know that one works. ;)

I've played Disgaea 3, but for some reason keep going back to 1 & 2 as they seem way more addictive.

Narishma 30th June 2009, 19:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by themax
Maybe it's just me. But lacking B/C isn't a huge issue for me. I still have all 3 last gen consoles so with or without it I wouldn't have noticed between the Wii/360/PS3 if I really wanted to play my older games. Slim PS2's aren't that expensive (or even that big) considering and I would imagine alot of you still have the old hardware if you are still playing PS2 games. I will admit it was convenient though, my PS2 is just a DVD player in my bedroom now which saved me a $30 Wal-Mart purchase for one.

Even still, with B/C I was dissapointed Sony didn't ship the PS2/PSOne Memory Card transfer kit with the console at launch in the U.S. I hate buying accessories I don't need (especially when it will only be used once).

It's not just you. I don't care about BC either. If I want to play older games I use older consoles. Especially if those consoles can be had on the cheap ($99 for a new PS2 or less than $50 for a used one).

sandys 30th June 2009, 19:24

Can't comment on the other title mentioned but Disgaeas were fine with no probs that I can recall, if Sony do reintroduce BC then they are likely to update it further, though my guess is its primary focus will be to buy titles off of PSN than play disc based so publishers will likely cherry pick (different version of same game released in europe can be more compatible than others strangely) or tune a version for resale.

talladega 30th June 2009, 19:34

To me B/C doesn't matter at all. I played Socom 3 for a short while as I had few PS3 games. Once I got more PS3 games I never went back to a PS2/PS1 game ever again.

But if they are going to bring B/C back that'd be great for those who do like it. It is being speculated by Ars Technica that the PS3 will be having a price cut this year and bringing the PS3 Slim ( I think it will be called PSthree ). http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2009/06/mole-exclusive-ps3-360-price-drops-coming-this-fall.ars

Ars Technica supposedly has a mole inside Sony and MS. So far Ars Technica has been 100% correct about all their predictions. Hope they are right this time too.

Maybe the B/C will be for the slim ps3. But I wonder if maybe they are going to have PS2 games on the PSN store for download and thats how the B/C will work. Not for discs but for downloadable ps2 games?

HourBeforeDawn 30th June 2009, 19:54

I would like PSOne and PS2 full emulation support, that would be sweet ^_^

ssj12 1st July 2009, 00:54

I understand why Sony wont announce it. Emulating the GSX is going to be an absolute pain in the ars. It is an incredibly strange GPU. Each game will have to be individually recoded.

javaman 1st July 2009, 12:46

Thats a change, sony adding something. Will we see usb and card slots reappear? Wasn't backwards compatability removed due to cost? I tend to console game when Ive friends over. The wii handles guitar hero/rockband and wii niche games and even the parents like to play. Still nothing beats 4 player deathmatch in timespitters. Every now and again I would still play the odd level from the Hitman series, GTA series, timesplitters, ssx, project eden. Alone not a major decision breaker, but I like all the bells and whistles. Good work sony.

Aracos 1st July 2009, 16:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Veles
As far as BC goes, for me it's either hardware or not worth bothering with. I attempted playing KotOR 2 on my 360 and there was a bug which made the framerate crawl when something decloaked (even off screen) which made it incredibly annoying to play. Plus I play my 360 through a monitor right now so if it won't play at 60Hz then it won't play. So I do still own my xbox with a nice stack of games, and my PS2 and GC.

Hmm how come? I play on my wii sometimes through my Dell 2209WA and I can play both PAL 50Hz GC games and 60Hz GC games, only problem I have with it is that whites are extremely glarey, I have no idea why =\

Also PS2 emulation is getting pretty good now, any decent core 2 duo or phenom II can emulate them well IIRC, by the time they decide to give the go ahead for PS2 emulation on PS3's it might already be too late as we're all on our PC's playing with PCSX2 XD