Sony patents new Cell-based PS2 emulator
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted June 30th 2009 12:38PM
posted June 30th 2009 12:38PM
At first glance, we thought this all sounded a little too familiar: as you know, some PS3s had software-based PS2 emulation way back in 2007. So it was a little bit of a surprise when Siliconera unearthed patent docs dated last December (and only published by the patent office late last week) for the technology to decode and recompile software written for the PS2's Emotion Engine on the current device's Cell Processor. There's been some speculation that this functionality might be included in the rumored slim PS3 at some point -- either in the form of support for your old school PS2 discs or for digital downloads. Who knows? You might be playing your old copy of Shrek: Super Party! on your PS3 sooner than you think.
[Via Joystiq]
[Via Joystiq]
Price it right, and I'll finally get a PS3.
$10 says the new PS3 slim will cost MORE than the current PS3 (a la PSP-Go).
Anyone taking that bet?
Dad always said I should never bet when the odds are against me, so no, thanks.
Um, what? (Emotion Engine chip board on the right)
http://www.eternal-champions.com/images/ps3jcus-v-eu.jpg
Didn't we have backward compatibility with the emotion engine in the launch PS3s?
P.S. Well, I suspect this news is a hint that probably spells "curtains" for the PS2. Watch!
Sony Quote for why the PS3 slim costs more:
"Hey with this new machine you get FULL PS2 backward compatibility. 2 machines in one. thats why it costs more" Riiiight ;^)...
Of course the PS3 Slim will cost more, Same with the PSone n PS2 Slim. the Fat version all drop in price n sell out though.
Then the Slim drops in price a few months later n the cycle continues.
Era, on the left side with the sad face...
Smart People Play Tuba: Just as a matter of principle, I'll take that bet.
sorry smart people...that's a dumb bet.
This is the only way I would ever buy a PS3.
Caveat: PS1 support would have to be there as well.
Trust me, I got a 60GB PS3 and after trying to play ps2 games on my 40" LCD I will never try to play it again. Even with the games upscaled, the graphics are shitty and the game is not full screen.
PS1 support is already in every PS3 since emulating it is easy as pie.
They may not look good, but some PS1 games are more fun than a lot of PS3 games.
PS1 classics : PS3 yawners :: Empire Strikes Back : Attack of the Clones
Yeah, where's my Poy Poy 2? Pepsiman? Trap Gunner? PS1 let everyone put out games and it was an awesome time.
Hell, where's Destruction Derby 2? Twisted Metal 2?
All models have PS1 support because they can emulate it in software ridiculously easily. PS2 support was cut because there actually was a hardware component.
@m3nphls
Just sit twice as far away. It'll look better.
Hey! Good info, folks! Thanks very much! :D
I agree.. I have a bunch of PS2 games that I would like to play but unless the 3 can do it I don't want one! I can't afford to buy a bunch of $60 games =(
I don't see the big deal with backwards compatibility anymore. Sure it would be nice if they did it, and I'm kind of disappointed. But I can't think up a reason to be really mad about it, and most people shouldn't mind having a ps2 hooked up as well. That is, unless you have a really bad tv without enough ports.
It has nothing to do with mad, it's just what I'm willing to drop my hard earned dollars on. Honestly, I'm shocked to learn that the PS3 has PS1 compatibility, but not PS2. It's just another one of those decisions on Sony's part that shows they don't care as much about their users as they could, and I'd say it's probably why they don't move as many consoles.
CTR anyone?
@ 10min
If you meant CRT, then look no further:
http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/04/students-create-crt-emulator-hope-to-recapture-that-analog-gami/
PS2 emulation looks fine on my 60GB when you're not playing titles older than dirt. The more recent RPGs like the last couple of PS2 Dragon Quests really do hold up, for instance. This is true of most games that took advantage of progressive scanning and came out of reasonably well-run dev shops.
No, I mean Crash Team Racing.
Well, hello there backwards compatibility on the PS3. Let me introduce you to a few friends, I'm sure you've heard of them.
Here's the Wii and XBOX 360.
I'll let you all get re-acquainted...
Backwards compatibility on the 360 is a joke.
I believe Sony cut it out in newer models to save on production costs, I hear even when the launch 60gb PS3 was $600, it cost roughly $800 to make.
It is embarrassing when a Sony exec poked fun at the 360 for only having partial software compatibility for Xbox titles and Sony kills it altogether.
Until the xbox360 can play timesplitters 2 future perfect in backwards compatibility mode, its backwards compatibility will be considered shit to me.....it pisses me off that not all titles work, only select titles....
@ sean...
i second that
@ Sean:
The thing here is, BC on the 360 has always been less than a primary focus for the 360, right from the get go. PS3 was pushing the BC as a mainstream feature so imagine the shock when it was yanked completely. Wii's a Gamecube in disguise as it were, so that's always been available.
slimmer, younger, better looking *looks at ps3* Well, my friend this looks like where we go our separate ways.
Now that I look at the article's graphic again, I actually hear Macbeth's comment in my head with Rodney Dangerfield's voice.
I've yet to have any urge to play my PS2 games on my PS3. They look like shit in HD.
They could be adding some extra features to sharpen up the outdated graphics. AAx16 lol.
I occasionally play GT4 on my 20GB PS3 and that still looks great. But that also supported HD back in the day. San Andreas is really the only other PS2 game I play and it doesn't look too bad.
I don't see where all this hype is coming from. Very few people use BC. Just like very few people use MMS but that was overhyped when it wasn't on the iPhone. I'll never use that either. Lots of MS fans on Engadget with a lot of spare time I suspect.
Oh noes, I made an iPhone reference. Must down rank!! AHHH!!!
Can Sony make up their mind on backwards compatibility? Talk about fragmented functionality, you need a page long matrix just to know if which PS3 can play PS2 games and on top of that which ones give you full BC and which ones give you partial BC.
If they have an emulator, all PS3s can have BC
i got a feeling once ps2 sales dip some more or get discontinued we will see bc come out in a firmware update. also for the record all ps3's have ps1 backwards compatability
Don't you eat it!
It's a poisonous, MAGIC pie!
God this whole Backwards Compatibility nonsense has so much misinformation surrounding it. And that Siliconera site is doing nothing to make it any less confusing.
"What if the PS3’s cell processor could emulate the Emotion Engine? Theoretically, all PlayStation 3s would be able to play PS2 games"
The current "Software-based" BC PS3's already fully emulate the Emotion Engine in software. The chances are that this patent is a new or unique way of accomplishing that emulation. Or they just finally got round to emulating it. There is nothing new about emulating the EE CPU in software.
In order to emulate the PS2, you also have to emulate the GPU, which is the problem. The newer BC PS3's still have a modified version of the PS2's GPU on board. This patent does nothing to describe the process, or even intention, of emulating the GPU in software.
I meant to say "...finally got round to patenting it."
Sorry for the fail.
Bingo. This patent is for how the old PS3's used to do BC. When the patent crops up for software emulation of the GSX then call me.
I actually wouldn't mind playing GoW 1, 2 in preparation for the third one.
If they introduced a slim PS3 with legacy PS1 AND PS2 support at the right price I would get one.
ALL PS3's do PS1 emulation. They even sell some PSClassics on the PSN Store too.
If its not a firmware update for current PS3's then there will be hell to pay
emulators are done in software, why the fuck would it matter if a new ps3 slim was coming out if it had the exact same hardware and updated OS but its case was thinner. Genius engadget authors at their finest
Because some companies subscribe to this awful conspiracy of actually trying to make money
I've been hearing about ps3 slim and price cuts for over a year now.....Its coming, its coming..... never mind no its not. I'll believe it when I see it. I would really like to pick one up, I've heard great things about PS3. I just can't justify doing it at the current price point.
Okay, this has been reported by half a dozen news sites.
They've emulated the PS2 CPU using the PS3 CPU. This has been true since the UK 60GB version, and the US 80GB bundle packs (MGS4, MotorStorm)
This is not a patent for emulating the PS2 GPU, which was dropped in the latest PS3s.
Therefore, no emulation, at least according to this single patent.