backwards-compatibility
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Is backwards compatibility an issue? Analysts debate
So, the 40GB PS3 is losing backwards compatibility with PS2 games. Is that a big deal? You voted, but let's hear what the analysts have to say. From a business perspective, it makes sense for Sony to remove the feature. "Cost is hard to gauge, probably $30 - $50 per unit," Wedbush Morgan Securities' Michael Pachter told GameDaily. A significant savings, when one considers the thousands of systems Sony must sell. Will the lack of PS2 support affect PS3 sales? "I thought lack of backward compatibility would hurt the Xbox [360], but it really didn't," Pachter noted.However, NPD analyst Anita Frazier has some data that might concern Sony. "Nearly 70 percent said that [backwards compatibility] was an important feature to them."Regardless, when it comes down to the choice between backwards compatibility and saving $100, the choice will be clear for most consumers. Colin Sebastian, an analyst at Lazard Capital Markets noted: "It appears that pricing is becoming more of a priority, which makes sense given where the PS3 is selling in terms of market share. I don't believe removing backwards compatibility is a huge deal, considering that most people who want to play PS2 games will continue to do so on their PS2s."
40GB PS3 missing key components for PS2 emulation
Many people assumed that the PS3 was software emulating PS2 games, ever since the release of the 80GB model. That system removed the Emotion Engine from the hardware, and required Sony to implement a backwards compatibility solution that involved emulation. Many, including Joystiq, wondered why the new 40GB model couldn't do the same.SCEE's Nick Sharples sent a technical explanation as to why the new 40GB model loses support for PS2 games. "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." Because each game would have to be individually emulated (much like on the Xbox 360), Sony decided that an effort like that would be much too costly, and opted to remove BC support from the 40GB system entirely. That decision has not only produced a cheaper system for Sony to manufacture, but for consumers to buy as well.
GAME excited by new PS3 model
It seems gamers aren't the only people excited about Sony's cheaper 40GB PlayStation 3 as UK retail store GAME has recently given its stamp of approval. "We feel that this is a very positive move from Sony. The price reduction will make it easier for even more customers to enjoy the incredible gaming experience you get with a PS3," said GAME Commercial Director Tricia Brennan. "There are more games consoles available than ever before, and today's price cut means they all represent amazing value for money when you consider the incredible technology and sheer volume of entertainment that they offer."It's great to see retailers rallying behind Sony, and we're sure the company welcomes the positive feedback as it tries to downplay the significance of the 40GB's slimmed down feature set.
40GB's loss of backwards compatibility explained
Now that Sony has finally come clean and announced its new 40GB PlayStation 3, it's got some "splaining to do." The biggest issue on most gamer's minds is why Sony decided to cut the backwards compatibility feature that linked the PS3 with the PlayStation consoles that came before it.SCEE managing director Ray Maguire said Sony will use the money it dedicated towards backwards compatibility to invest in new games or to perhaps lower prices so more gamers can afford to buy a PS3. "It was a big decision, and we know it is a very emotive subject as lots of people think that backwards compatibility is high on the agenda and yet few really use it," he said.We're not sure how Maguire came to this conclusion, but the PS3's backwards compatibility feature is always one that we've appreciated for a long time. With Sony's commitment to a 10-year life span of its hardware and games still being published for last generation's console, it seems like an odd choice to "cut the cord" at this point.
PS3 backwards compatibility checker emigrates to US site
Well just like the software emulation-only backwards compatibility that has followed the PlayStation 3 out of Europe, so too has the ol' online compat checker crossed the pond to helpfully inform you of the glitches you can expect in your favorite classic titles if you pick up the new 80GB SKU -- this might be one case where the early adopters really did get a better deal.[Via Joystiq]
July 07 backwards compatibility update released
A new Xbox backwards compatibility update was released yesterday further expanding the list of original Xbox games playable on your Xbox 360 to around 300 titles! The July update allows support for over 60 additional original Xbox games including America's Army, Burnout, Mech Assault 2, and Morrowind. To get the update, simply connect to Xbox Live and the update will automatically download and install. Take a look at the complete list of new original Xbox game additions and updates after the break and be sure to tell us which game(s) you are most excited to start playing on your 360.
Xbox 360 gets backwards compatibility update
Taking a moment away from E3, Major Nelson updated his blog to give the latest information on Xbox 360 backwards compatibility. The whole list of new titles can be found after the break, and you can always go to Xbox's site to get the full list. This would typically be the part where we'd say something about how silly it is that the Xbox 360 has backwards compatibility issues in the first place, but now he's not the only guy in town with a problem. There aren't that many original Xbox games that are still worth worrying about. Our concern is more with the new version of the PS3 which will have "limited backwards compatibility," especially when there was nothing limited about its compatibility before. Oh well, if you're planning on getting the PS3 and you have a favorite old game on the system, make sure to check it will still work -- or got get yourself a current PS3 model while you still can.
80GB PS3 has limited backwards compatibility
We're still attempting to confirm what the new red light means on the PS3 controller from Sony*, but what we can confirm is that the new 80GB PS3 will have limited backwards compatibility. Clearly stated on the box, the system has apparently gotten rid of the chip previously used for US backwards compatibility and switched over to the European software version.The box states: "This product has limited backwards compatibility with PlayStation and PlayStation 2 format software ... visit www.us.playstation.com for system software update." We're attempting to find out if the new 60GB versions rolling off the assembly line will also switch over to the BC software. So, if you're really into your old PS and PS2 games, might want to check and see if they are compatible with the software or get a system currently available before the switch.*Update: From Dave Karraker, Sr. Director, Corporate Communications regarding the red light: "It is just a lighting trick. Nothing different or new about it."
Orta, Mercenaries, JSRF join 360 compatability list
Microsoft has supplied 33 more compelling reasons to finally stuff your old friend the Xbox in the closet with their new backwards compatibility update for the 360. How compelling, you ask? How about Jet Set Radio Future and Mercenaries? How's that grab you? No, still not enough? How about Panzer Dragoon Orta? The BC update doesn't seem to be working just yet, but we hope that'll be rectified soon. The full list is available here with all the new additions, like Return To Castle Wolfenstein and Breakdown. When asked to comment on the update, a Microsoft spokesperson wrote "We're continuing to work hard to certify as many original Xbox games to work on Xbox 360 as possible," and don't think we don't appreciate it. In fact, we're so grateful, we're not going to wonder aloud how NFL Fever 2004 snuck on to the list. We're rising above. Still conspicuously absent from the updates: Your Favorite Game that No One Else Liked. But chin up, we hear it's a lock for the next update. You can see a full list after the break. [via Snackbar Games]
Back compat update: Panzer Dragoon Orta! [update 1]
Update: As many have pointed out, the list has been official updated with lots of new games including Soul Calibur II, Spider-Man 2, Mechassault 2, Street Fighter Anniversary Collection, and much more. Follow this link for the fully updated list.Xbox backwards compatibility updates are few and far between these days. Hell, the last update was in December. In fact, many feared that the coming of Physchonauts meant the end of new updates. Rejoice, true believers, for a new back compat update is upon us! Unfortunately, we don't know how many games have been added. In fact, right now the only way to get the update is to download the update, burn it to a disc, and install in manually (we assume it will be available on Live soon). However, we do have confirmation of at least two new titles, including SEGA's Panzer Dragoon Orta and Phantom Dust. If you've got the itch for these games, get to downloading. In the meantime, keep your eye on the official backwards compatibility page for the updated list. You can be sure we'll post it when it goes live.[Via Deeko News]
Sony releases Euro PS3 backwards compatibility list
As promised, Sony has delivered a complete list of PS1 and PS2 titles compatible with the new Euro-centric PlayStation 3, along with a guide of just how well each game will be emulated. While we suspect many will likely still want to take a wait and see approach, according to the list, there doesn't appear to be any shortage of past-gen games that'll work just fine with the new system, with loads of titles listed as having "no known issues." That includes games like God of War 1 & 2, Shadow of the Colossus, and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, but not GTA: San Andreas, which apparently has "noticeable issues." Also falling into that latter category are Madden NFL 01-06, a number of FIFA titles, and Final Fantasy X and X-2, to name a few. Sadly, Katamari Damacy appears to be one of the few games that doesn't work at all, although it seems that its sequel, We Love Katamari, will run just fine.[Thanks, Vasanth S]
European Backwards Compatibility reveals one thing...
...Sony wasn't lying. Over at the official backwards compatibility site for the PS3, choosing your country is probably the hardest part. Nearly 1,800 of the 2,400 PS2 games have been deemed backwards compatible with software emulation. Not only that, every PS-One title will work also. If that's not worth a collective sigh of relief, then what is? Some people may have thought "oh, only one-thousand games?" but didn't realize that there weren't even 2,500 PS2 titles. Personally, I thought there were a lot more.In any case, it's safe to say that all of our favorite games will work via software emulation after the 1.60 firmware update on Thursday. If some of them don't for some reason, chances are they're in the line for an HD-upgrade emulation. Sucks, but hey, it might just be worth it. Seeing Shadow of the Colossus in 720p would be quite breathtaking -- not that the game wasn't before. So, reactions? Opinions?[via Eurogamer]
PS3 hits Europe: "And by 'backwards compatible,' we mean Eragon"
Look, Eragon is great and all, with his pretty boy hair and that whole dragon thing he's got going on, but we wouldn't exactly describe him as ideal representation of a complete Euro-PS3 backwards compatibility list. Unfortunately, that's exactly what the folks at Cynamite found, who nabbed a pre-release Emotion Engine-free PS3 for testing a couple weeks before launch, and confirmed some of the worst fears about the PAL PS3's backwards compatibility. Granted, Sony could (and hopefully does) have a major software revision up its sleeve to boost emulation capabilities of the PS3 at launch, but they tested the top 12 PS2 titles in Europe (including such faves as God of War, MGS 3: Snake Eater and Guitar Hero 2) only to find that the sole game on the list that would even launch was Eragon. (The other titles popped up a screen telling users to hope on future software updates and to refer to Sony's compatibility list.) Time is running out, but we're gonna keep the faith. Sony definitely knows better than to promise 1200-some-odd backward compatible titles and deliver on what could mathematically be estimated as only about 100.[Via The Inquirer]
Over 1,000 PS2 games to be compatible with Euro PS3
In an "exclusive interview" with "semiofficial" Playstation blog, Threespeech, Sony's Phil Harrison provides some clarity regarding the PAL PS3's range of backwards compatibility, not to mention the opportunity to place even more quotation marks into this paragraph. "The situation is changing every day, but on March 23, we expect the list to include over 1,000 PS2 titles." Sony's head of worldwide studios is referring to the list of PS2 games that are expected to be supported by the software emulation found in European PS3s.This announcement certainly defuses some of the controversy that resulted from Sony announcing the removal of PS2 hardware from European PS3 systems. After promising software support for a "limited" number of titles, many European gamers were feeling rightly cheated for having to pay a higher price for a PS3 with fewer features. Though the specific titles that comprise the list have yet to be announced (Harrison notes that Sony's policy is to focus on popular titles), it seems Sony is already far better equipped than Microsoft when it comes to fighting the inevitable onslaught of gamers complaining about their favorite title not being supported. Mr. Harrison also promises that an online list of backwards compatible games will be available on March 23, and that it will grow with every PS3 firmware update.
European PS3 will eschew PS2 hardware for emulation, sez Sony
Bad news for those European fans who've still been anticipating the PS3 despite delays, higher costs, limited selection, and weak launch stock: the rumors were true this time around, and your 'newly designed' console will be shipping sans PS2 hardware. Of course, you'll still be able to play certain titles through software emulation -- although even that may be dodgy, judging from the US and Japanese experience -- and there's always the possibility of non-compliant games coming out over PlayStation Network, but Sony has already admitted that the backwards compatibility offered by these new rigs won't be on par with that of PS3 Rev A. Since this move is purportedly being made to lower costs and speed up production (remember Sony is quite sure that there are widespread shortage) it's possible that the PS2-less PS3 might be sold in regions outside of Europe according to company reps -- yet another blow to gamers who've had to put up with setback after setback after setback for the privilege of giving Sony their money. We're sure that this news is going to bring yet another barrage of "passionate discourse" in the comments, so let the flaming discussion begin. [Thanks, Griking]
Europe's PS3 to have limited PS2 backwards compatibility?
We'll admit, we're feeling starting to feel for you folks in Europe, as not only do you now have to actually pay attention to where you're driving, but the PlayStation 3 you were planning on snagging exactly one month from today might be hamstringed right out of the box. According to comments made by David Reeves, president of SCEE, support for PS2 titles will indeed be limited, as he stated that "rather than concentrating on PS2 backwards compatibility, company resources will be increasingly focused on developing new games and entertainment features exclusively for PS3." It seems that original PlayStation titles won't be hindered all that much, but the situation looks fairly dire for your current PlayStation 2 discs. The actual list of compatible titles won't be published until launch day, and while it was noted that future titles could be added through PlayStation Network downloads, a Sony spokesperson purportedly stated that "backwards compatibility is not going to be as good as in the US and Japanese models." The reason, while still not pinpointed, could potentially be linked to the Euro-spec'd PS3 rocking a "new chassis" designed to bring manufacturing costs of the console down, which might have demanded some hardware cutbacks somewhere along the line. Regardless of the "why," it looks like UK users could get snubbed by Sony once again, so we seriously hope your PS2 won't mind sharing cabinet space with its newfangled sibling come March 23rd.[Thanks, Stoo and Ryan]
European PS3 -- sacrificing backwards for forwards [update 2]
We're referring to a decreased percentage in the European PlayStation 3's ability in respect to backwards compatibility. How awkward of a sentence was that? Let us explain before the poo gets tossed around. See, the model being released in Europe was designed differently... instead of having a chip run backwards compatible games like in the current US and Japanese models, backwards compatibility will be taken care of solely by software. We imagine that old games will have trouble, but those released in the past year or so should be A-OK.Analyst Alex Kwiatowski had this to say: "I'm as disappointed as the next game player about the reduced backward compatibility, but even the most nostalgic, misty-eyed gamers will have their steely hearts impressed by the new features that PS3 games provide." Not only will the games impress, but this new model of PS3 has improved sound and graphics capabilities to stir up interest. There weren't any specifics, but guys, you might want to keep your PS2 and plug it into a small TV or something. Mine's upstairs, but is getting very little use.[also available in Joystiq flavor!][update: fixed a wonky sentence. Or tried to.][update 2: CVG has an update on the situation -- check it out!]
Microsoft's take on XNA
Joseph "Talvish" Molnar over at DCEmu gave a good long look at XNA on his personal blog, Microsoft's future with the platform. It touches on how this appeals to the homebrew community as well as how useful the tool set will be as more developers pick it up. It's a good read and sheds some light on the inner workings of XNA and the benefits it has with multi platform support and backwards compatibility. It also shows how it eliminates the need for dev kits, as all you would need is XNA Studio Express and a retail Xbox 360 to build a game for the console. It's very thought provoking and encouraging to see how Microsoft will handle this opportunity they have to change the face of the gaming industry. Check out the full article by clicking the "Read" link below.[Via DCEmu]
PS3 1.5 firmware beats those backwards compatibility blues
After 219 pages of postings to what has become the go-to forum thread in regards to Sony's PS3 jaggies fiasco -- a problem that was hitting certain PS1 and PS2 games with a pixel-flipping ugly stick -- it looks like Sony finally heard the cry of its users and has released a fix to the problem inside the firmware 1.5 update. Oddly enough, Sony still hasn't really copped to the problem, or even mentioned the fix in its 1.5 changelog, but reports of the fix are widespread, and we won't look a gift horse in the mouth. Joystiq notes that the fix does not include upscaling of PS1 or PS2 games, a much-desired feature for the HD-friendly PS3, but we'll take what we can get for now.[Via Joystiq]
Do your PS2 games look too jaggy on the PS3? Here's a semi-fix... [update 1]
We're calling this a semi-fix because not everybody has their television set up like I do (in Athens, not at home... this one rocks out with HDMI and such). A while back, we did a short investigation on the YouTube video claiming PS2 games look a lot worse on the PS3 -- in my particular case, it appears to be true. Kind of. Yes, there are a lot more jaggies and oh, goodness, the text is atrocious. There is, however, light at the end of this tunnel. I'll tell you how my TV's set up to quickly repair the damaged graphics.All right, so currently my PS3 is connected to my TV via the HDMI and those cruddy composite cables -- the yellow, white, and red. Why both? Because my TV has channels dedicated to both. When I run a PS2 game on the HDMI channel, yeah, it looks bad. So what do I do? Go to my Display Settings and swap the PS3 back onto the 480i channel -- the channel most PS2 games were probably meant to be seen in. I think that's the problem -- PS2 games didn't plan on getting their resolutions increased so drastically. Anyway... so I swap it back to 480i and re-load the PS2 game and guess what? The text is gorgeous and the graphics look fine. I think. They don't look perfect, but it's a lot better than the HDMI shows.You guys can go ahead and test this if your TV is prepared for the journey of multiple wires. Or computer monitor, which I know a lot of you swear by (and rightly so, it seems)! Let us know if this works for you. In all seriousness, though, it doesn't bother me that much. If I can still enjoy the gameplay, I don't mind having a jaggy sword, or funny-looking handrails. Perhaps Sony will strive to fix this in the future, but for now, keep your PS2 hooked up if it gets too unbearable.[update: As I continue to screw around with different games, if you crack out any 2D-centric titles (Atelier Iris 2 in my case), the graphics actually look better with HDMI. The backgrounds have a few splotchy points, but the sprites are much, much sharper.]
