PS3 backwards compatability...what gives?

[stabnex]

Sony originally said it they scrapped the backwards compatibility-chip to reduce the PS3's price. Fair point I guess, but isn't the PS3 powerful enough to do software-emulation..?

You're right. The 60GB system had an emulation chip. But the 20GB/60GB lines were scrapped to reduce costs. They made the 40GB and 80GB next. The 80GB 4 Port had software emulation built in for no other reason than you paid the extra for the 2 additional controller ports so they threw in the loooong-since existent software emulation.

This unit sold like mad. But! PS3 game sales dipped. They thought it was because of the backwards compatibility causing people to buy cheap PS2 games to play on their PS3 instead of expensive, unfixable-if-damaged PS3 games. But we all know the PS3 just didn't have SHIT FOR GAMES and people just expected backwards compatibility built in or it wasn't a true Sony Playsation console.

So Sony grabbed completely the wrong end of the wrong stick and decided to axe their line of console production AGAIN, setting them back billions of dollars AGAIN, and created another line of PS3's with bigger hard drives, no fan and no ancient backwards compatibility software.

This infuriated everyone. And they still haven't released that backwards compatibility software to the public.

Because they're idiots.

OT: Get a cheap PS2 Slim and get God of War (1 not 2, youtube the plotpoints of 2 while playing Mouse Trap and you'll have the full experience of 2), FFXII, Tony Hawks American Wasteland, KILLZONE, and maybe LEGO Star Wars The Complete Trilogy.

EDIT: There IS a FREE Backwards Compatibility patch. BUT. It only lets you play games that required a hard drive because those services paid Sony to let ppl upgrade to the PS3 and still let them play the pay-to-play online games like FFXI.

 

[Tartarga]

On the playstation store I found some ps2 hardware or whatever that said it would give your PS3 backwards compatability, after downloading it it decided to tell me I would need a ps2 hardware disc to install it. Luckily this was free so I didn't get robbed of my precious money. So yeah, if you can find a ps2 hardware disc, whatever the hell that is you should be able to make it backwards compatible.

 

[GonzoGamer]

I think the best part of the story is when they change their tagline for the PS3 to "It only does everything" right as they pointlessly take away one of it's features.

There's a bunch of features that never get utilized on the ps3. It can do a bunch of things like video/snapshot capture, custom soundtracks, and a bunch of other things but the only feature they've made devs include are trophies.

As for the backwards compatibility, the reason they took that away is because they realized that they could just put the ps2 games on psn and re-sell them to ps3 owners for pure profit (except for the server cost). You'll be able to play them on the ps3 again, don't doubt that, but you're probably going to have to pay $10-$20 for each rather than buying them used for $5.

 

[Korten12]

luckly I got an old ps3.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

wait... since when does it not play PS2 games?

The new PS3 slim version doesn't have it... sad face

well... there go my plans for getting a PS3... that is the WORST development/marketing decision EVER in the games industry since the Virtual Boy.

You can likely pick up some of the older PS3's which do have backwards compatability on eBay or other second hand places, but really, your best bet is to just go buy a cheap PS2. S'what I did.

exactly, you can buy ps2's anywhere for like..40 bucks, if that, i swear i saw one goin for 30 at my local gamestop

so really, this isn't a big deal, its backwards compatible with ps1 games anyways (and why are you complaining so much about ps2 games? if you have those games you should have a ps2 anyways)

 

[stok3r]

Because they want more money of course. They said a while ago that "People who buy PS3 games don't buy PS2 games".

In other words, Sony decided that if you had a PS3 you weren't going to be buying games that were on the PS2 anyway, and vice versa.

-sigh-

Umm... What? They said that? [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/YouFailLogicForever]

Hmm... now that I think about it, I don't like any of the current gen consoles.

I'll just stick to my PS2 for the time being...

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

wait wait, you're saying only the 60gb (and lower) got BC? Mines 80gb and i got BC when i bought the system in the MGS4 bundle.

I guess i scored large huh?

the 80 gb is part f this, it was just such a small amount that were really sold and marketed it wasn't really included

 

[Gincairn]

Reading through the majority of this post, I find myself wondering thusly;

Why the hell don't you read up on this sort of thing before making a purchase?

If you were about to spend some cash on new hardware and knew that you wanted to play PS2 games, would it not have been better to read up and check rather than just making an assumption?

Hell even this would have helped "Excuse me Mr. Game store muppet, I'm hoping to play PS2 games on a new PS3, will this work?"

It's not rocket science and if you refuse to do any research and just go ahead and purchase blindly, then frankly, you deserve the disappointment. Do you happen to whine that your CD player won't play DVD's? Or that your Microwave won't let you watch the latest episode of Eastenders? (I mean hell it's got a screen so what gives right?)

This is a topic that has been going strong ever since the first non-bc models rolled out into stores, I find it hard to believe that anyone who visits any forums on a regular basis wasn't already aware of this issue. Especially anyone interested in making a new purchase.

 

[Jaranja]

wait... since when does it not play PS2 games?

The new PS3 slim version doesn't have it... sad face

well... there go my plans for getting a PS3... that is the WORST development/marketing decision EVER in the games industry since the Virtual Boy.

You can likely pick up some of the older PS3's which do have backwards compatability on eBay or other second hand places, but really, your best bet is to just go buy a cheap PS2. S'what I did.

I have the only backwards compatible type of PS3. It was limited edition and I dread to see how much it costs now.

Cheap PS2, yup.

From a quick browse of eBay, anywhere between £80 (119 U.S. dollars) and £250 (372 U.S. dollars). Amazon has them from £160($238)-£250($372).

You can get a (new) 250 gig slim for about the same price, and that's not counting bundles and deals and whatnot.

Wow, those idiots could get so much more for those consoles.

 

[Tasachan]

One point I haven't seen yet is that the reason they removed PS2 compatibility is because developers kept just making games for PS2 - that way they were appealing to a larger market. Not many people had a PS3 when it first came out, so if they made games for PS2, people that had a PS2 OR a PS3 could buy their games.
So, when PS3 was made no longer able to play PS2 games (and they did this a long time ago, mine doesn't play PS2 games either and I got it over a year ago) they forced developers to make games for the PS3.


Seriously, a brand new PS2 costs less than a nintendo DS lite... I've seen them for about $100 (CAD). You pay almost that much for a PS3 game as it is, so a PS2 should not be a huge stretch.

 

[CheckD3]

The original PS3s had some backwards compatibility, but since the slims they removed it, possibly because of price? That could have been including in the huge price tag when it first came out

It's a shame they did that too, but whatever. PS2s are cheap now, and the entire Sly Cooper series can be found used at at least under $10 American a game.

I don't get why they changed it, but that's what girlfriends are for, to borrow their PS2s while they're at college and making you dinner ^^ lol

 

[teisjm]

wait... since when does it not play PS2 games?

The new PS3 slim version doesn't have it... sad face

My fat one doesn't either, but since it's my first PS i don't have a lot of problems, i wnat GoW3, and i want 1 and 2 before that, but luckily, they got re-released for the PS3.

 

[chaos order]

good thing i got the good old 60gb behemoth still play star wars battlefront 1 and 2 and love it

 

[squid5580]

wait... since when does it not play PS2 games?

The new PS3 slim version doesn't have it... sad face

well... there go my plans for getting a PS3... that is the WORST development/marketing decision EVER in the games industry since the Virtual Boy.

You can likely pick up some of the older PS3's which do have backwards compatability on eBay or other second hand places, but really, your best bet is to just go buy a cheap PS2. S'what I did.

I have the only backwards compatible type of PS3. It was limited edition and I dread to see how much it costs now.

Cheap PS2, yup.

From a quick browse of eBay, anywhere between £80 (119 U.S. dollars) and £250 (372 U.S. dollars). Amazon has them from £160($238)-£250($372).

You can get a (new) 250 gig slim for about the same price, and that's not counting bundles and deals and whatnot.

Jesus go to a game store. Go to a pawn shop. You should be able to find one for under $100.

 

[Brain_Cleanser]

Considering 95% of people with PS3s probably already have (fully functional) PS2s, it's kind of a moot point.
Yes, getting rid of Back Compatibility isn't genius, but think about how many bloody PS2s are out there.
Besides, if you already have a PS2, there's no point in playing the games on the PS3, since you can't transfer MemoryCard Data to the PS3, you're just gonna start all over again.
And I'll be damned if I'm starting Dragon Quest 8 all over again from the half way point.

Even the PS1 emulation's not great, the only game I've tried (Digimon World 2) lags a bit at a few points, but I'm not complaining, because it's the only way I can get the game to save.

 

[delet]

Because they want more money of course. They said a while ago that "People who buy PS3 games don't buy PS2 games".

In other words, Sony decided that if you had a PS3 you weren't going to be buying games that were on the PS2 anyway, and vice versa.

-sigh-

Umm... What? They said that? [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/YouFailLogicForever]

Hmm... now that I think about it, I don't like any of the current gen consoles.

I'll just stick to my PS2 for the time being...

Some article on Kotaku a long while ago said something along the lines of that, yes.

Also no, I refuse to be caught in your trap known as TVTropes.

 

[blankedboy]

Get a PS2, then a PSX emulator for your computer. Then buy games for both.

Or just buy a ps2, they are backwards compatible.

Not with memory cards, so you can't save PSX games on a PS2 unless they use password-saves, like Crash Bandicoot.

 

[MrGFunk]

I don't understand how everyone doesn't already know this. It's been that way for 2 years and there's been numerous threads on it. I have a PS3 BC and I don't use it that much. I've only used it for a few games. I also have a PS2 in case there's a problem.

When a PS2 is so cheap it may as well be bought for this function rather then praying your BC PS3 doesn't brick.

EDIT: And this shouldn't be a deal breaker. No one is seriously buying a PS3 to play PS2 games. I'm with SONY on that. If you wanna play last generation games get a PS2.