Softpedia
 

NEWS CATEGORIES:



NEWS ARCHIVE >>
SOFTPEDIA REVIEWS >>
MEET THE EDITORS >>
Home > News > Games > Play Station

August 24th, 2009, 19:01 GMT · By Andrei Dobra

Sony Talks About No Backward Compatibility on PlayStation 3 Slim

SHARE:

Adjust text size:


The new console doesn't support PS2 games
Enlarge picture
The PlayStation 3 has had a pretty troubled lifetime up until now, particularly as regards the backward compatibility feature that made plenty of Sony fans rapidly adopt the highly priced console when it was first launched because it supported PS2 games.

But after a short period of time, the Japanese company released a new version that didn't have that important feature and which didn't manage to attract quite a lot of fans. Now, with the introduction of the cheaper PlayStation 3 Slim, many people hoped to find that feature included but, as you found out in the article we posted about it, it will still be absent.

The director of marketing for Sony Computer Entertainment America, John Koller, talked about this measure and how fans just didn't really want the feature, claiming that they would buy the PS3 in order to play PS3 games.

“Now that we're at a point where we're three years into the lifecycle of the PS3,” he said, “there are so many PS3 disc-based games that are available that we think — and noticed this from our research — that most consumers that are purchasing the PS3 cite PS3 games as a primary reason.”

“And it's not just like 50 or 60 percent. It's well into the 80 or 90 percentile range who are purchasing it for PS3 games. We do know that there are next gen consumers wanting to come over to the PS3. Most of those are consumers who have not utilized their PS2 for a little while and they're ready to jump into the PlayStation 3.”

With the PlayStation 2 at just $99, it does make sense to not implement the backward compatibility feature as everyone who wants access to the huge game library of the old platform can buy a new one.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK:

5,092 hits · 11 comments · Link to this article · Print article · Send to friend · Subscribe to news

MUST-READ RELATED ARTICLES:


Killzone 3 Won't Wait for PlayStation 4

Amazon Limiting Purchases of the PS3 Slim

BioWare Thinks Activision's PlayStation 3 Comment Is 'Silly'

Sony Plans to Expand the PlayStation Network

Sony Loves the XMB, Won't Change It like Microsoft

READER COMMENTS:


Comment #1 by: xelliz on 24 Aug 2009, 21:02 UTC reply to this comment

Buying a new PS2 to play all your old games does not make sense. Most gamers already have one or two consoles, plus a DVD player, as well as a receiver underneath their TV's. Add on people who have DVR's for their cable, plus some users have older satelite receivers and DVR boxes.

I wonder if Sony is actually trying to stay the least popular gaming choice.


Comment #2 by: John John Boom Boom on 25 Aug 2009, 11:15 UTC reply to this comment

No doubt 80 to 90 percent of those surveyed want a PS3 to play PS3 games; if you don't want to play the current generation stuff, why would you buy one in the first place? I wonder if that was a follow up question by Sony?

Nonetheless, it certainly is an appealing feature to be able to play your old PS2 games on a new console that happens to have an HDMI output and wireless controllers. Nothing wrong with having pseudo HDTV quality to reinvigorate your old favorites and also one less box cluttering up your entertainment center.

I was ready to sell the old 360 and get a PS3, but with no backwards compatibility, I really don't have any reason to. 360 has almost all of the same titles (or arguably ones just as good similarly or better) and I'd still have the two box thing going on.


Comment #3 by: ben on 25 Aug 2009, 13:01 UTC reply to this comment

I'm about ready to buy a PS3 even though it's 3 years down the line. I will however not be getting a Slim even though it looks sexier as I want to be able to play my Singstar games. Why should I buy them again?


Comment #4 by: Austin on 26 Aug 2009, 22:22 UTC reply to this comment

It seems a bit near sighted to think that the current generation will no longer play their old games and will have to spend $100 after their old console breaks down (PS2's disc reader has been known to crap out) to do so. The PS2 ALWAYS supported PS1 games, what is so different this time around? HD capabilities? Graphics from the PS1 to the PS2 generation was quite a giant leap as well. What is considered last generation now will be retro gaming ten years from now. People will still be playing Tony Hawk and GTA3 just like some people play Punch -Out and Double Dragon. There are a handful of classics that will pass the test of time and this is a stupid act on Sony's part that will stray away some hardcore gamers. Hardcore gamers are really the only ones who will gladly pay $300 for a gaming system, unless you have plenty of money to spare.


Comment #5 by: Joe on 27 Aug 2009, 16:48 UTC reply to this comment

Seems like a bogus excuse from Sony... especially with recent patents showing that they are working on B/C again.

I think they just don't want to show their hand quite yet, and want to see how many PS2 sales they can get before wrapping up production on that system.

Also, if they'd look at the recent GameFaqs.com poll with at least 17,000 people waiting for B/C to purchase they are grossley understating the # of people this matters to. I for one am waiting for B/C. My old PS2 is starting to act up... but why waste money on a new one... I'd like the Blu-Ray player, and the new games are a perk... but for a gamer with a PS2 library that is well enoyed... just think its essential to bring back full B/C.


Comment #6 by: Miamilakes on 02 Sep 2009, 11:00 UTC reply to this comment

I can't believe it. As soon as I heard the of the price drop and the PS3 slim. I thought this is it, Sony is back! I get to the Sony web site, credit card in hand to order a new PS3 slim...then I'm slapped in the face AGAIN...the $300 system will not play my hundreds of dolars invested in Sony's PS2 games. Looks like I may never buy a PS3 :(


Comment #7 by: dav on 26 Oct 2009, 15:12 UTC reply to this comment

thats a god dam luie every ps3 owner wants backwards compatibility back ad ps3 games are a complete ripoff people may by it to play ps3 games but thats nt the oly reason heaps of pple stl wna play ps3 games o nthe ps3 soy just bring back the feature already


Comment #8 by: Roger on 31 Dec 2009, 22:43 UTC reply to this comment

the PS2 is at a point in it's life where it is selling nearly as much as it;s next generation counterpart, and this is the main reason why Sony is holding out on the backwards compatibility. Sony wants the life cycle for their consoles to be around 10 years, this statements proves most true with the PS2 considering the moderately high sales it still has. the PS2's life cycle is coming to a close as next October will mark the 10 year anniversary of the system, so we can only assume that some time next year a ps3 model will be developed to feature backwards compatibility


Comment #9 by: cool man on 23 Jan 2010, 00:55 UTC reply to this comment

I still think the ps3 is still cool without backwards compatibility because i have a ps2 slim


Comment #10 by: Josh on 27 Jan 2010, 23:32 UTC reply to this comment

I for one love some of the older games. While the new games are great to a limit, it would be nice if Sony would maybe re-release some of the original Playstation/Playstation 2 games, on the new consoles in the future. It is getting hard to find original playstations anywhere, and the playstation 2 cant play the new games.


Comment #11 by: cipa on 30 Apr 2010, 15:40 UTC reply to this comment

handful of classics that will pass the test of time and this is a stupid act on Sony's part that will stray away some hardcore gamers. It s slim body

Copyright © 2001-2012 Softpedia. Contact/Tip us at

WindowsGamesDriversMacLinuxScriptsMobileHandheldNews

SUBMIT PROGRAM   |   ADVERTISE   |   GET HELP   |   SEND US FEEDBACK   |   RSS FEEDS   |   UPDATE YOUR SOFTWARE   |   ROMANIAN FORUM