Sony Addresses PS2 in PS3 Rumour

Gamasutra addresses the rumour floating around saying that every PlayStation 3 will have PS2 hardware included. This is apparently a fast and loose solution to Backwards Compatibility. Sony says 'that news ... is just speculation'. From the article: "According to the report, the article indicates that Sony is looking to this as a temporary solution, and plans to remove the chip from future hardware PlayStation 3 models, once it is able to include a functional PlayStation 2 emulator in its place. Such a redesign would, if true, presumably drive down the console's lofty price."

No Reuse of Hardware?

[twistedsymphony]

If that's the case then it means that the PS2 hardware is useless for anything but running PS2 games. At least the PS2 was able to use the PS1's hardware for other basic I/O functions.

Old Hardware Price

[IAmSwiftness]

You'd think if they are including old hardware maybe the price would come down . . . unless, of course, they are adding this on in addition to everything else, in which case, if the speculation is true, we could see the price jump even higher for the privelege of backwards compatibility . . .

Ouch

[cnettel]

To me, this seems like a gamble. They need to get the emulator VERY good to be able to eventually take that chip out again. Imagine the pissed-off customers if they ask their friends to make sure their favorite PS2 game still works on the PS3, they get a positive answer, go and buy a PS3, but then it fails when running under the emulator. Of course, it's possible that they wait long enough to assume that noone will actually care about the compatibility anymore, and even skip the emulator altogether at that point, or sell it as an extra.

Couldn't care less about backwards compatibility

[eggsurplus]

If it makes the machine cheaper to not have backward compatibility (which no doubt it would be) I'm all for it. I'm buying the machine for games that are designed for it. There's no problem with me with keeping an old system to play its games (except for having more clutter).

What about Playstation 1 games?

[BigDogCH]

If the ps2 can play ps1 games, would this also mean that the ps3 can play ps1 games.............or not? I mean, if the ps1 features in the ps2 are a seperate chip, then i assume it will be dumped. If they are included in the ps2 electronics, than it should be good to go.

Um....

[Silent sound]

Responding to an inquiry by Gamasutra regarding the validity of these claims, a SCEA U.S. representative responded: "At this time, that news from IGN is just speculation, and Sony has no official comment at this time. However, we will be sending out more concrete information regarding the hardware in the near future."

So... when you say "Sony addresses PS2 in PS3 rumour",

What you really mean is "Sony doesn't address PS2 in PS3 rumour", right?

Just one question...

[SimpleBinary]

If you have PS2 games, that means that you have a PS2 machine...so why do you need the PS3 to be backwards compatible? Are we just to lazy to disconnect the PS3 to hook the PS2 back up?

R&D costs money too

[tepples]

but just from a Sony perspective it would make sense for them to be simply making the console produuction cheaper and cutting the loss.

Replication is not the only expense in manufacturing a new product. Managers must also consider the cost of research and development, which is greater for a full software emulator than for including the PStwo chipset in the PS3. This cost is not only in programmer wages and benefits but also in lost sales if the emulator delays the release of the console or if the emulator is not available by the day the console's firmware goes gold.

Re:Couldn't care less about backwards compatibilit

[ShaneThePain]

You are totally whipped. What's your problem?
Let that bitch know who's boss.
(I apologize for being so blunt, but this crap pisses me off)