Backwards Compatible PlayStation 3 - Should Sony Restart Production?

[MSTER232]

Hey GTP'ers, I just wanted to ask an interesting question; should Sony restart the production of the backwards compatible Playstation3? I was playing Gran Turismo 4 today, and my Playstation 2 was constantly freezing while navigating menus and gameplay. At first I thought it was the disc, since it has been scratched a little but when I started playing older Gran Turismo games on it, which had virtually no scratches on them at all, the same thing happened. I think the laser inside that reads the disc is dirty or broken .

I also did some research on backwards compatibility PS3's, and apparently at some point there was this download that you could get for free off the PSN store that allowed the PS3 system to play PS2 games. However, it was fake and it was soon removed from the PSN store (only PS3 consoles that were produced on or near launch day were backwards compatible). I love my PS2 games, and I still want to be able to play them. From my research I also found out that the reason that Sony stopped putting the silicone chip that allowed PS3 systems to be backwards compatible was to lower production prices and for the reason that they didn't want to keep dealing with old PS2 systems.

Just as a note, I believe that all PS3 systems are backwards compatible for PSX (Original Playstation) games so that Sony technically can say the PS3 is backwards compatible, but I only have 1 disc for the PSX . It probably doesn't cost that much to make a emulator chip for PSX because it is very outdated. But now I ask you for your opinion; do you think Sony should start making backwards compatible PS3 systems again?

Of course it will cause problems because very few backwards compatible PS3's exist any more and I am pretty sure none of us would want to have to buy another PS3. So if Sony was going to bring back backwards compatibility for PS2 games without having to supply everyone with a new PS3, we would have to somehow get emulator software on to the PS3 without physically modifying the internals. And if we was to download the emulator software directly from the PSN store, it probably wouldn't change how the laser reads the disc.

 

[Bopop4]

I don't think that they will make the PS3 work with PS2 games any more than they do already. A very small percentage of people still use PS2 games and Sony can't make any money off of those old games. They would probably say that if you wanted to play the old games then buy a PS2, they're really cheap anyways.
(Although it would be cool to have massive online Ace Combat 4/5/Z dogfights.)

 

[MSTER232]

True that they can't make any money off those old games, but I didn't post all my thoughts into the OP, other wise it would be too long and too boring to read. I was thinking of a PS2 emulator on the PS3 that you could pay for, and then you could choose X amount of games from the entire PS2 line up to be able to play on your PS3. That way Sony gets their money and people who want to relive the PS2 classics are happy 👍 .

 

[che69velle]

its why i have 3 ps3's, my original 60gig arcade that is backwards compatible. it YLOD'd and i fixed it myself. its mostly for ps1 ps2 and netflix. A 120 gig i got my dad so he could play battlefield and cod, and my custom 550gig slim.

 

[Bopop4]

If they just released the PS2 games on the PS3 as a download then that would be doable, and awesome. A small charge for each game, and they could add online multiplayer for some of them.

 

[MSTER232]

its why i have 3 ps3's, my original 60gig arcade that is backwards compatible. it YLOD'd and i fixed it myself. its mostly for ps1 ps2 and netflix. A 120 gig i got my dad so he could play battlefield and cod, and my custom 550gig slim.

It was just unfortunate for me that I got my PS3 quite late, and now that it has been quite a few years since the backwards compatible PS3 has ceased production, it would be hard as hell to find a backwards compatible PS3 that hasn't YLOD'd and in good condition. It might be hard to find one at all. I looked yesterday on eBay for one, didn't find a 2006/7 model.

If they just released the PS2 games on the PS3 as a download then that would be doable, and awesome. A small charge for each game, and they could add online multiplayer for some of them.

I believed they have put a very small collection of PS2 games on the PSN store but they aren't really my kind of games, really. And I'm not sure if people would be so happy to pay for the games that they might already have as physical disks.

 

[bevo]

You could probably buy a PS2 for less money then sony would charge to make the PS3 play PS2 games again. I had a launch day ps3, and the ps2 games looked horrible on it anyway. I don't know why, but they didn't look near as good as just using a PS2 for them, so I just started using a PS2 for toca and GT4. I just traded one in at gamestop a month or so ago and got 12$ for it. I'm sure you can get them on ebay for 20$ or so. Why not just buy a PS2, instead of wearing out your PS3 playing 10 year old games on it?

 

[che69velle]

It was just unfortunate for me that I got my PS3 quite late, and now that it has been quite a few years since the backwards compatible PS3 has ceased production, it would be hard as hell to find a backwards compatible PS3 that hasn't YLOD'd and in good condition. It might be hard to find one at all. I looked yesterday on eBay for one, didn't find a 2006/7 model.

the YLOD is actually an easy fix.

 

[MSTER232]

the YLOD is actually an easy fix.

I forgot that you could fix the YLOD, but even if I was to buy a YLOD'd PS3 with backwards compatibility, how would I transfer my save data over?

 

[che69velle]

I forgot that you could fix the YLOD, but even if I was to buy a YLOD'd PS3 with backwards compatibility, how would I transfer my save data over?

there is an option on psn to do so with a ethernet cable and other data can be transferred by thumbdrive.

 

[che69velle]

watch these. for a $30 investment, assuming you dont have a heat gun and nessiary t10 saftey torx and tools + thermal paste. cheaper if you do

 

[E28]

You can probably find a decent used PS2 for cheap hear you. Since you're in the UK, have you got any local CEX stores? The ones near me always have plenty of PS2's and games to go with them.

 

[PeterJB]

If the PS4 is supposedly in development, what's the point? They'd be better off making a PS4 that's backwards compatible with all 3 predecessors.

 

[MSTER232]

If the PS4 is supposedly in development, what's the point? They'd be better off making a PS4 that's backwards compatible with all 3 predecessors.

I always thought that people who said that the PS4 is coming were scammers so I didn't really listen. You have made a very valid point there 👍 .

You can probably find a decent used PS2 for cheap near you. Since you're in the UK, have you got any local CEX stores? The ones near me always have plenty of PS2's and games to go with them.

I haven't heard of CEX but I check them out if my PS2 dies or if I want more games for my PS2. Thanks for that .

 

[Max_DC]

Buy a used PStwo, cheap and reliable, shouldn't cost more than 50 bucks... problem solved.

 

[Slash]

Hell to the yes but make sure it actually works with everything and better than before. Also find some adapaters for memory cards.

 

[Peter.]

Shouldn't such a thread be in the Gaming Forum?

 

[AOS-]

"nah, not really" is what I'm thinking about the subject. Reason I'm not strongly opposed is because I don't mind if they do, but at the same time, I don't really feel it's urgent.

 

[Daniel]

Hell to the yes but make sure it actually works with everything and better than before. Also find some adapaters for memory cards.

I've seen memory card adaptors for those with compatible PS3s. The only reason I'd want backwards compatibility would be for the PS2 games that you could play online, like ToCA.
Just the thought of an HD ToCA 3 remake

 

[Prince.M5]

...Just the thought of an HD ToCA 3 remake

WHOA, that would really be awesome!

Anyway, I don't know when will the PS4 come into production or if it's even in the plan but if that one is coming, surely PS3 Backwards Compatibility will be.. not worth it. Might as well they do it for the PS4 and make it compatible with PS3, 2 and 1 games.

I'm pretty sure there are many of us who wants to play some of the older PS2 and PS1 games like the GT2, GT4 and ToCa but the question lies on Sony themselves. Will they find it appropriate at this time? Will it be costly to produce the emulators?

You may find it convenient to have your PS3 able to play all the older games without having to buy a PS2 and PS1 consoles but that seems to be not the case at the moment.

 

[MSTER232]

Shouldn't such a thread be in the Gaming Forum?

Technically yes but I posted in the Rumble Strip because it has no fixed subject. If a mod is reading this, then feel free to move this thread.

WHOA, that would really be awesome!

Anyway, I don't know when will the PS4 come into production or if it's even in the plan but if that one is coming, surely PS3 Backwards Compatibility will be.. not worth it. Might as well they do it for the PS4 and make it compatible with PS3, 2 and 1 games.

I'm pretty sure there are many of us who wants to play some of the older PS2 and PS1 games like the GT2, GT4 and ToCa but the question lies on Sony themselves. Will they find it appropriate at this time? Will it be costly to produce the emulators?

You may find it convenient to have your PS3 able to play all the older games without having to buy a PS2 and PS1 consoles but that seems to be not the case at the moment.

You have also made a very good valid point here 👍 .

I've seen memory card adaptors for those with compatible PS3s. The only reason I'd want backwards compatibility would be for the PS2 games that you could play online, like ToCA.
Just the thought of an HD ToCA 3 remake

👍

 

[Robin]

They shouldn't really have removed BC in the first place but it was to cut costs and also give them the ability to sell you all the stuff you have already bought all over again!

There were two types of BC PS3's... the 20GB and 60GB had the actual PS2 chips and offered 100% BC hardware based. The 40GB and 80GB were software emulation BC and that was what the PSN download was needed for, the list of games it could play was limited though.

By the slim all BC is gone although in theory through an update it could do software based BC because all the spec's in the machine are still the same, however its unlikely to ever happen.

I've got a 60GB and although it can play all my old games I just play them on my 12 year old PS2 that still works great. Your best off picking up a used or new PS2 because they can be had for cheap these days.

Robin.

 

[Tornado]

The 40GB couldn't play PS2 games, and the 80GB (and PAL 60GB) were only partially software-based emulation, so Sony would still need to re-add chipsets to get the PS3 to do it. The Slim under no circumstances could do it from a download alone, nor could any of the Phat models other than the first 4 revisions.



Now, personally, I would love if they would, but I don't see them doing it.

 

[Robin]

The 40GB couldn't play PS2 games, and the 80GB (and PAL 60GB) were only partially software-based emulation, so Sony would still need to re-add chipsets to get the PS3 to do it. The Slim under no circumstances could do it from a download alone, nor could any of the Phat models other than the first 4 revisions.

Yeah it was the 60GB in Europe and the 80GB, my bad.

As for the slim I'm pretty sure using CFW someone managed to get PS2 games to run on it using earlier firmware designed for the 80GB. There's a vid somewhere with it.

 

[Tornado]

Other than when they went from 4 USB ports to 2 USB ports, where they stripped the PS2 GPU (among other things) from the board.


It went like this:
CECHA (NTSC 60GB), CECHB (NTSC 20GB): PS2 GPU and CPU.
CECHC (PAL 60GB), CECHE (NTSC 80GB): PS2 GPU, and CPU emulated.
CECHG (40GB) and onward: Neither chipsets included. PS2 emulation impossible as a result.


There were also some fairly large chipset revisions from the final fat revision to the first Slim, mostly in regards to how the system firmware works (which is why there are extra steps to change the HDD in a slim compared to a Phat), but nothing relevant to PS2 games.

 

[Robin]

Yeah I edited my post because I got confused with the points at which internal revisions were made but you've cleared it up. Its the 40GB that the biggest change happened not the 80GB.

I think with the firmware they moved it partially on to the HDD from the ROM which is why some people had trouble changing them out.

 

[MSTER232]

Other than when they went from 4 USB ports to 2 USB ports, where they stripped the PS2 GPU (among other things) from the board.


It went like this:
CECHA (NTSC 60GB), CECHB (NTSC 20GB): PS2 GPU and CPU.
CECHC (PAL 60GB), CECHE (NTSC 80GB): PS2 GPU, and CPU emulated.
CECHG (40GB) and onward: Neither chipsets included. PS2 emulation impossible as a result.


There were also some fairly large chipset revisions from the final fat revision to the first Slim, mostly in regards to how the system firmware works (which is why there are extra steps to change the HDD in a slim compared to a Phat), but nothing relevant to PS2 games.

👍

 

[Murcie_LP640]

If the PS4 is supposedly in development, what's the point? They'd be better off making a PS4 that's backwards compatible with all 3 predecessors.

It's an interesting concept, but no, I don't see them doing that at all. Even emulation for the PS2 on much more advanced PCs these days is difficult and expensive (in terms of the hardware you require to run it, not exactly the software development side of things), let alone for the PS3 which nobody, I believe, has been able to do yet.

And as for the original question: should they do it? Yes. Are they going to? Hell no. They were losing enough money as it was.

 

[Dalamar]

Sony are starting to roll out PS2 games through the PSN store, this is the main reason they won't bring back backwards compatibility. Far better for sony when you have to buy the game twice.

 

[ShortAznGuy]

and apparently at some point there was this download that you could get for free off the PSN store that allowed the PS3 system to play PS2 games. However, it was fake and it was soon removed from the PSN store (only PS3 consoles that were produced on or near launch day were backwards compatible).

The PS3's weren't fully compatible with all PS2 games. That download made it possible for PS3's with backwards compatibility to be able to play all PS2 games.