EU PS3s to have crippled backwards compatibility, syphilis

6:36 AM on 02.23.2007   |   Nex

52 comments

More bad news for the eastern side of the Atlantic; Sony's PlayStation 3 console is not going to have the same kind of wonderful backwards compatibility that US gamers have enjoyed in the recent past. Of course, according to Sony, that's a good thing! Here's the justification for that mind-boggling statement:

"Rather than concentrate on PS2 backwards compatibility, in the future, company resources will be increasingly focused on developing new games and entertainment features exclusively for PS3," Sony Computer Entertainment said in a statement.

Stunning. Until we actually get a full list of which PlayStation 1 and 2 games are being left out in the cold, we won't know just how badly Sony has shafted Europe, but you can be sure that they didn't use lube.

Hit the jump for the full press release from Sony (and big ups to forum-goer lawl for the heads up). 

The European PS3 will feature the Cell Broadband Engine™, 60 GB hard disc drive, Blu-ray Disc player, built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, SIXAXIS™ wireless controller. It also embodies a new combination of hardware and software emulation which will enable PS3 to be compatible with a broad range of original PlayStation® (PS) titles and a limited range of PlayStation®2 (PS2) titles.

“PS3 is first and foremost a system that excels in playing games specifically designed to exploit the power and potential of the PS3 system,” said David Reeves, President of SCEE. “Games designed for PS3 offer incredible graphics quality, stunning gameplay and massively improved audio and video fidelity that is simply not achievable with PS and PS2 games. Rather than concentrate on PS2 backwards compatibility, in the future, company resources will be increasingly focused on developing new games and entertainment features exclusively for PS3, truly taking advantage of this exciting technology.”

Some additional PS2 titles will become compatible on the PS3 system through regular downloadable firmware updates, which will be made available through the PLAYSTATION®Network, from http://www.playstation.com or via PS3 game discs, with the first update planned for the launch date of the 23rd March 2007.

Users will be able to check whether their titles are compatible with PS3 at http://faq.eu.playstation.com/bc. This site will be available on 23rd March to meet launch day.

1. A device compatible with Linear PCM 7.1 Ch is required to output 7.1 ch audio, supported by Dolby TrueHD or a similar format, from the HDMI OUT connector.

2. This system does not support output from the DTS-HD 7.1 Ch. DTS-HD 7.1 Ch audio is output from a 5.1 or lower channel.

3. Usability of all storage media types is not guaranteed.

4. Certain PlayStation 2 format software titles may not perform properly on this system. Visit faq.eu.playstation.com/bc for the latest information regarding compatible titles

Legal Notes:

l Storage media (“Memory Stick”, SD memory card, and CompactFlash®) are sold separately.

l “Dolby” is a trademark of Dolby Laboratories.

l “DTS” is a trademark of DTS, Inc.

l Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. is an authorized licensee of the CompactFlash® trademark.

l HDMI, the HDMI logo and High-Definition Multimedia Interface are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC.

l “Blu-ray Disc” is a trademark.

l The Bluetooth word mark is owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such mark by Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. is under license.

l “Memory Stick” is a trademark of Sony Corporation.

l “Super Audio CD” is a trademark.

l “PlayStation”, “PLAYSTATION” and “PSP” are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Also, “Cell Broadband Engine” and “RSX” are trademarks of the same company.

Notes to Editors:

For further information please contact:

Nick Sharples (nick_sharples@scee.net) or Nick Caplin (nick_caplin@scee.net)
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd
Tel: + 44 207 859 5301(5349) Fax: + 44 207 859 5036

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE), based in London, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and sales of PLAYSTATION®3, PlayStation®2 and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) software and hardware in 102 territories across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Oceania. SCEE also develops, publishes, markets and distributes entertainment software for these formats, and manages the third party licensing programs for the formats in these territories. Between its European debut on 24th November 2000 and the end of September 2006, over 44 million PlayStation 2 consoles have been shipped across the SCEE territories, over 115 million worldwide, making it one of the most successful consumer electronic products in history. Between its European debut on 1st September 2005 and the end of September 2006, over 8 million PSP systems have been shipped across the SCEE territories, with over 24 million shipped worldwide since its Japanese launch in December 2004.

More information about PlayStation products can be found at
http://www.playstation.com and http://www.yourpsp.com or visit the Virtual Press Office at http://www.scee.presscentre.com.

PlayStation, PSP and the PlayStation logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. UMD (Universal Media Disc) is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

(Editor's Note: I'm having that Churchill picture engraved on my tomb. -- Nex)