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Sony patents PS2 emulation software for PS3? photo
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filed under: #PlayStation 2

The PlayStation 3's on-again-off-again compatibility story has been a bugbear for a number of gamers out there. As someone who owns a PS3 without the backwards compatibility and who has the PS2 in his stepson's bedroom, this is a very annoying problem that has resulted in my not purchasing a number of PS2 games in recent years. Still, a new rumor has popped up that may provide an answer.

As you may know, certain PS3's had either a PS2-compatible chip (US and Japan) or emulation software (Europe) that allowed them to play PS2 games. Of course, because Sony is Sony, the stupid decision was made to remove this feature from the system, resulting in most PS3s being unable to access one of the best game libraries of all time. According to a new patent, however, some new emulation software is being worked on.

The patent offers a method of emulation using the PS3's Cell chip. The chip will be able to intepret code coming from the PS2's Emotion Engine, leading to complete and thorough emulation of all PS2 games. Whether or not this means that PS3s will eventually all be able to play PS2 games is unclear. It's possible that the company is gearing up for a "Games On Demand" style PS2 download store on the PSN. 

Either way, please make this happen, Sony. My PS3 is already the best PSOne ever, let's make it a ruddy good PS2 as well. I know you hate logic and good ideas, but make an exception this time.


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49 comments | showing # 1 to 49

Diverse's Avatar
Diverse at 06/30/2009 09:23
That's cool, but my slim PS2 will never leave it's spot in my gaming set-up. I prefer playing a game on it's original console.
Arsenic13's Avatar
Arsenic13 at 06/30/2009 09:28
Oh man. How I miss Bloodrayne. Why is there no 3rd game?! I blame Uwe Boll.
RonBurgandy2010's Avatar
RonBurgandy2010 at 06/30/2009 09:28
It is kind of frustrating when Sony has great opportunities but refuses to pursue them. They could increase sales by at least 10% if they would just listen to the community for five minutes, and that's an increase that we all know they need right now.
Qraze's Avatar
Qraze at 06/30/2009 09:29
this is news. did my comment make you look search the web Jim? i found out yesterday myself on http://www.haxnetwork.net/ i got a 60 gig so i have no need for emulation, i got the ps2 guts in mine but still is great news.
Dreamsower's Avatar
Dreamsower at 06/30/2009 09:33
My current PS2 was purchased in like 2001 and is a fatty, still plays original PS2 discs though. I am sure it is going to die soon though so I wanted a BC PS3. I lucked out in finding a BC PS3, Amazon had the 80GB MGS4 bundle that has emulation BC a month or so ago so I grabbed it. I think if they did make PS2 backwards compatibility standard in the PS3s it would help persuading some late adopters in picking it up.
Elsa's Avatar
Elsa at 06/30/2009 09:33
Good news for those that are holding off and waiting for this feature to come back! (I lucked out and both our PS3 units are already BC)
Los255's Avatar
Los255 at 06/30/2009 09:35
Sony, make this happen. Sales would increase for sure.
Tubatic's Avatar
Tubatic at 06/30/2009 09:40
Yes please.
Oncomouse's Avatar
Oncomouse at 06/30/2009 09:41
I actually just bought a 60gb PS2-compatible model of eBay a couple of months ago. Backwards compatibility is a big deal to me. I still have PS2 games I want to play. There isn't enough space under my TV for more than a 360 and a PS3.
Vimto's Avatar
Vimto at 06/30/2009 09:43
Are we thinking payed download here? But to be honest I would be willing to pay as much for this as a slightly soiled PS2 about $40. How about you lot how much are you willing to pay?
Doomsday Forte's Avatar
Doomsday Forte at 06/30/2009 09:46
It was a bad decision to get rid of it in the first place. I mean, one of the big things about the PS2 when it was getting around was that it could play all of your old PS1 games, so for people having that as their first console, that immediately meant that you had a large library to choose from.

Did they ever say why exactly they took BC out of the PS3?
Trev's Avatar
Trev at 06/30/2009 09:48
The Emotion Engine has already been emulated. That's the software emulation that you're already familiar with. The thing they have trouble emulating, effectively at least, is the graphics synthesizer. This sounds more like they've patented something they were already using than putting PS2 compatibility into all PS3s. Unless they plan on putting the GS chip into the PS3 slim (PSthree?), or graphics synthesizer emulation gets patented, this is probably nothing.
walkyourpath's Avatar
walkyourpath at 06/30/2009 09:56
I found a great deal on a refurbed BC PS3, but the PS2 on demand download service sounds great -- they should do it for PS3 games too, like MS is with 360 games in August. (Frakking expensive HDDs, though)
Naim Master's Avatar
Naim Master at 06/30/2009 10:12
We need a article explaining Jim's family !
Drack48's Avatar
Drack48 at 06/30/2009 10:21
This is awesome
glitched's Avatar
glitched at 06/30/2009 10:21
"because Sony is Sony, the stupid decision was made to remove this feature from the system,"

"They could increase sales by at least 10% if they would just listen to the community for five minutes"

Most people agree that Sony DID listen to the community and gave them what they were complaining about the most. A price cut. A price cut by removing a feature that everybody wants apparently.
TJF588's Avatar
TJF588 at 06/30/2009 10:24
Oh please, jeebus, Sony, put BC back into the consoles.

As Trev kinda said, the emulation-based BC so far has some shortcomings, but if this patent can fix them, then I'd be full-on wanting a PS3 (hopefully "PS3 Flat" (maybe with less ALL-CAPS)). Our old, fat PS2 is beginning to get clicky when reading the discs, so getting all three PS gens in one machine would rule. However, if it's only Games On Demand, then I'd be peeved.

As for why they'd get rid of it: So people would continue buying PS2s, off course!
Chocobo Knight's Avatar
Chocobo Knight at 06/30/2009 10:30
I missed out on the first PS3s with BC. I'd definitely upgrade if this enables BC again. Otherwise, I'm not interested.
Josh Tolentino's Avatar
Josh Tolentino at 06/30/2009 10:35
Excuse me while I hug my launch-model 60gb.
pascuz46's Avatar
pascuz46 at 06/30/2009 10:43
I gots me a 60 gig. So the emulation is already in the palm of my hands.
FalconReaper's Avatar
FalconReaper at 06/30/2009 10:46
That's nice to hear
Midgetsnowman's Avatar
Midgetsnowman at 06/30/2009 10:47
Lets hope the ps3 can run the emulation flawlessly without any slowdown. Oh wait. hahahahahaha.
Takeshi's Avatar
Takeshi at 06/30/2009 11:00
I've got a 60 gig as well. But I would sleep a lot better if I knew I could get my hands on one with BC if my current one dies. The thing I don't really get is that the European models (mine) has software based emulation. It shouldn't be too hard to implement that into a firmware upgrade now would it. Maybe I'm forgetting something.
Grandmas Boy's Avatar
Grandmas Boy at 06/30/2009 11:01
60gig launch ps3 ftw!!
linuxguy's Avatar
linuxguy at 06/30/2009 11:12
@Takeshi: yes you're forgetting that the BC enable euro console still has the graphical synthesiser chip.
CBunn's Avatar
CBunn at 06/30/2009 11:12
Urgh, I want to play ICO and shadow of the colossus SO bad, but not "buy a new PS2" bad
Peteru's Avatar
Peteru at 06/30/2009 11:15
This would be the only thing to make me buy it. I'm definatley PC player, and I'm not very interested in most big hits that are not ported - but would like at some point to go thru some classics thete were never ported. Getting PS _2_ was the only option so far.
Wedge's Avatar
Wedge at 06/30/2009 11:24
It would make it a lot easier for me to pickup a cheap PS3 without having to scour for one with backcompat once I can afford one...
JustLikeBuck's Avatar
JustLikeBuck at 06/30/2009 11:26
To be frank it was a stupid idea to have hardware emulation in the first place. If you bought a PS3 for $599, you were actually buying most of the PS2s motherboard (not just the Emotion Engine Chip). There's a reason the PS3 is the size it is, it basically had a PS3 and a PS2 motherboard side by side.

They should have continued software emulation though, and I hope they re-introduce it soon. But then I have a PS2 next to the PS3, so I'm not missing out.
Primo's Avatar
Primo at 06/30/2009 11:41
I got the 80GB MGS4 BC bundle :)
Holiday's Avatar
Holiday at 06/30/2009 12:05
I own a PS2 and PS3 so I'm good.
Blasto's Avatar
Blasto at 06/30/2009 12:08
God, it would be nice if this were true. I play PS2 games nearly everyday (Currently playing Ico, Way of the Samurai 2 and Onimusha:DoD among others), and would love to play on my main HD set, instead of the old SD tube in the living room or my tube EDTV in my gaming hole. This feature would add back a lot of additional value to the PS3 in my opinion, I see it as in their best interest.

BTW, to you jerks with PS2 compatible PS3s (I kid, I kid...bastards lol), does it provide any upscaling or smoothing on PS2 games for HDTV's? My slim PS2 looks absolutely disgusting on my 1080p set, even running a component signal. And it's an Aquos, so I know it's not a subpar scaling chip in my set, so don't even go there sucka :
brainderailment's Avatar
brainderailment at 06/30/2009 12:25
I guarantee this will not make a noticeable change in sales if it's simply added in a FW update. Internet gaming gurus are the only ones who know and really care.
GoldenGamerXero's Avatar
GoldenGamerXero at 06/30/2009 12:27
Look kids! Our refrigerator can have the same food in it as our old one! Ain't that AMAZING!
10BobMarleys's Avatar
10BobMarleys at 06/30/2009 12:28
I wonder what excuse Sony will use when they make us buy all our old PS2 games over a download service, but don't let us use the discs. Would you put it past them to pull something like that these days?
Sustenance's Avatar
Sustenance at 06/30/2009 12:38
It was a stupid decision. Whatever reasons they had for doing it, it backfired. I say this as a fan of Sony and the PS3 - and as a gamer who would covet the pricey machine if it meant I could get rid of my PS2 and join my last-gen and next-gen libraries (games I have ALREADY BOUGHT) onto one machine. Doesn't Sony realize they have to win the hearts & minds of actual gamers? That actual gamers will grow their install base faster than trying to get families to stare at advertisement in some high-rent Second Life clone?

I remain suspicious that this patent has anything to do with Sony coming to their senses about BC.
SozzlyJoe's Avatar
SozzlyJoe at 06/30/2009 12:42
Blasto: it provides upscaling and smoothing, yes. This works a lot better for some games than others. Persona 3 looks great, FFXII not so much (whereas it looked truly awesome on an SDTV).
8bitCaged's Avatar
8bitCaged at 06/30/2009 12:44
Why give something away when they can sell it? I imagine they're going to start selling PS2 titles via PSN. And because it's a nice source of revenue for publishers, I imagine the big three won't include BC in their next consoles.
Sustenance's Avatar
Sustenance at 06/30/2009 12:57
Regardless of the "practicality" of backward compatibility - the idea that you can "just play your games on the PS2" if you really want to - Sony removed the feature because they thought they were cannibalizing their own sales. Do you think gamers wish Nintendo hadn't included Gamecube backward compatibility? It's a feature gamers want, period. Not only because it's nifty, but because it removes an entire component from their rack.

When you play your old titles (for which you have fond memories) on a shiny new PS3, you begin to associate those memories with the new machine. It's the basic psychology of transition. Do you think gamers would be lining up at Fry's to buy up copies of "Choro-Q" and "Trigger Man" instead of GTA IV or Resistance? Even Microsoft gets it (albeit not perfectly).
DinnertimeNinja's Avatar
DinnertimeNinja at 06/30/2009 13:07
@Jim,

To be fair, 360's, Wii's, PSP's, and DS's are ALSO unable to access one of the greatest software libraries of all time.

;-)


And wasn't this story already on D-Toid somewhere? I could have sworn I read it yesterday.
Jinky Williams's Avatar
Jinky Williams at 06/30/2009 13:23
@Mr. Sterling: "regarding in most PS3s". Did you mean "resulting in most PS3s"?
Ocified-Xboxer's Avatar
Ocified-Xboxer at 06/30/2009 13:49
I actually bought a used PS2 from GameStop earlier this year...A few weeks before I grabbed my PS3 (because I saw they removed the BC from new SKUs) so I could give a flying fuck...Unless they offer some of the rarer PS2 games via download.

I don't think anyone who has a PS3 would purchase another PS3 just for the BC...If they can do the BX via a system update, great, but this seems like just another excuse for Sony to put yet ANOTHER sku on the shelves...There's been more 'new systems' this gen between $ony and M$ than there had been in the last 20 years. It's fucking ridiculous.
pedrovay2003's Avatar
pedrovay2003 at 06/30/2009 13:54
I've got one of the first 80gbs, and I'm fine with it. It works excellently. Hopefully Sony will patch all the other units to reapply BC, though.
killias2's Avatar
killias2 at 06/30/2009 14:53
Just a couple months after I bought a new PS2. Honestly, I was heavily considering buying a PS3. It's probably too late now Sony....
akathatoneguy's Avatar
akathatoneguy at 06/30/2009 18:15
If they're going to make all PS3s work with PS2 games, fuck yes. If they're just going to sell us PS2 games online like with "Xbox Originals", fuck no.

I don't want to wait patiently for the games I do want to play while they trickle out two or three per month.
The Pat Man's Avatar
The Pat Man at 06/30/2009 20:00
It would be nice if it was software emulation that could be downloaded so all PS3's could be BC. But I'm with 8bitcaged on this though, it's most likely for PS2 titles to be downloaded through PSN.
Tha Meat's Avatar
Tha Meat at 07/01/2009 07:55
Ugh, best rumor in a long time! Please make this happen Sony!
whormongr's Avatar
whormongr at 07/01/2009 11:31
as someone who never owned a ps2 (I kinda skipped the ps2/xbox gen since my heart was broken with the death of the dreamcast)BC on my ps3 that would play ps2 DISCS it would be awesome- I would love to go to gamestop and raid the old used ps2 games and catch up on a bunch of things I missed
michaelb99's Avatar
michaelb99 at 07/03/2009 22:56
im really hoping for that like games on demand esque store cuz i sdidnt own any of the good ps2 games and sony seems to be putting good stuff on its ps1 classics so it could be the same
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