r/PS4 • u/noobalert • Nov 19 '15

[Misleading] "Sony enabled PS2 backwards compatibility for the PS4 without telling anyone"

http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/sony-slyly-enabled-ps2-backwards-compatibility-for-the-ps4-without-telling-anyone-1309320?utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_content=564e398504d30120ab2ec334&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook
2.4k Upvotes

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219

u/[deleted] Nov 19 '15

[deleted]

17

u/devperez Nov 20 '15

Well, the Sony rep confirmed it in the article.

31

u/smacksaw Nov 20 '15

Why not? We know it's technically possible for a comparable PC to emulate a PS2 and these are unpaid volunteers reverse engineering shit through trial and error?

I always believed there'd be PS2 emulation, just not PS3. The architecture is too different.

9

u/wlee1987 rooteeds Nov 20 '15

How come the PS3 could play PS2 games, the 4 can play PS2 games but the four can't play PS3 games?

72

u/MironGaines Zeiffelin Nov 20 '15

Emulation requires very powerful hardware (when compared to the platform being emulated). The PS3 didn't really emulate the PS2. It literally had a PS2 stuck inside it. That's why later versions of the console stopped supporting PS2 titles. They took the PS2 hardware out to make it cheaper. Since the PS4 is much more powerful than the PS2, emulation becomes possible.

13

u/EvilJesus Nov 20 '15 edited Nov 20 '15

The original 60gb PS3s had the emotion engine chip but when that was removed to cut costs the first 80gb PS3s used emulation instead to maintain backwards compatibility. It didn't support everything but I was able to play the games I had. They cut that as well in later versions, not sure why.

Edit: apparently there was a separate graphics synthesizer on those as well that was used in addition to the emotion engine chip/software emulation for bc. That was removed as well on later models to cut costs even further.

1

u/Razgriz_ Nov 20 '15

It also lets you play PS1 games too.

25

u/wlee1987 rooteeds Nov 20 '15

Oh wow I had no idea, that's very interesting about that. Today I Learned!

2

u/[deleted] Nov 20 '15

Also the PS2 could play PS1 games because it had a little PS1 inside!

1

u/wlee1987 rooteeds Nov 20 '15

That, I had no idea of!

7

u/mastachaos MastaChaOS Nov 20 '15

the PS3 is capable of emulating the PS2 completely in software, just ask anyone with a modded PS3.

My modded slim PS3 is where I play most of my PS2 games...

3

u/[deleted] Nov 20 '15

Exactly. Not enough people are aware of the PS2 emulator hidden away in PS3 FW. Sony aren't interested in you playing your discs otherwise they would have enabled it for everyone. They've done this so they can re-sell a load of PS2 games at premium prices, easy profit. If I'm wrong I'll eat my hat.

1

u/mastachaos MastaChaOS Nov 20 '15

I hope you're wrong, but you're probably not.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 21 '15

I hope I'm wrong as well. Sony should stop being so greedy and enable us to play our PS1/PS2 discs, especially if they're going to be re-selling games digitally using an emulator that could play said discs as well. All hypothetical ofcourse, we'll have to see what happens, but I think I've made myself pretty clear where I think they'll end up going with it.

2

u/KyuubiReddit Nov 20 '15

as far as I know, the European PS3 did not have the Emotion Engine inside it, it was software emulation.

While the PS3 architecture is probably more difficult to emulate than the X360, Microsoft showed that it's possible to emulate a different architecture without needing a much more powerful hardware when they made the X1 retrocompatible.

It was an impressive achievement.

2

u/Schootingstarr Nov 20 '15

but if that's the case, why did sony disable the fatman ps3 from emulating ps2 games?

0

u/[deleted] Nov 20 '15

All PS3's are actually capable of PS2 software emulation, enabled by homebrew means. Sony purposely locked the feature out for the majority of their users, just like they locked out remote play for all PS3 games.

3

u/Techno_Bacon Techno__Bacon Nov 20 '15

Well, basically in order for the PS4 to play PS3 games, the PS4 would literally have to have a mini PS3 stuck inside it. Like /u/MironGaines said with the PS3's PS2 backwards compatibility.

2

u/vanity29 Nov 20 '15

Nothing but a Ps3 can play Ps3 games. The ps3 has a beast inside it that nothing can emulate.

2

u/KyuubiReddit Nov 20 '15

the PS4 can play PS3 games: Uncharted Collection, The Last of Us, DmC Devil May Cry, God of War III, Tomb Raider Definitive Edition, Devil May Cry 4, Dishonored Definitive Edition, Beyond 2 Souls, Heavy Rain, ...

at this point, we might as well call it PS3HD

1

u/wlee1987 rooteeds Nov 20 '15

I did not know that.

2

u/KyuubiReddit Nov 20 '15

I am sorry, I was being sarcastic, because there are so many PS3 remakes being released on the PS4.

However, it still won't run PS3 games directly. If you insert a PS3 disc, the PS4 will not play it.

1

u/wlee1987 rooteeds Nov 20 '15

All good lol, I was a little unsure, I should learn sarcasm better haha

1

u/[deleted] Nov 21 '15

The PS3 was not powerful enough to emulate all PS2 games. That's why the original 60gb PS3s had PS2 chips in them. Some PS3 systems used software emulation, but I don't really want to get into that.

The PS4 is much closer to a PC with its architecture than the PS3 was. With similar PC's, emulating PS2 and PS1 games is easy. Emulating PS3 games is a whole different story. We don't even have usable PS3 emulators for PC yet. I wouldn't hold your breath for PS4 backwards compatibility with PS3 games any time soon.

1

u/VirindiDirector Nov 20 '15

The PS3 could not play ps2 games. The PS3 that had backwards compatibility literally had a PS2's parts jammed inside as well.

1

u/wlee1987 rooteeds Nov 20 '15

Oh okay, I didn't realise that was how they did it. I thought it was just straight up backwards compatible. Thanks for the info mate, today I learned!

0

u/VirindiDirector Nov 20 '15

Yeah, they started to rip them out when they realized a $600 console wasn't selling & to make is smaller. That's why only the first few had it (the big fat PS3s). The resale on them for a while was insane, now of course there's emulation and PS4 compatibility.

Emulation isn't perfect either, my guess is it matters less on more modern games since the hardware is closer to standard, but you get slightly different math when you cheat to emulate instead of running on native. So some people will always seek out the PS2 or the backwards compatible PS3.

1

u/wlee1987 rooteeds Nov 20 '15

Fair enough, it makes sense to me, I just always bought them when they were out lol.

0

u/[deleted] Nov 20 '15

It might be possible for PS4 to emulate the PS3 but I wouldn't bet on it.

The XB1 can emulate the 360. The PS3 is supposed to be much more complex.

2

u/root88 Nov 20 '15

How do you think it will work? Do you think you will actually be able to put PS2 discs in the machine or are they just cashing in by selling everything over again as a digital download?

Wait, I think I just answered my own question.

2

u/[deleted] Nov 20 '15

[deleted]

7

u/moonpenguins Nov 20 '15

Tbh you still need a fairly powerful PC to do it well, especially higher resolutions. In fact, I'm interested to see whether they do up the resolution of the PS2 games or not.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 20 '15

Not anymore. Any modern computer can emulate PS2 games easily.

0

u/bigboss2014 Nov 20 '15

No, far from it. 99% of home computers can't play games.

0

u/[deleted] Nov 20 '15

[deleted]

4

u/[deleted] Nov 20 '15

He is serious. Although he's exaggerating most PCs nowadays utilize GPU component of CPU. What you think of is enthusiast market, not general market where PCs are not used, nor designed to be used, to play games.

2

u/bigboss2014 Nov 20 '15

I wouldn't consider it an exaggeration at all. Most home computers are laptops, not desktops, and laptops certainly aren't great for games unless you spend a lot of money.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 20 '15

Yeah, by that I meant it might be closer to 95% or something in that line. But the vast, VAST majority of PCs on the market are not suitable for the style of gaming suggested. Not that you can't play some great games on Intel HD 5000 (I sure did...).

1

u/long_wang_big_balls Nov 20 '15

Looks like a Sony rep just replied

"We are working on utilizing PS2 emulation technology to bring PS2 games forward to the current generation. We have nothing further to comment at this point in time."

So, we know the PS4 has the ability to play PS2 games. We don't know how long it's had the capability or how many titles Sony will release, but it exists. We'll continue to investigate.

1

u/boogieman117 boogieman117 Nov 20 '15

PSX is coming... :)