PS3 and PS2 BC ruminations

[Lendorien]

So, I've been thinking about this for a while.

 

As we all know, Sony removed Backwards compatibility from it's PS3's. The initial reason given was that the cost of including the hardware for PS2 compatability was too expensive. They then moved to emulation, but removed that as well. I remember talking to a Sony rep back in 2008 who had it from up the ladder that Sony had removed BC because of 1)cost and 2) lack of interest in the feature from users.

 

Of course, as late as December, Sony's North American President basically said that BC was off the table because their research showed that PS3 library has matured and gamers really aren't interested in last generation games any more. I'd love to know who he was talking to. Honestly, I think the reasons are more business related than that. Jack Tretton was quoted in 2007 as saying BC was removed because it discouraged games from buying new games. I think the 2007 quote is pretty much the reason. Thing is, the game environment is a lot different now than in 2007.

 

The PS2 is clearly near the end of its life but it still sells like crazy in the US. The economic situation the country is in makes it attractive due to it's library and price. I forsee Sony selling them though the end of the year, simply because well, they ARE still selling them and at this point, they're cheap to make. Once the PS2 is near it's last months, or even before it is, however, I see all sorts of good reasons why Sony should include PS2 BC.

 

PS2 BC provides a great selling point to entice new consumers to buy a PS3 over other platforms.

 

1) It gives current PS2 owners incentive to buy a ps3 over competing systems as their current games will work on it, presumably with the graphic improvements emulation could provide.

2) It gives potential PS2 customers a reason to spend more to buy a PS3 instead of a PS2 or perhaps a Wii.

3) It provides current competing system owners a reason to invest in a PS3 as BC would, as mentioned before, expand the library significantly.

4) It expands the PS3 game library by almost 2000 games. Frankly, the PS3 library is still pretty small, whereas the PS2 library is massive.

5) It provides opportunity for additional revenues with downloadable games akin to the PS1 titles already available. This is a MAJOR MAJOR money making opportunity for Sony.

 

While PS2 BC is certainly not a killer AP, I can't see how having it would in any way hurt Sony at this point. I see it as a good business move. Perhaps Sony really does think PS2 BC would hurt new game sales. Myself, I doubt it. The PS2 is old. The graphics are old. Sure, people will buy old PS2 games if the PS3 has BC, but that doesn't mean that those purchases won't be matched by new games as well. I mean, the more PS3's Sony sells, the more games will be bought, especially with the growth of online game buying things like the PS store offer.

 

Of course, given Sony's record, I wouldn't be surprised if they set up a system where you'd be able to play PS2 games on the ps3 only if you bought the games again on the Playstation store. That would just make me lose a gasket though, as would it a lot of gamers.

 

I'm curious to know what others think about Sony's repeated refusal to listen to the multitude clamoring for BC. I'm looking for inciteful thoughts on the matter. What am I missing?

Edited April 18, 2010 by Lendorien

[moycon]

I'm curious to know what others think about Sony's repeated refusal to listen to the multitude clamoring for BC.

 

It's because the multitude isn't near what you think it is.

If 1% of PS3 owners (A few 100's of thousands of owners) bitch about lack of BC....Sony isn't going to listen, and that my friend is about the multitude.

It's the very same reason Microsoft didn't pursue making more Xbox games BC with the 360.

The majority of modern gamers couldn't care less. We're old and in the minority.

That's how I think of it.

[Chris Leach]

It's already been said before that the best PS3 console was the initial BC systems....

Sony took away the BC to force people to play the new Sony released PS3 titles...

Sure they look good and play nice, but they do not make up for the ps2 title and selection.

I think the only reason they kept the ps1 BC in the system is because they think people have less of a chance to find those games leaving the consumer still forced to buy ps3 titles....

 

But hey! Let's not beat a dead horse here Dead Horse....

[Atariboy]

Once the PS2 is near it's last months, or even before it is, however, I see all sorts of good reasons why Sony should include PS2 BC.

 

PS2 BC provides a great selling point to entice new consumers to buy a PS3 over other platforms.

 

1) It gives current PS2 owners incentive to buy a ps3 over competing systems as their current games will work on it, presumably with the graphic improvements emulation could provide.

2) It gives potential PS2 customers a reason to spend more to buy a PS3 instead of a PS2 or perhaps a Wii.

3) It provides current competing system owners a reason to invest in a PS3 as BC would, as mentioned before, expand the library significantly.

4) It expands the PS3 game library by almost 2000 games. Frankly, the PS3 library is still pretty small, whereas the PS2 library is massive.

5) It provides opportunity for additional revenues with downloadable games akin to the PS1 titles already available. This is a MAJOR MAJOR money making opportunity for Sony.

 

And all those reasons matter less everyday. They're not going to suddenly burst in importance the day Playstation 2 manufacturing ends. The day PS2 manufacturing ends means there's so little interest in the system that even Sony doesn't find it worthwhile to manufacture what's a fully mature and economic platform to manufacture and program for.

 

If Sony thought it wasn't worth maintaining the feature several years ago, they sure as heck don't think it's important today or is going to be important down the line.

[xenomorpher]

I've only played a few PS2 games on my 60GB PS3, mostly Killzone and to see it in a widesreen format. I also wanted to try out the "smoothing" and I think it works some with a few PS2 games. For some reason it doesn't appear to work with PSOne games, which I've played more of than the PS2 games. The two main things I really like about playing them on my PS3 is the fact you can create your own memory cards and use the wireless controller. But usually when it comes down to it, if I want to play a PS2 game, I play it on my PS2. Same with PSOne games, but I usually play them on my PSOne with mobile screen if I don't care to see the smoothing effects. I've honestly been more busy playing PS3 games, demos, downloaded PSOne games (both on PS3 and PSOne), and watching Blu-rays and downloaded movies to really go back to my older library. I think it's been a few months since I've played a PS2 game.

[atari181]

For a long time playstation was my only gaming system owned, then at launch I bought a PS2(should have sold that one) so I could play my PS1 one games. With the release of next gen consoles I bought the WII almost imeadiately, one of the reasons, BC, I could find cheap Last gen games at Gamestop or another reseller of games to go with . I always assumed I would get a PS3, but when they did away with the BC I purchased a 360. It is so much easier having 1 system hooked up and play all your great library games than to have hook up another system . Playstation lost me as a customer for that reason. I probably g t one near the end of its cycle(just to have in my collection) but they wont be making money from new games from me.

 

I was a Playstation fan boy, but no longer

[atari181]

Now I am an Atari Fanboy!

Edited April 18, 2010 by atari181

[MagitekAngel]

I'd say the biggest factor against a return to BC is that if Sony re-implements it, it will make them look like complete idiots for taking it out in the first place.

[HammR25]

If BC actually mattered to more than a few people the 7800 would have trounced the NES.

[atari181]

If BC actually mattered to more than a few people the 7800 would have trounced the NES.

I don't think you can use the 7800 as a good example. The 7800 wasn't released untill after the NES was entrenched in the american market. The units sat ready to ship for a couple years ,as Tramiel didn't want anything to do with games systems. Only nintendo's success brought it out. Also a very small marketing budget, just doomed the system. I would actually say that it was way more important to be BC at that point and had Atari made the 5200 BC, its' history would have been different.

[xg4bx]

i have a 60 gig and never really used the bc. i only really started getting back into ps2 games when i rebought another ps2.

 

imo its a non-issue. if you want to play your ps2 games, obviously you've already got a ps2. find a foot of space for it and get a $15 system selector...problem solved. my snes couldn't play nes games, i didn't complain.

[Lendorien]

Atariboy, you make great points.

[atari181]

Atariboy, you make great points.

TY +1