Sony: No PS2 backwards compatibility later as DLC for 40GB PS3

The 40GB PlayStation 3 models, devoid of any PS2-related semiconductors, will likely not have any options for backwards compatibility in the future. Speaking to Joystiq, SCEE Director of Corporate Communications Nick Sharples said that there are no plans to offer emulation software as downloadable content at a later date.

[Chris_GTR1]

so this leaves owners of 40 gb ps3 with only 3 'good'(if you consider lower than 9.0 good) games to play...

you know what... ps3 actually dosent have any 9.0+ games.
check this out
MotorStorm - PS3 Avg Ratio: 83%
Heavenly Sword - PS3 Avg Ratio: 81%
Resistance: Fall of Man - PS3 Avg Ratio: 87%
Warhawk - PS3 Avg Ratio: 84%
Folklore - PS3 Avg Ratio: 75%

see nothing on ps3 even reaches 9.0

BioShock - X360 Avg Ratio: 95%
Halo 3 - X360 Avg Ratio: 94%
Gears of War - X360 Avg Ratio: 94%

all of these are from http://www.gamerankings.com...

[kingboy]

Nothing sucks fanboy,u can`t always have it all at cheap prices
The ps2 is still selling strong therefore sony`s not ready to kill that market just yet by allowing backward compatibility with the cheaper 40 gigs ps3

[Jandre02]

Some Xbot fanboy please show me a list of what you consider "good games". Do you really have that many? Only ones worth anything in my book is Halo 3, BioShock, Oblivion, PGR, Gears.

RFOM,Warhawk, Oblivion(more content),Motorstorm, Heavenly Sword

Where are all these HUGE games at? I really cant think of anymore that are anything special. Im not being sarcastic, I really want to know.

[Xi]

crackdown
viva pinata
perfect dark
forza 2
pgr
gears of war
well for starters. All those games are better than the HS, Warhawk, lair, motorstorm, and resistance imo. I think most scored better too.

[Chris_GTR1]

well you said halo 3, gears,and bioshock...well those 3 games are all better than anygame on ps3 that you mentioned. check the scores. all 3 of those average at over 95% ratings..nothing on ps3 is even close. all those ps3 games are good games, not great games. so far the only great game i see coming to ps3 is MGS4..la noire promises to be good. im not shure if thats exclusive though.
360 has alot of good games like the ones u mentioned. dead rising,forza2,pdz,Lost Planet,dead or alive 4,crackdown,GRAW 1and 2,guitar hero2,eternal sonata,comand conquer 3...

[Kenshin_BATT0USAI]

notice how tow are FPS :) Just playing they are good games.

[Chris_GTR1]

lol. well also check out RFOM it got the highest score out of all ps3 games and its also fps. i think ps3 owners secretly want more fps games...
also... resistance has sold 2 million,motorstorm has sold 1 mil. no other games have passed a mil.
on 360.. 11 games have sold over a million.

[Real gamer 4 life]

All them games you mention are all first person shooters. And if i am a person that doesn't like first person shooter, then what? why do i have a x box for because all their AAA games are first person shooters. They have been out almost 2 years in the market and the only AAA games that they have are first person shooter with the exception of one game which is forza motorsport, but then i still prefer grant tourism.

[Rockstar]

*Clicks Ignore for yet another fanboy*

Much Better

[Kaze88]

So! how many over 9.0 games did x0 had on its first year, none! hahahah...so f*cking hilarious.

[MikeGdaGod]

MotorStorm - PS3 Avg Ratio: 83%
reviewers: great game, not enough tracks
solution: more tracks coming and already there through DLC

Heavenly Sword - PS3 Avg Ratio: 81%
reviewers: great game, too short
solution: none, but devs said DLC was possible in the future

Resistance: Fall of Man - PS3 Avg Ratio: 87%
reviewers: great game
solution: none, launch title

Warhawk - PS3 Avg Ratio: 84%
reviewers: great game, no single player
solution: more maps and modes coming through DLC

most of these games were so good, the reviewers actually docked them points because they wanted more. not because of bad graphics, or bad gameplay, just because they wanted more of what was already there.

Bioshock, Halo 3, Gears = shooter, shooter, shooter

Gears was fun but short as hell, but the other two are for the birds. i don't like FPS. 360 doesn't have the variety as the PS, PERIOD.

look at the games you listed for both systems, PS games are all good and 360 gams are all the same (run n gun).

F*CK reviews, Halo 3 looks the same as Halo 2. Gears looks 10x's better. did they dock Halo? no, they hyped the sh!t out of it because it was Halo. did they dock it for its short single player? no they praised it for the multi-player.

i never have been one to claim bias with the reviewers but after a while i have to wonder.

i remember how some the reviewers of Warhawk claimed it was slow paced and sometimes boring. all i kept thinking was, "How could the review a multiplayer only game when they're the only ones that have it? Who were they playing against?"

bias??? maybe, all i know is a review is one person's opinion, so add mine to the mix:

MotorStorm - 92%
Heavenly Sword - 95%
Resistance: Fall of Man - 90%
Warhawk - 98%
Folklore - haven't played it
Gears - 95%
Halo - haven't played it
Bioshock - haven't played it

i won't talk good or bad about games i haven't played like you. i'll just say they're not for me. how they score means nothing.

prime example: Oblivion - great game and score..........i HATED it, it's not for me. this is where sony will succeed, they have games for EVERYBODY.

[Chris_GTR1]

@ Kaze88
gears came out in the first year of the 360 being out.
ive yet to see any 9.0or higher game on the ps3... and its about to be a year since launch this november.

@ scottie2521
i didnt bash these games... all i did was post scores of an average of all major gaming sites.
yes your going to give ps3 games a high score because you own a ps3.
lol and to make things even worse RFOM was a launch game so all the ps3 launch hype got to it, thats the reason for the 87% all the other 3 games got under 85%
yes to each his own tastes.
i dont really know what ps3 has that 360 dosent...360 has JRPGs,NA RPGS,FPS,3rdPS.. oh, well i guess the only thing it dosent have is button mashers or family friendly games but good thing is were getting a new button mashing game on 360.DMC4 Yesss...well i wana continue with a non fanboy conversation..lets see waht you got lol.

[MikeGdaGod]

ummmm..........NO I WON'T!!!

if that was the case i would have put games like Lair on that list. you just so happened to list games i own and love. i would like them no matter what system they're on.

like i've said a million times, i had a 360 with 40+ games for it. out of all those, i liked two (Gears and Dead Rising). thats why i said these reviews that you post mean absolutely nothing. games were rated good and i still didn't like them.

all the perfect 10's in the world wouldn't get me to like Halo. i never have. i was probably the only person in the world that bought a 360 without any desire to play a Halo game.

ps3 has plenty of games that can't be matched on 360.

there is no game like MGS
there is no game like God of War
there is no game like Final Fantasy
there is no game like Motorstorm
there is no game like Warhawk
there is no game like Ratchet & Clank
there is no game like Uncharted

MS had to break the bank just to get GTA released at the same time as the ps3 version.

don't kid yourself nothing compares to thee almighty PS3.........JUMP IN

LOL

[Kaze88]

Well i that case i might have looked the wrong release date to it or release date for my country. So x0 had one over 9.0 on its first year, so if ps3 wont get one over 9.0 game it sucks/flops? Your theory has no sense =P
I think that R&C: tools of destruction could be the one to break that and its coming on next month.

[lonestarmt]

yeah and sony said they had no plans for a cheaper ps3 either, lol.

[Martini]

That should help them sell some more software (the sole reason for console is to sell software !!) as you will have to buy PS3 games instead of "playing your old ps2 games = no profit for sony".

[DrWan]

who the hell in here doesn't already have a PS2, jeez, this topic is so overrated. I am not sure if i know alot of my friends that actually use the PS3 for PS2 and PS1 games..it was mostly PS3 games and movies.

[kurochi]

I do. I use my ps3 to play ps2 games that I haven't played before. Why should I have 2 consoles when 1 does the trick?

[Close_Second]

I typically can't be bothered with playing last gen games on my new hardware. However, Sony has some killer titles on their PS2 that I would still want to play when I get my PS3, for example, Resident Evil 4 and God of War 2.

I was waiting for the 60GB PS3 to have a big price drop like their previous gen PS2 did after 12 months. They eventually obliterated the competition because of the slimline PS2 which, featured all the capability of its bigger counterpart minus the HDD bay. However, it did include infra-red which was a smart move.

Although I am now seriously considering getting the new PS3 SKU, I am still wondering what else Sony has cut in order to be able to drop the price as much as they have. For instance, backward compatibility was not available via hardware in the 60GB PS3 SKUs in NZ anyway but we're expecting the new SKU to be $400 NZD cheaper (60GB SKU is currently $1,199 NZD). For $400 NZD you could buy a brand new PS2 with bundled game(s) and still have around $50 change. Has the Blu-Ray diode really dropped that much as well???

If the new SKU is still the AAA quality hardware that the 60GB SKU seemed to be then I will get one. Although I have a 360 I can definitely see that sticking with DVD discs will hamper future games. Kind of reminds me of the Nintendo 64 (N64) which stuck with cartridge rather than following Sony and going with CD. The N64 was a more powerful unit than the PS1 but storage woes crippled it. Although the 360 is not crippled by opting for DVD you can certainly see it being an issue in the future.

Anyway, at least when I get my PS3 I'll be enjoying the best that console gaming has to offer by having both a PS3 and 360.

[tethered]

@ kurochi
So buy the 60 GB (while its still available) or the 80 GB.
That takes care of the problem.

Fans of 360 have been talking about how great having choices is, well now PS3 fans have a choice.

[Lightning Mr Bubbles]

It's PS3 time now, not PS2. Lets move on. PS3!! THREE IS THE MAGIC NUMBER NOW.

[Salvadore]

...

[EZCheez]

To see you back.

[Lightning Mr Bubbles]

I hope I'm wrong.

[lonestarmt]

hey lighting isn't this what you have been saying sony needed? are you happy with this price cut?

[Lightning Mr Bubbles]

Sony messed up huge when they priced the PS3 $200 more than the competition.

Every price cut is a step forward in correcting the problem.

[doomsonyman]

we sony fans are back on top the world is the way its supposed to be now

[PS360WII]

Well I don't know Sony was saying that some early adopters may feel cheated... I don't think so for I believe late adopters will feel cheated the way things are going for the new models.

Once again I don't have shelf space or enough plug ins to hook up a PS3 and a PS2 unless I want to hook up 3 surge protectors. 2 is already pushing it what with all the systems, TV, charge stations, cable box, PC, and surround sound.

With my 60gig PS3 I feel I made the right choice not this 'but it's cheaper!' PS3 model. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[Meus Renaissance]

Sacrificing the PS2 to invest in the PS3 for better and newer things; sounds like a fair trade.

[The Karate Kid]

If you want Backwards compatibility soooooo bad, just buy you a PS2 Slim and call it the day. That way you would be a for sure 100% and you will never have to worry about a thing. Or just go out and buy yourself a 80 gig model.....................!

[DrPirate]

If you need the BC, just spend the equivalent of a PS2 (100$) on top of the price, and there you go.

[Xi]

that's what I'm getting out of it, something like the nintendo VC...

[Sez]

you hit the nail right on the head. sony will milk their fans with microtransaction of games they already own just to play them on the 40gig

[cdzie1]

Two $100 price cuts within 4 months and now no backwards compatibility.

The Sony ship is sinking fast!

[Antan]

Yep, just like HD DVD ;)

[kurochi]

"The Sony ship is sinking fast!"

That statement is like saying "Red Ring of Death doesn't exist".....

Grow up. Hardware prices goes down eventually and console wars benefits everyone.

[JIN KAZAMA]

are making it sound like the 40GB is the ONLY model out there. For example, the dumbass Chris_GTR1 says:
"that sucks.
so this leaves owners of 40 gb ps3 with only 3 good games to play"

Hey dumbass, the owners of the 40GB model will KNOW that it is not BC, so they DONT CARE about it. Its not Sony is forcing you to ONLY buy the 40GB version. They are telling people, straight up, that the 40GB doesnt have BC, take it or leave it.

I still get amazed as to how dumb these xbots are. Yet, they are totally fine, sending their RROD console back to the shop to get it fixed for the 4th time.

PLAY B3YOND.

[razer]

But I think this is the argument Sony fanboys said about the Core SKU and they gave the same reason you just did. CHOICE! But, then again if Sony does it then it's an "Xbots" problem..

One thing I see with Sony fanboys is they spent most of their time back peddling and talking out of their ass.

PS: I've never had to send my 360 off for repairs, so please get yourself a new line.. It's as old and stale as TUPAC's music..

[Leg-End]

A)-- in defense of Jin Kazama
Tupac rules, but is he still alive??? will we ever know???

B)-- in defense of the sad xbot micro$haft bumboy
It is true that the 60gb has been discontinued in europe, so we don't have a choice whether or not we want BC...we have to live without

[Sez]

@ razar. i agree with you. every time sony does something MS did before MS got bashed. now sony is doing it and they start crying. " why is everyone hating on sony. they are doing the best they can" would you guys like a kleenex

[JIN KAZAMA]

Razer, the xbot zombie droid, haha, You are truly a complete moron and proved it, by calling Tupac's music stale..he is like the Black Elvis, his music will NEVER die, he is immortalized just like Elvis.

This choice of BC or not is so minor, and not even comparable to the MS did with thier "choice" consoles. Yea, Let me buy the Elite, which is 479, and then "Choose" to buy the HD-DVD add-on for about 150 bucks, yea great choice there buddy.

This choice is, "U want BC, go with the 60GB or 80GB"
"U already have a PS2 and dont care about BC, then go with the 40GB"

WOW, big freakin deal...ohh booo hooo. so please, STFU and play you're Halo 3.

PLAY B3YOND

[Tyrael]

No backwards compatibility for the 40 GB? Sony, better go get me a chicken sandwich, and some waffle fries...

Unforgivable...

[Huddymonster]

Whoever thinks that releasing a PS3 without an HDD needs to buy a brain. If a new model that does not include an HDD is sold then all games will have to be developed for the lowest common denominator. That means all games will be developed at the lowest specs which means worse games. That is why as we move forward all the xbox360 core users will get screwed over because games will require an HDD.

Also why do people complain about the consumer getting confused by all the choices. THINK for one second. A very small minority of the population keeps track of gaming news. What the common consumer will do is go into a Best Buy and ask what are the options available and they will say we have A and B. The consumer will make their choice and THATS IT. They will not wonder about future skus or what they are missing.

Also if you are complaining about BC then you are in the minority. Most of the population does not care about BC just the hardcore gamers who want to play FF7 for the 700th time. I bet you are thinking well what about the consumer who had a ps2 and wants to play all their backlogged games...People do not buy a next gen system to play ps2 games primarily. They buy one to play ps3 games. It is not a make or break decision.

Finally Sony is a company who makes decisions based on what is good for them. What would they rather have...A. People playing backlogged PS2 games B. Buying PS3 games. Sony is not your friend they are a business and they will do what it takes to make money while not killing their fanbase. As of right now I do not think anyone wants to do a ban of Sony just because of the new SKU or no BC. If you are then you prolly arnt a true gamer because some of the future exclusive games on the PS3 like MGS4, GT5, FF13, Uncharted, Ratchet and Clank, Infamous, Eight Days, Singstar, Afrika, and Haze will give you plenty to play at just $400. While still having the option to watch Blu-Ray movies.

Sorry for writing so much but there are a lot of dumb people out there.

[razer]

Are you going to keep posting this same stupid message in every post related to the PS3 backwards compatibility..??

Nobody is going to freakin read all that and where has anyone even mentioned removing the HDD in the 40gig unit in this post???

The same arguements you are using about choice, etc are the same things the Xbox fans got bashed on for the past 2 years by Sony fans.

[Real Gambler]

You have hit the nail right there: "Are you going to keep posting this same stupid message in every post related to the PS3 backwards compatibility..??"

Removing BC was a news... It should have been posted ONCE and only ONCE. Yet, even if it's a known fact that you can simply pick another version of the PS3 if BC is important to a gamer, it has to be posted over and over and over...

You are saying one user is bad for saying the same thing in two of these threads about BC... What about guys like Bloodmask who are starting the same thread over and over? There's about 9 threads on N4G about BC and he is responsible for one third of them...

If there would not be so many threads about the subject, there would be less users posting the same comments on all of them... So where do you think the problem is?

AGAIN, you don't care about BC, you buy the 40gig model. You care about BC, you buy any other models. End of story. PLEASE, don't bring back this thread again into any other forms.

[HateBoy]

What are your thoughts on threads about rrod? Hmm? At least cover both sides. Btw, I totally agree with you, getting sick and tired of the same fakking article over and over, but don't blaim just bloodmask etc. Theres guys on the other side doing the exact same thing, so...

And yeah huddymonster, stop it.

[Lightning Mr Bubbles]

All I've seen since Kaz took over is him cleaning up the mess that Ken Katuguri left.

The price range is getting to where it needs to be, I don't think anything can stop the PS3 from moving foward anymore.

[Blitzed]

sorry, wrong spot

[Blitzed]

The 40G has really got him paranoid. He's on a mission to put a negative spin on it, and is really putting in the OT.

Not to mention Sony said "We have no plans to do so at the moment".

Bloodmask, you are the poster child of a rabid fanboy (well, thats probably reserved for Nasim, but you are in the running).

[Bloodmask]

That most of your comments on N4G are complaining about fanboys. Isn't that even more annoying than fanboys themselves? And you bring up 3 submissions from me.

Did you mention the other 327?? What do you contribute to this website besides coming into threads to complain about fanboys?? And how many of the 330 submissions are actually Anti-Sony. These are the articles you associate me with bc they bother you, or I do. So I ask myself who is more immature?

If you hadn't noticed I didn't even comment in this thread until now. Yet all of your focus is still on me. I'm glad to know that slandering me is so important to you that you would actually look up my Bio and tell everyone about 3 articles.

Here's "all" of my submissions. Once again how many out of 330 are Anti-Sony??

http://www.n4g.com/up/8954/...

[pilotpistolpete]

Sorry, but Blitz's posts are alot better than the sh*t you write. Instead of spending all day googling "BC, 40 Gig, Sony" and looking for bad news, maybe you should play your 360. And does it really make you feel better about yourself to post negative news all day long? If so, then myself, as well as most people on this site feel sorry for you.

It doesn't matter how many stories you post. You should use logic and not post stupid obscure negative press. It just doesn't apply. People on this site want information about games they want etc, and posters like you just fill this site with flamebait. The fact that you have 70 ignores should be a good indication that people don't approve of what you say and what you post.

It's good that your a contributor and you have the time to surf the net for gaming news. This is the point of the website. But use common sense. If you stumble upon someone complaining about the ps3/360 with no merit and its obvious its a biased article, then as a contributor, you should not post it.

And He is complaining about fanboys, and you feel the need to respond. At least you know your a dumbass fanboy, so thats a start. Now you have to work on correcting the problem.

[Blitzed]

"most of your comments on N4G are complaining about fanboys. Isn't that even more annoying than fanboys themselves?"
-maybe to other fanboys, but I would imagine its not to those who are actually coming here to look for actual gaming news.

"What do you contribute to this website"
-nothing, I am not a contributor, and I dont want to be. I only want to be able to come to this website and get unbias gaming news instead of having to sift through bias crap like yours that the majority of the time is trying to push a personal agenda.

"These are the articles you associate me with bc they bother you, or I do. So I ask myself who is more immature?"
-Actuall the BC issue doesnt bother me at all. I own a PS2, Xbox, Xbox360 and a PS3, so I could care less. My intrest in BC articles was to inform a friend who is considering buying a PS3 and I wasnt sure if BC was a problem for him on the 40G. Whats more imature, trying to find some unbias information or spinning news to push a personal agenda?

"If you hadn't noticed I didn't even comment in this thread until now. Yet all of your focus is still on me."
-you were the contributor

"I'm glad to know that slandering me is so important to you that you would actually look up my Bio and tell everyone about 3 articles."
-I have never looked at your bio, I happened to notice that you were the contributor the last three BC articles posted. I have gotten in the habit of looking at the contributor as a flag to bias, agenda pushing posts. Not to mention that in your second article post, you skipped by 7 paragraphs to paste the negative spin.

You put yourself out there as a 360 Fanboy, presenting news in a bias fashion to push a personal agenda, so suck it up. You can dish it out but you cant take it.

[Bloodmask]

Here's "all" of my submissions. Once again how many out of 330 are Anti-Sony??

http://www.n4g.com/up/8954/...

[Blitzed]

Sorry, I responded to everything but that. I thought it was rhetorical.
So instead of sifting through all your posts, how's this for a response-

How many are anti-sony compared to how many are anti-MS?
Thats what makes you a biased, agenda pushing fanboy.

And since were demanding answers here, whats your intrest in the 40G PS3's BC. Are you getting one?

[MikeGdaGod]

you are pretty much a piece of sh!t xbot

i mean thats a FACT. are you now trying to act like you don't post article after article of negative ps3 news?i've noticed it too but your not the only one. Round Pegg love to do it also.

it's funny, i thought theMart was the worst ever when i first came to this site. but now i realize you guys are 1000x's worst. most of the time Mart's comments are fanboyish, but funny. you and Peggy Sue just say the same dumb sh!t post after post.

sorry if i hurt your feelings, i just can't understand hating a piece of electrical hardware.

you guys are really crazy, seek help

[Baba1906]

isnt this old news?.... well whatever if u really wanna play ps2 games buy the more expensive one. for the rest who wanna play cool ps3 games buy the 40gb. is it so hard? and well there are enough ps3 games to keep u bussy. and if u dont like ps3 than fäcking buy a xbox or a wii. jebus no one is making u buy a ps3......

edit: how many nintendo64 games work on the wii? how bout xbox? so hmm what are we fighting about?

[Violater]

""Keen gamers in Europe, for whom backwards compatibility is important, can still purchase the existing 60GB PS3 Starter Pack which contains an extra SIXAXIS controller, two first party titles and has extensive backwards compatibility with PS2 titles.""

[IRONMAN_357kickback]

youll feel stupid enough when there is a firmware update, watch

BTW chris GTr1, all those games that due mentioned are legions better than those 360 games, so wtf are you talkin about, and dont bring up reviews

[razer]

You sound like all the other IRONMAN accounts on this site??

That would be really lame and very pathetic if you are all the same person..

[Jdoki]

As I've posted before....

"Backwards compatibility, as you know from PlayStation One and PlayStation 2, is a core value of what we believe we should offer. And access to the library of content people have created, bought for themselves, and accumulated over the years is necessary to create a format. PlayStation is a format meaning that it transcends many devices -- PSOne, PS2, and now PS3" - Phil Harrison, Sony, December 2006

So what's Sony's 'core value's' now???

Maybe a core value is not having multiple SKU's as this quote suggests (from Phil, in response to MS announcement of two SKU's)...

"I think we wouldn't take that strategy. We wouldn't create confusion" - Phil Harrison, Sony, August 2005

It's not as simple as 'just buy a PS2'. As the first quote above shows, this is Sony going back on a 'core value' just to save some money. BC IS important to a lot of people who are thinking of upgrading.

Personally I was looking forward to getting rid of my PS2, and just using one Sony console (enough space is taken up my Wii and 360 to have a PS3 AND PS2 on the desk)... plus there's the upscaling advantage of the PS3 running PS2 games as well.

It's also not as simple as 'just buy one of the other SKU's'. In Europe it looks like we may be losing the 60GB model. Leaving us with just the 40GB. Unless the rumoured 160GB comes out soon BC will be a thing of the past for Sony.

Retailers (in the UK) still haven't dropped the 60GB to £349.99 yet, so I'm still waiting to buy one. The 40GB is not an option as it's not good value (compared to the 60GB) and if anything feels like Sony giving us the shaft...

40GB PS3 with NO game and LESS features = £299.99
60GB PS2 with TWO game and MORE features = £349.99

Why would I pay 299.99 for less value? The games alone on the 60GB version make it a no brainer, and for some people BC will be worth at least £50.

[IRONMAN_357kickback]

ppl who are new to ps3 will get the 40GB and not care, those waiting will get the 60GB because i bet you there will be a price drop

40GB is more appealing to the ones who dont care abou every spec on ps3, it ,akes sence

[Vojkan]

My guess is that PS3 40GB is different from inside. It is probably made different from inside, to be cheaper, something is missing that does not allows it to make BC with software. Strange.

I am not buying this crap that they switched funds to other "more important stuff". Something is fishy...

[ChickeyCantor]

the EU version was different yet it supports PS1/2 games.
while EU got a PS3 where the Emotion engine was installed by Software and not hardware i dont see why its disabled.

this is STUPID

[ChickeyCantor]

cant believe Sony fans are defending this( see i didnt say tools or whatever so keep it down) why take a function like BC out?

PS2 has a huge library, so those who got a PS3 shouldnt be bothered with this, not able playing Ps2 games on their PS3.
yess we should move on but its a damn shame.

Its just stupid.

[funkysolo]

If your new to gaming get the 40gb, if you are a long time fan an have many PS2 titles get a 60gb or 80gb...Does that sound hard? All PS3 games will campatible, unlike the 360 where some games will require owners to go buy a $100 20GB harddrive(what a bargain)...Xbots try to turn every positive PS3 news...The storm is coming better find a place to hide....

Halo3 did come out already and it's a 10/10 wow, I can't beleave you xbots are not playing the best game ever, EVER!!!! Halo3 for the win, best graphics, 1080p60fps, best framerate, best compelling story, best co-op, best animations, best physics, longest game ever 300 hours single campaign, The biggest game massive scope where you get to explore every bit of it. Greatest A.I. ever- won't even kill an enemy because they want to give you the satisfaction of you killing everyone. Halo3 is it, this is what nextgen is all about 10/10...Halo3 for the win, Power of green....

[g4n]

the PS2 BC in the EU model and anything < 60GB is done with software, not hardware. unless there is some CRAZY licening feature that is saving sony mony on the 40GB model, there is no reason it will not be BC. i honestly think that (once again) the lolbox fans got a hold of this info and once again bent it. they prob. meant that the 40GB will have limited BC, like the EU and 80GB model, due to removal of the EE.

[jlytle1234]

it has no ps2 BC. thats means no software or hardware emulation. the gs and the ee are missing. gone. basically they did some research and found out most people care more about a good price and ps3 games than having BC. And so much time & money was being spent on getting games to work with the software BC. So some sacrifices were made and its not the end of the world because you can still buy a ps3 that has BC if its important to you or you can buy one that doesnt. What is the crime in that?

[Meus Renaissance]

Fanboy. Xbots. DelayStation. Xbox 3sh!tty. And anything else derogative to someones purchase and beloved console, that could provoke a negative response, should result in a one week ban for the person who leaves such a comment from now or punished some other way.

Seriously.

[jlytle1234]

i totally agree. i hate those stupid slurs. id also like to ban FTW and whatever stupid game slogan like play b3yond. so stupid.

[Blitzed]

There would be hardly anyone left on this site.

[resistance100]

The one thing about B/c

Almost all the people who buy the 40GB will already have a ps2, so i fail to see how its a problem?

people saying 'oh i don't have room to have 2 consoles set up' really need to think for a second. Are you actually buying the ps3 to play ps2 games? Is setting your ps2 up when you want to use it or put it in a different room that much of a deal? Sure it might be inconvient, however if thats the reason how do you have the time to play games in the first place?

[jlytle1234]

and if you so desperately need to phase out your ps2 for space problems, BUY THE OTHER SKU THAT OFFERS BC. its not sold out yet. it hasnt been removed from the stores. so stop whining and buy one of put it on lay away or whatever you have to do. Here is your window of opportunity. I am tired of these f-ing articles about the lack of b/c and people being mad about it. At best its a smart cost saving move that will free up money and dev time to work on more firmware features instead of trying to make BC work better. at worst its a ploy to rush people to buy a ps3 with BC that want one to spark sales. Which isnt a big deal either.

[wangdiddy82]

I honestly think the ps3 has more and better games than the 360.. A lot more variety too.. Not just a bunch of over rated FPS games..

the only game 360 has that is actually good and i wish the ps3 had is bioshock.. But guess what i can go get this for my pc too.. Other than that halo 3 and gears of war are over rated..

[pilotpistolpete]

While the 40 gig is overshadowing everything, the fact is that the 60 gigger got a massive price drop. And it comes with two games.

Can someone help me understand this? 50$ more for the 60 gig version. Even without factoring the BC, anyone who buys a ps3 will probably want to get a game as well. So people will always pay more for the 40 gig when leaving. I don't know how someone can go in a store and pick the 40 gig.

[Moac]

damn you sony. i wanted to buy a PS3 when it gets cheaper and now this sh!t. damn retards, i dont even own a Ps2 so i really looked forward to play games such as god of war and the FF games. guess i now have to buy a pS3 fast before they stop making them with BC.

also , does this mean that this Console (40GB ) will be the only one that is going to be sold in Europe after the current 60 GB is sold out????

[nasim]

It was 425 before.

YOu can also get a ps3 for 299 pounds.

Everyone will be purchasing a new ps3. On the other hand BOTS like you will be exhausted by RROD

[jlytle1234]

go buy those games and a ps2 used. they are cheap and your guaranteed compatibility. whereas even BC has issues. And what rock have you been living under to not have played god of war of the final fantasies? And why have you waiting till the next gen of consoles came out to start noticing last gens consoles.

[sajj316]

Having not announced bc support through downloadable content or firmware upgrades means just that. It does not confirm or deny anything. It is the official company stance today as it is accurate to say that there hasn't been any announcements. You guys need to read it for what it is. Don't draw conclusions. If BC is that important, write to Sony. It is to me but I already have a 60 GB model with full BC. If I bought the 40 GB model and I knew that there wasn't BC, I'd write a letter expressing my feelings of why its important. Ultimately this is Sony's call. Its as simple as that.

PS fans want the PS3 to be priced at a competative level without sacrificing anything. It just does not work that way given the current market condition. If you want to be priced right, you need to cut things out. The 399.99 price point will mean a stonger PS3 installbase. With installbase comes better third party support. If I was the fan of Sony that I say I am, I would agree on what makes business sense. Stay competitive. This is why we don't make the decisions. If we did, we would have dug the grave early for the PS3.

We will see soon enough the impact of the 40 GB model and I forecast positive things for Sony. I applaud Sony for making this difficult decision.

[Real gamer 4 life]

And what is it with this bloodmask guy always posting the same thing about the 40gb ps3 not having Backward capability. What wrong he cant find any other news to bash the ps3. Dude the 40 gb ps3 will sell. Its a better buy then the 360.
Blueray player wifi and hdmi ports for only 400 is a good buy.

[Jandre02]

Lost Planet and Crackdown may have been good, both are 2007 games.

GRAW 2 is on the PS3 as well. You failed to mention COD3 which might as well been an exclusive since it blew on PS3.

Viva Pinata (COME ON LOL), that games a joke but fine its there
Dead Rising looks like a PS2 game, didnt get above 8.5.

DOA4 isnt as good as VF5, but VF5 lacked online so it scored lower.

So now its Viva Pinata, and Dead Rising. If your not going to put the fact that Xbox was released earlier, the lineup is not that much more amazing than the PS3. The lineup is better, but at this point the argument that the ps3 has NO GAMES is stupid.

Its on pace to have as many good games as the Xbox, and if you only count first year games, IGN only gave a 9.0 to DOA. Those other games arent must haves.

The difference isnt that much. On top of that reviews are just biased. RFOM deserved atleast a 9.1. Any person who has played it will tell you. Xbox had more games, but its not such a difference you can say PS3 had NO games, and Xbox has a HUGE library. Its not true.

[Double-Edged]

just plain and simple.
rack up the Editors Choice...PS3 & 360

and there you have it.

[Gina-get-u]

XBOX 1 backwards compatibility on the 360 is pure software emulation that does not require any hardware assistance outside of the triple-core CPU to work. But additional code has to be written specifically for each title that gets BC treatment (hence, the MS BC list gradually grew with periodic updates, while the Sony list was suddenly all there). I don't see why the cell processor can't achieve the same feat with code specifically written for each game. I'm not saying it will happen. All I'm saying is that it's technically possible, or should be if the cell is everything it's cracked up to be. The only thing keeping it from happening is that it's not in Sony's interest to do it.

What real coding afficionados out there should learn to appreciate is the amount of trouble MS had to go through and the impressive software wizardry that was required to achieve backwards compatibility on the 360.

[Moac]

i did own a last gen console, the Xbox, and the reason i didn't get a PS2 at the beginning was because there were no Hype, and not many games that got my attention. really most of the PS2 games that i want to play came out later, at the end of the PS2 , namly God of war, FF12 /10 and the naruto games and some dragonball Z games. but now its kinda strange to buy something as old as the PS2, and i really dont want to own 2 consoles when i could be playing the same PS2 games on a PS3 =(..

hope i can get money before they are sold out the ones with BC that is O_o damn sony

[Gina-get-u]

Dude, the 80 gb model or whatever it is will get cheaper eventually. Sony is not going to stop producing the motherboards that have the BC silicon. So do what I, and maybe a gazillion other people are doing - just wait. If you have a 360 just stick to that until the PS3 library grows a bit more. By Xmas the 40 gb model will have less than 10 exclusives worth playing, so there's no big rush to get one yet. The heavy hitters on the PS3 won't be showing up until at least next spring. Remember, it's never fun to come too early.

[jlytle1234]

i sympathize with you situation. However i hope you see that Sony's decision was to benefit the majority by bringing a lower cost console to the market. but to do that they had to sacrifice something. So for 100 (i dont have a british currency sign) more you can have BC (which i believe is the price of a ps2 funny enough). and i doubt that they will sell out by xmas as they predict. I think they are just trying to create a sense of urgency. But i personally think anyone who wants to play ps2 games should go for an actual ps2 since it will be guaranteed compatibile compared to software emulation which is hit or miss. So even if you manage to pick up a BC ps3, you arent guaranteed every game you want to play is going to work perfectly or work at all.

[goodganja]

If you dont like it, then get stack your money up and get the 60 or 80 gig. Stop being so poor.

[Leg-End]

can't we all get along now?
I know i dont act like an angel here but thats simply in response to the fanboys OF BOTH CONSOLES
ps3 and 360 are only pieces of plastic...

[chrisin3]

Sony didn't decide all on its own to discontinue backwards compatibility. If you read, you would realize that Sony issued thousands of surveys regarding the subject of backwards compatibility (and other features), and most PS3 users concluded that it was not an important feature of the PS3. Therefore, when it came to cut costs for the 40 GB model, they had to decide what features would be cut (for obvious fiscal reasons). In a nutshell, the cuts came from user feedback and sheer circumstance. We have all heard how much it costs to make a PS3, so we cannot plead ignorance.

So here we are . . . a more affordable model has arrived--a model with a price that people have wanted for a year. To me, this is positive news, but to others, just another thing to complain out. The funny thing is though; everyone knew if a cheaper model arrived, features would be cut.

The 80GB lost some BC, and now the 40GB has none. Well, what the hell else would they have cut out of the PS3 to lower the price? Blu-ray? Bluetooth? The motherboard? Obviously not.

The 40 GB is the 20 GB, with more HD space, a wireless card, two less USB slots, and no Backwards Compatibility.

To recap: So they are giving you 20 more gigs, a wireless card, 2 less USB slots, and no Backwards compatibility for 100 dollars less than the discontinued 20 GB--200 dollars less than the 80GB. Bad deal? Not really. I mean the PS2 will soon be 99 dollars anyway, not to mention, the people considering the purchase of a PS3, most likely already own a PS2.

As I've stated before, consumers have the power of choice, i.e. the 80GB or 60GB, or even an Xbox 360 or Wii. In almost all things retail, the cheapest model of anything has the least amount of features. It's a natural digression. So . . . You can either accept or reject this new model, but I have a feeling that the majority of people rejecting the natural digression of a cheaper model only have, or favor one other console--the Xbox 360.

However, if you’re an outraged Playstation (any model) fan, then next time you see a consumer survey, fill it out. It’s how companies get much of their information.

[DJ]

When I registered my PS3, I made sure to fill out the optional survey and allow them to collect my usage data; I’m making a 6~7 year investment, so I want them to know exactly what I like and don’t like.

This decision wasn’t made lightly (as you stated), and honestly I’ve only taken advantage of BC 3 or 4 times since I’ve purchased my PS3, versus a few hundred times watching movies, going online, or playing native titles on the system. I got my 60GB for its BC, but unfortunately I haven’t been using it that much. Now that I look back on it, the same thing happened with my PS2. I used BC to play PS1 games until a bunch of great PS2 titles came out; afterwards, I never really used it. =/

[power of Green]

90% of the contributors on this site are pro Sony that actively look for anti 360 news and pro sony news or news that champions the PS3 at the 360's expense. Don't get so ass hurt and stop and look at the over all tone of this site. I'm still trying to figure out how 360 fans stay members of this site due to the over all control PS3 fans over this site.

[Solotov]

I think this site has become a blu-ray propaganda machine

[UltramanJ]

Price drop or not, the lack of bc wouldn't be good for me. My PS2 is pretty old and already has had the laser replaced once. Having the ability to play my PS2 games on my PS3 (with upscaling!) is a big plus.

[Snukadaman]

Im sorry...but someone had too do it...

[GNR47]

The only reason why I wanted a ps3 was for its backwards compatibility with the ps2.

[jlytle1234]

yeah who would actually want a ps3 to play ps3 games.
i wasted my last bubble to say that. feel special.

[DJ]

If you want BC, get the 80GB. If you don't care, get the 40GB. Both have upgradeable, off-the-shelf hard drives that can be purchased at any online or retail store. Installation is fast, and easy.

[mikeslemonade]

BC is not needed and it seems like 360 fans want the PS3 to have BC more than actual PS3 owners. It was just like the rumble controller which hardly matters in the big picture. There's 45 million PS3's in the U.S., so for every 2 households there's one PS2. Go make friends and play or borrow a PS2 if you don't already have one. BC is not a big deal. Just ignore all the xbox fanboys. Sony is willing to make a cheaper PS3 but you xbox fanboys still complain. PS2 BC is near the bottom of my list as far as features, because the only game that I want to play is GoW2 and when I beat and finish that i'm done with PS2.

[Jdash24]

i think when the ps2's run finally ends sony will release software emulation for the ps3

but for now the ps2 is still going strong, sony doesnt just want to phase it out

[bootsielon]

Sony is just saying that so they can sell all the remaining 60 and 80GB PS3 stock, and as others said, because PS2 is still going strong. If PCs were able to emulate PS2 since 2004 (or so), there's no doubt PS3 would be able to do that with the Cell and RSX.

If it's impossible to emulate PS2 on PS3 (I don't think so), then it could be a nail in PS3's coffin, since I find BC an important bullet-point. That's why I didn't take long to buy the 60 GB version in America.

Anyway, I'm having BC problems with Indigo Prophecy. Agatha is already dead, and I'm back at Agatha's house, but the game stops after I see the demon (or whatever is possesing Lucas) scene possesing the laundry guy, and the girl after that... then it stops. Can anyone confirm that BC with Indigo Prophecy is not perfect?

[chrisin3]

Sounds like we are on the same sheet of music (expression).

[DJ]

=]

[ActionBastard]

I bought a 360 to play 360 games. I bought a PS3 to play PS3 games. It's rather simple really.

[sumfood4u]

BC is very important to us! Makes no sense to enjoy only PS3 & PS1 game an say ohh what the Hell Lets 4~get the Powerful Ps2 Games, people won't miss it! Yeah Freaking Right!

[IRONMAN_357kickback]

dont comment on my stuff when i did nothing wrong, go somewhere

and how, tell me how no BC can hinder sales, thats BS

[waldopepper]

BC will help some players decide whether to buy the system or not - especially those on a budget who want only 1 console connected to their TV and have a big back-catalogue of PS2 games.

It's that simple - any number of features help sell a system so removing any one of them will put some people off.

[goodganja]

Razer is jealous because he's not half the man tupac was. GTFO

[Abu]

... about-face for Sony.

In a 2006 interview with GamePro, Sony's Phil Harrison clearly said:

"Backwards compatibility, as you know from PlayStation One and PlayStation 2, is a core value of what we believe we should offer. And access to the library of content people have created, bought for themselves, and accumulated over the years is necessary to create a format. PlayStation is a format meaning that it transcends many devices - PSOne, PS2, and now PS3."

We have to wonder, if this risky gambit to reduce the price doesn’t work, what will they cut from the next SKU?

[chrisin3]

Maybe they will just stop manufacturing the console with a power supply; instead, you will just use a hand crack. Then Sony can market the PS3 as a forearm and bicep developer. Sorta like Wii fit, but just shinier. I am just jesting, I am playstation fan myself.

[n4gno]

Bloodmask, the perfect fanboy.

another news trying to distract us with ridiculous ps2 compatibility (available on others sku).

399$ is the best electronic offer since...allways : dvd player = high cost players 1000 $ and more, bluray ,wifi, online free, silence, rodless, etc.

and a lot of good game before christmas !!

[Chris_GTR1]

you guys should be thankfull for 360 owners. thanks to all the folks that made 360 outsell the ps3 for the past year made this 200$ pricecut possible :)

[PStriple703]

keep ur freakin ps2! i kinda think it's smart, so now people are still gonna keep there ps2s and still be buying ps2 games...so sony can still have money coming both ways

[xionpunk]

Kingboy"The ps2 is still selling strong therefore sony`s not ready to kill that market just yet by allowing backward compatibility with the cheaper 40 gigs ps3"

thats a really good point actually...I hadn't thought of that.Why cut into those sales when its still making them money.