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European PS3 To Play Fewer PS2 Games
Mondrian_was_a_square writes "When Sony launches the PS3 in Europe, consumers there won't be getting the same thing that US and Japanese buyers picked up at launch—they'll be getting less. Sony has just announced that the new revision of the PS3 will be less backwards compatible with PS2 games. 'Sony is looking to decrease the production cost of the Playstation 3, and they have opted to replace dedicated hardware with software that will replace its functionality. The hardware had been providing full backwards compatibility of PS2 games, but Sony makes it clear that the new configuration will not offer the same level of support. Certain PlayStation 2 format software titles may not perform properly on this system, the statement reads.'"
Not only are we in the UK paying (or not in my case) £425 per unit (approx $850), we are getting an inferior machine to boot? Jesus wept.
Is the the first time in console gaming history a launch system may be 'better' than the revisions of the same product?
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One of the nicest things about the PS3 in the US is its backwards compatibility. I'm basically able to buy any game from anywhere and play it without a problem using the newest firmware. Not having a PS2, this was a pretty nice feature. FFXII looks and plays really nice, as does older games like Deus Ex, which I bought specifically to test whether the PS3 would play it. Makes even less sense that they're going to do this without lowering the cost of the console for consumers.
So yet again here in Europe we get it after everyone else, pay more, and get less.
:-)
Not that I was considering one anyone, got my Wii on launch.
Interestingly, even though the major online retailers here in the UK sold out of their preorder allocations of the Wii within minutes of going live, I've noticed a couple stating they will remove availability of the PS3 for online ordering as soon as they are gone too... well it's been over a week now the "Buy Now" button is still available. So maybe for one people are actually voting with their wallets
I'm sure one this gets out even more people will be buying your console sony.... well done! How many feet do they have?! Cos they keep on shooting themselves there.
Yeah, less hardware means it will be cheaper!!!
Oh, wait, it's £425. That's $835, sure that includes 17.5% VAT, but it's still ridiculous.
Fuck you Sony. Fuck you for ripping us off, and doubly fuck you for selling us substandard hardware compared to other countries. Fuck you for being Sony to boot.
Europeans will be playing less PS3 games too... on the plus side, they will be playing a lot of Wii games.
Right now, their biggest danger is developers changing their focus to the fast growing installed user base of Wii (and 360 though not growing as fast as the Wii). That sales potential is the main performance figure developers sweat about.
Actually, I remember once when Sony made great products and had savvy marketing. Of late, watching their tactics has been like watching a drunk fall down a long staircase.
From a manufacturing point of view it might make sense, but from a PR viewpoint its ridiculous. The only way it could have worked is if it offered the same (or better) functionality, or they passed the price-drop onto the consumer.
People will hear 'functionally reduced - doesn't play PS2 games" no-matter of what real situation is. I think the people who were thinking of trading in their ps2 in for money off/towards a ps3 might wait their time...
This might be a good move for sony, thats more of a bad move for sony.
Anything else is blowing smoke. It may be inferior to US/JAP PS3, how HOW inferior, the US machine plays close to 100% (it was 98% but many things were fixed in the 1.5 firmware). If the compatability initially drops to say 80%, and improves over time to say 90%, i don't think thats too bad. It's certainly offset by the fact I am getting a rev2 model, with for sure other hardware tweaks to improve reliability, based on the US beta test programe.. As for the price, people forget, the US price does not include any sales taxes or local taxes, the UK, and EU prices do include all taxes... Whilst it's still more expensive, it's 17.5% less than it was... Plus, EU gets 1Yr warranty minimum on all new purchases, I think the US is 90 days.. I would imagine this also has a bearing...
Before I continue, want to make it clear that I'm not trolling. I'm just curious about this.
What's to prevent you from purchasing a US version? Yes, you will most likely be restricted to purchasing games and movies from the US thanks to bullsh*t region coding, but from what I understand most TVs in the UK will support NTSC as well as PAL. Hardware like controllers or cables should work regardless of the version of the PS3, or so I would think. And when it comes to software, when I buy CDs or DVDs from around the world they generally arrive in less than a week using standard air mail. One of my friends in London buys DVDs from the US regularly.
Obviously, getting everything native to the UK would be infinitely more convenient for you, but if backwards compatibility is that important, would not a US PS3 be an acceptable inconvenience? Plus the exchange rate is definitely in England's favor!
Again, just curious.
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...that the software emulation will allow to scale the PS2-games to 720p high def resolution.
It doesn't mention that Sony want's to bring the backward compatbility to an level almost
as high as the hardware emulation in the US/Japan PS3 is too. See http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/85781
(in German). Not so bad as ist sounds.
So at what point do the US models fall victim to the same fate? I want to hold off on buying a PS3 for as long as possible, but I'll probably end up with one eventually (I typically end up buying all the major consoles...) and I don't want a crippled one. I need to know exactly how long I can wait before picking one up and still be able to get the good backwards compatibility.
Unfortunately:
a) Chips don't make noise. Fans do. I'm not familiar with the PS3's interior design, but I'd be willing to bet that the PS2 chip does not have a dedicated fan -- or, if it does, it's only active when the chip is running. That means the system won't be any quieter when playing PS3 games.
b) In modern electronics, different aspects of the system are kept highly componentized. It is unlikely that the removal of a PS2 compatibility chip will have any effect on the rest of the system, positive or negative.
c) See B. The PS2 emulation aspect of the system will be the only part that is less prone to breaking, simply because it doesn't exist any more.
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I read this story this morning too on a number of sites but the one thing I could not find were numbers.
All I've read is that the Euro PS3 will play fewer PS2. Exactly what does that mean?
1 less than the US version is fewer. But so is 2, 3 or even 10.
Does anyone know what the severity of the "issue" is and what games are likely to be affected? If it means God of War 2, FF12 and Manhunter 2 won't work now then that's pretty bad. But if it means that Red Faction or Fantavision now won't work then who honestly gives a shit?
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Europeans are always screwed when it comes to launch dates. We are used to that but at least sometimes this results in us actually getting a better product. Patches applied and production problems sorted out. So we get every single console after everyone else has had it but at least we usually get better systems.
Offcourse we also pay more, even if you account for different tax systems. But hey, that is the price to pay for the rest of the world beta-testing the product right?
Now along comes Sony, who already has enough trouble selling the PS3, and they give europe NOT only the usual long delay, the usual unexplained price difference BUT they give a lesser product AND ask us to accept an untested product (untested software emulation vs proven hardware) on top of it all?
I actually think the PS3 might have something intresting in it because of its linux capabilities (although so far it seems Sony has made every effort to kill this possibility) but just how far do they expect people to go?
Did Sony hire a mole from MS or Nintendo? Did they hire someone from the remains of british industry to make their decisions? Has the long japanese working week finally caught up with management and driven them utterly mad?
Yes, in theory it makes sense to reduce costs per unit especially with the PS3 but to screw over the europeans by given them a lesser untested product months after everyone for more money just doesn't seem to make a lot of marketting sense. Especially given that PS3 games at the moment are not exactly setting new sales records.
Oh well, Sony got a couple more weeks. They could still announce that the EU PS3 will not be able to play HD movies. Can't take any risks, can we? Must make sure this product tanks.
Perhaps this is all a cunning plan to avoid those nasty stories about shortages and people fighting over the PS3 at launch. Make it even more expensive, still have no good games out and reduce functionality.
Rememeber the tale of how MS won the desktop from IBM and Apple and the homecomputers? Not because MS was so brilliant but because IBM and Apple and the homecomputers all made really stupid decisions?
That is too simple for Sony's taste. It seems determined to make every boneheaded decision themselves.
It is pitifull. Lets face it, the hardware costs for the PS2 hardware can't be that high, but in order to save a few dollars they are willing to remove a key feature from their product. A key feature that is desperately needed as long as their are no killer PS3 games out while there are plenty of intresting PS2 games out, and in fact still being launched.
I have seen attempts to introduce laws that require older people to take driving exams again to prove they are still fit to drive.
Perhaps as management gets older HR should do re-hire procedures to see if they still qualify. Alternatively, maybe management that has been there longer then a decade should be just humanily put down. Put the sony leadership out of its misery.
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When exactly is Sony going to tell the europeans what exactly the capabilities are of this new system? Right now, still a month away from launch? No.
3 weeks before launch? No.
Two weeks? One week? 5 days? 2 days? 1 day? No.
They say they will (no actuall guarantee) announce it on launch day. So that gives customers how much time to cancel their pre-order incase they don't find the list to satisfaction?
That is right. NO TIME.
Honesty? No, sorry, not this time.
Oh but they said it now right? Well yeah, their lawyer told them too, if people had found out AFTER launch date they would have gotten their ass sued off.
Lets not forget that this is the EU, NOT the US or japan were big money rules. Holland is the EU country that forced Sony to exchange EVERY PSP with ANY defective pixels. (A rule that by the way goes for ALL LCD's, under dutch, and EU law, a product has to be fully functional and defective (sub)pixels are not part of it)
So they announce it now, in a queit way, hope people forget and then claim, well we had a list up on launch day to cover themselves out of deceptive sales lawsuits.
Sony and honesty? Yeah right.
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True, Sony never said anything about PS/2 support.
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But if you meant the PS2, as in the Playstation 2, then U are the only Ass around here.
Linky to press release: http://www.scee.presscentre.com/Content/Detail.as
Selected relevent quotes:
"The European PS3 will feature the Cell Broadband Engine(TM), 60 GB hard disc drive, Blu-ray Disc player, built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, SIXAXIS(TM) 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."
"Rather than concentrate on PS2 backwards compatibility, in the future, company resources will be increasingly focused on developing new games..."
"Certain PlayStation 2 format software titles may not perform properly on this system."
And other references in the press release about future software patches to support more PS2 games, and a special list of compatible PS2 games for the EU version of the console (that isn't live yet).
Oh, and before you pull some blatant fanboi linguistic bullshit and say that Sony never literally said "reduced", then realize what everyone else does: They don't call the US/Japan PS3's support for the PS2 "limited", ergo being "limited" is a reduction. If it was the same level of support as the US/Japan version, they would have said words to that effect and let it drop. Instead they said words to the effect that the new PS3 is not designed with backward compatability as a major feature, new games are better, only a limited selection of old games will work. You'd have to be mental to not understand that this means a reduction. Maybe you are mental. We're not.
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since we're speculating... it could also contain cheaper/crappier hardware that is a) louder b) more prone to hardware failure judging by sony's decisions as of late, i think my speculation is closer to the truth then yours...