SCEE has revised the specifications for the European PlayStation 3 console, revealing that the PAL version of the console won’t include full backwards compatibility for PS2 game, but all PSone game will still be supported.
PSone games will work on PS3 and a limited number of PS2 titles will also work on the console. Sony told CVG this morning that the firm will launch this PS3 FAQ site on the PS3 launch day (March 23) where gamers will be able to check and see what games are backwards compatible on a regular basis. Also, a new firmware update will be available on launch of PS3.
Sony seems to have removed the processor from the machine that handled the backwards compatibility and replaced it with software emulation in order to cut costs. Yet Europe and Australia still pay the highest prices for the PS3 console, when Japanese & Americans do get mostly full backwards compatibility. Let’s hope PAL gamers get some firmware updates soon to have their favorite PS2 games playable on PS3. Sadly it looks like it’ll be a long wait with Sony saying: “We will continue to assess the compatibility of existing and new PS2 titles, both first and third party.”
I say “keep your PS2” because many early adopters will sell their PS2 to raise funds for a PS3 they assume will play all their games. But Sony is looking at future customers by saying: “Whilst in the longer term these production related cost reductions will enable us to reduce the cost of PS3 to consumers (in the same way we have done with PS2 over its 6 year lifetime to date) SCE has no immediate plans for any price reduction on the platform.”