Topic: When PS4 comes out...

Do you think it will be backwards compatible, and, perhaps more importantly, do you think we'll be given access to our PSN purchases and download list to download onto the PS4? And, finally, do you think they'll finally unlock remote play with the Vita?

I'm hoping the answer to all of the above is yes. It's the first generation change since digital media exploded, and I hope they carry our purchases over. I especially want them to really focus on ps4/vita compatibility and interactivity during development.

Unfortunately, I think the answer to most of your questions is yes.

I think it would be a very good thing for the industry for the next generation of consoles to be stand alone affairs, only concerned with themselves and the power that they wield.

I say unfortunately because the market will probably condemn such a machine.

Remote Play may by then be viable for Sony, as it is I really don't think it's the best move for encouraging development, Cross Play and Cross Control will be best for the Vita I think.

I agree that Cross Play and Cross Control and more of the fantastic buy 1 get both deals will make me happy. I guess the real reason I want remote play is to play some of the PSN games I already own while on the go.

I really can't imagine a PS4 coming out and Sony asking fans to move on and leave all of the games they downloaded on their old system. If we're talking about next holiday season, they are really going to have to sell me on the interactivity between PS4 and the Vita, and likely promise being able to bring your old PSN games with you to the PS4, and even then I'm going to wait until after it comes out to make sure all of their promises come true.

Absolutely, that's why I think there will be a huge level of backwards compatibility. PSN will no doubt remain the same in regard to PSN titles and minis.

When you get to the PS3 things become tricky. The architechture of the new machine could be significantly different, causing the need for emulation- which may or may not be a problem. But PS2 BC was removed from PS3s solely (my thinking) to keep PS2 in production and profitable. 'Cost' cannot really be cited as a reason it was removed, since only the first run of PS3s even had the 'emotion engine' chipset installed. The later PS3s (my previous 60GB PAL launch for example) used emulation alone- and I had no trouble playing any of my old PS2 games- several of which you can now pay for on PSN, for a significantly higher price than you could aquire the disc for.

So, it really depends on how Sony want the market to play out.

I'd like to see PS3 get PS2 treatment, lots of continued support and an extended lifespan- and to have the PS4 as a separate platform- linked to PSN, but independant of the PS3. Vita connectivity across both being the same, cross purchase/play/control. Until there's a significant improvement (even OnLive doesn't work all that well) in resolving latency and video quality issues, Remote Play is largely best left as is.

I actually hope there is no backward compatibility with the AAA games, that they release a cost effective machine at launch that is based on a processor which developers are comfortable with.  No more dodgy third party Xbox 360 ports to the PS consoles please.

Would be nice if Sony could help some devs emulate some of the less taxing PSN games though, Sound Shapes and the like.

I've also heard it will destroy used games like 720 will.

I don't think it's possible it will be able to handle PS3 emulation, but I would love an all-in-one Sony machine. I've wanted that for a long time because I don't like having multiple consoles hooked up or stored away (if you've been around long enough you know how many can accumulate -- there's really been a lot since 1987!) But perhaps through streaming (Gaikai) it could play PS3 titles, and it does seem like a mess if your purchases from PSN didn't carry over, especially if you're keeping the same account, which I'm sure we will be. I'm not sure how Sony is going to solve that, or Microsoft. It seems like a hassle.

PS1 & PS2 emulation should be easier for it to do. It could offer official emulators for sale on PSN for $10.99 and $19.99, and other companies could do that with their legacy machines, like Sega and Dreamcast, instead of essentially downloading the same emulator hidden-from-view with each game purchase, as you often do now with retro titles.

Then again with these older ones, even PS2, it should be easy to just do this "in the browser" (streaming) so that it's largely handled server-side. For those with broadband connections, of course.

Would like to just see more companies making more games across-machines, less exclusives and fanboyism. Buy Mario 64 on PSN and play it on Vita / PS3, buy Crash on Virtual Console... why not? A win win situation for everyone, maybe.

Seriously. This seems like a big issue to me and it's the first generation change that has to tackle this.

I want to play Mario and Zelda on my Vita so bad.

1/ I hope the PS4 is backwards, that's one thing the new PS3 is really up on.

2/ Of course PSN stuff will be transferable, Sony's not and Sony respects there customers.

3/ They'll have remote play unlocked on PS3 soon, so yay, PS4 damn well better have it, if not the next portables from Sony.

4/ Mario and Link and that on a PlayStation system? Yay...ok......are you guys gamers that know anything about the buisness? That's like Disney doing the Looney Tunes or something ¬¬

People, can we please stop talking about PlayStation 4, it's not coming anytime soon, when Sony saids something, THAN lets start talking about PS4, until than, I'm enjoying my PS3 WAAAAYY too much

what makes you say that? I don't see any sign of this happening the way they advertised it at all.

I've bought a whole hell of a lot of games off PSN so I hope my account can be transfered to the PS4 along with the purchases I made. I'm not one who likes clutter around my entertainment center. When the PS4 comes out I'll want to put the PS3 in storage to make room for the new machine.

If Nintendo can do it without usernames Sony can with them