PlayStation Now may not be the comprehensive PlayStation 4 backward compatibility solution that you’ve been craving – but the bigwigs beavering away in Sony’s research and development department may have something even better in store. Eurogamer.net reports that the platform holder is busying itself with a local emulator that will power PSone and PlayStation 2 titles on the next generation system – and will even implement some noteworthy visual upgrades in the process.
According to the site, the sorcerous software will be based upon the same code found in the PlayStation 3’s firmware, but will take advantage of the new console’s supercharged architecture to augment some improvements. The publication speculates that this may result in older titles being rendered at a native high-definition resolution, resulting in the kind of improvements often reserved for unofficial PC emulators and some of the previous generation’s HD re-masters.
The rumour doesn’t indicate whether you’ll be able to insert your old discs in order to enjoy your ageing titles on the recently released machine, but we suspect that the platform holder will be all too happy to sell you digital versions via the PlayStation Store. Do you like the idea of being able to easily return to your back catalogue, or have you got enough to play as it is? Pop on your rose tinted glasses in the comments section below.
[source eurogamer.net]
Comments 18
My hype just skyrocketed, the guys at Sony are technological wizards and they know just how to keep us on our toes.
I hope that they're talking to 3rd parties at getting their games on PSNow, because I'd love to be able to play Tekken Tag Tournament and Dragonball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 on Vita or PS4.
I'm really looking forward to Playstation Now for all the PS3 games i never got to play since I owned a 360, and was keeping my fingers crossed for PS1 and PS2 libraries as well from that service. Depending on cost, it may be better to stream unlimited games for a price per month than to buy each game alone a la Nintendo's model on it's eShop and Virtual console.
However, if PS Now is only for PS3 games, then I would love digital downloads for PS2 & PS1. I never owned a PS2 either, so buying games digitally or used, either way I'd have to buy them. Digital is convenient.
But i'd like an emulator app or something, because I do still own a library of PS1 titles and i could probably find PS2 discs for cheap.
PS4 could EASILY run a PS1 & PS2 emulator with upping the res to HD. computers have been able to do that for a while now, so i don't see why not. and if sony controls it, then it's not illegal! better for them if you ask me.
Keeping my fingers crossed for more news on this.
My large library of PS2 discs w/o a system to play them on means I'ld much rather have the ability to stick my PS2 disc into a PS4 to play them than any streaming service.
@drumsandperc92 To be fair, Sony did hint at the PlayStation Now reveal that it wanted its entire back catalogue available in the cloud, so this wouldn't really prevent that. Native support for PSone and PS2 games could just be another option on PS4.
@rjejr Yeah, I feel the same way. The PS3 does run disc-based PSone games without any hardware emulation, so it could be possible. We'll have to wait and see. Either way, I'm sure they'll sell the titles on the PS Store, too.
This sounds like a great concept, so color me intrigued. All I ask is that Sony give me some Spyro and Crash rendered in high definition...please. ;_;
@drumsandperc92: That's the exact same reason I am excited about Playstation Now for all the PS3 games I missed because of owning a 360.
Still if they are to add an emulator to the PS4 for PS and PS2 games that might be nice for hard to find or expensive games for those systems but I just got a PS2 a few months ago so I have PS and PS2 games covered for now. It's just like I said having the option to download them to the PS4 will be nice for the hard to find games.
@DrJoeystein: Yes yes Spyro is a must. I have been looking for the first three for awhile now and can't find them.
Does the ps4 even play DVDs?
@RyoHazuki Yes it plays DVD's and Blue-Rays
Like it I would love it! If I could take my PS2 box it up to store it and use a disk (the games I own) with the PS4 with some resolution enhancement.. also free up space to set up a PS4 that would be AWESOME!! But if they think I will purchase digital versions. No I will not buy a game more than once.
If it's real this is a very great move
I want to play upres version of psone and two again for many titles of course
Um, I'm ok buying PS2 games digitally, especially if they'll look a little better. Unfortunately, I don't see a solution for PS3 games. The discs can't be read, and I'm not sure I'd want to buy digitally, even if they did sell them. I just wish they'd sell an adapter or something that allowed the PS4 to play PS3 discs. I'd pay $100 for that all day.
I suspect that playstation now is not as great as people think. If there is any lag in your button presses than it is unusable for any serious gamer. Another tv company tried this and they had lag.
Do want. Very badly
It probably will be just for PSN versions of the games but I'm hoping they at least sell the emulator as an add-on, if not just make it standard feature. I'm fine buying Digital but there will always be games that won't make it to PSN, so having both as an option wouldn't hurt. Even then, Sony's cross-compatibility is a big perk in and of itself.
@JaxonH
I'm pretty sure the PS4 can read them to some extent. For that trade-up program to work the way it does it has to be able to identify what game it is. Its not the format thats the problem, its the coding.
Unfortunately, I don't see a cost effective solution short of a PS3 emulator, assuming the PS4 can run one.
Since I still have almost every PS1 and PS2 game I ever bought I'd much rather be able to play those games than pay again for something i already own.
I got excited when SONY said that PS2 games were coming to the PS3 and that was a waste of time i.e we never did get all of the PS2 games for the PS3 on PSN :-/ The HD updates were cool tho. Where was GT3&4, The Getaway 1&2, Ape Escape 2&3, BurnOut3, TimeSplitters1&2&3...etc etc
Obviously there gonna charge for ps1/2 games, especially if they're upgraded. It also gives them more games to sling out on PS plus.
it would be nice if they did this but I have my ps1, ps2 & ps3 for thier respective games
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