PS3 PS2 Emulation plans leaked by Sega. (Also Dreamcast Emulation)

[Gerry]

SEGA has let a pretty fat cat out of the bag by releasing confidential notes from a meeting with Sony Computer Entertainment America.

Sony wants to release all PS2 games on the PlayStation 3, according to a meeting between SEGA America and SCEA.

The meeting was held on August 5th, with comments regarding SEGA's PS3 and PSP releases, as well as Sony's plans for the console in the near future.

There's mention of a big announcement at the back half of this year, which we now know is the PS3 Slim and price cut. However, there's finally confirmation that Sony is interested in emulating all PlayStation 2 games.

The notes reveal that "SCEA wants to sell all PS2 titles on PSN." Whether this will come as a case by case basis, like the God of War remastering, or that Sony is creating a universal emulator for all PS3 models is unknown. We'd personally expect the former, since Grand Theft Auto Vice City is a specific title mentioned.

Since this meeting was held in August of this year, the PS3 Slim and its hardware would have been in the company's mind - so there must be plans to overcome the difficulties of the missing PS2 GPU.

There's also mention of how these games would be marketed, with PS3 controllers shown in PS2 TV ads.

The link to this confidential information is now broken, but can be found via NeoGAF.

[UPDATE] - Another exciting titbit is that SEGA could provide Sony with Dreamcast titles for the PS3.

The publisher has been tasked with providing SCEA a list of titles so that they can choose which games they're interested in having exclusively. It is further added that "if we give them a long period of exclusivity they’ll give us more marketing support."

http://www.gamezine.co.uk/news/form...ony-s-plans-ps2-emulation-on-ps3-$1328865.htm

Well, if this is true (I'm being very cautious about this atm) then downloadable PS2 games will be coming very soon, and this will potentially be the end of support for PS2. I just personally hope they make the library of games region free.

 

[Bajaratt]

A backhanded way to do backwards compatibility, having to re-buy all of the PS2 games we own(if they're even available in the first place) is a slap in the face for such a basic feature. "Hardware won't support BC" my ass.

 

[JerkFace]

A backhanded way to do backwards compatibility, having to re-buy all of the PS2 games we own(if they're even available in the first place) is a slap in the face for such a basic feature. "Hardware won't support BC" my ass.

Yeah I agree. I am already pissed off about this. If they only implement it with the "Spend all your money again" system I will be really disappointed. I used to think Sony cared about its customers after they fixed my PS2 and HDD for free, but when they yanked BC outta the PS3 I was shocked.

This news comes at the same time when Nintendo makes the crappy web-browser for the Wii free and gives you an equivilent download for free if you spent your money on it.

I see a big diffence there.

 

[Gerry]

A backhanded way to do backwards compatibility, having to re-buy all of the PS2 games we own(if they're even available in the first place) is a slap in the face for such a basic feature. "Hardware won't support BC" my ass.

You miss the point of it. I'm sure that the emulation WILL read discs. This is just a way to get a hold of the stuff that's also out of print and/or incredibly rare.

Besides, we haven't even got this emulation yet to test it.

Furthermore, we haven't seen the prices yet, and I'm sure they won't be ridiculously expensive. (See edit 3 for an explanation/theory)

Edit: What I'm saying is don't complain about something we haven't even tried out yet. Give this some time. I mainly posted this to let people know that BC may finally be coming back sometime soon.

Edit 2: Not only that but there are rumours of PS3 emulating Dreamcast games.

Edit 3: Now, about the price, I found something else of interest on Downloadable PS2 games that may justify certain prices:

Interestingly, the document also contains mention of a PlayStation Network "import store". Once again, remember, this is just Sega and Sony talking business, so this may not happen.

But enough disclaimers! The document says Sega "could put Japanese games directly on PSN for download in a special Japanese Import section (pricing $9.99 to $39.99 for full game)". Specific mention is made of the Yakuza series, and how Sega "might need to localize menus at least with subtitles".

Discussions and rumours or not, that would be an exciting prospect for a lot of people round these parts.

At time of writing, we're still yet to hear from Sega or Sony on the matter.

http://kotaku.com/5364892/leaked-documents-discuss-psn-imports-date-ps3-motion-control

Now, none of this is finalized yet, however I'd GLADLY pay Anywhere between $10-$40 for import PS2 games for download. As for anything else, a $10-$20 price tag seems most sensible in my honest opinion if Sony and the developers want to get any kind of profit out of this for games that are out of print and rare.

 

[Makelith]

Emulation of Dreamcast games? Who's incredibly stupid idea was that one to bring up?

 

[Xalioniaf]

Dats funneh.

 

[Gerry]

Emulation of Dreamcast games? Who's incredibly stupid idea was that one to bring up?

Sony were interested in bringing a service that's similar to the Virtual Console to PS3.

Besides, it's all good, cause with it, there will also be Shenmue. Man, Shenmue as a downloadable title, never thought I'd see it, perhaps if it's successful, Sega might finally make Shenmue 3, but, then again, that's probably wishful thinking with the Yakuza series going on right now.

 

[Wagewar47]

A backhanded way to do backwards compatibility, having to re-buy all of the PS2 games we own(if they're even available in the first place) is a slap in the face for such a basic feature. "Hardware won't support BC" my ass.

I agree as well. I have an xbox 360 already and the only way i'd buy a PS3 at this point is if it had backwards compatability for the PS2 games I already own.

:nono:

I'm not happy with downloadable distribution as it is. Not with the concept of having games on demand or having game "add-ons" which i like, but the fact that as soon as Microsoft came out with their downloadable original xbox games, they no longer updated the backwards compatibility list. And if i remember correctly, most (if not all) the games they offer are already on the compatability list.

The companies seem to be using it as a way to make you pay for something you probably already have (or can get at a used game store) as opposed to using it as a tool to enhance your gaming experience.

 

[Tyrath]

No way I'd ever rebuy all the games I already have. I'll just hold on to my PS2 slim lol

 

[Gerry]

Many of you seem to be missing the point of this. When this emulation rolls YOU CAN STILL USE YOUR PS2 DISCS. That's what this plan is, to bring back BC with the added ability to download the games you don't own and/or couldn't find, AS WELL as purchasing import games over PSN.

SCE just want to be able to give people a second option aside from the luck driven world of finding second hand PS2 games that aren't damaged. You don't have to re-buy your collection, because you can still use your collection as normal!

Geez! Talk about tarring and feathering a company for a good idea >_>;

 

[Strid]

Many of you seem to be missing the point of this. When this emulation rolls YOU CAN STILL USE YOUR PS2 DISCS.

It was only a personal speculation that a "universal" emulator would be made. The actual article says, "SCEA wants to sell all PS2 titles on PSN." Note the words "sell" and "all". Furthermore, Sony deserves all the tar and feathering they get. This is a function that should have been included on ALL PS3 systems from day one and should still be.

 

[Gerry]

It was only a personal speculation that a "universal" emulator would be made. The actual article says, "SCEA wants to sell all PS2 titles on PSN." Note the words "sell" and "all". Furthermore, Sony deserves all the tar and feathering they get. This is a function that should have been included on ALL PS3 systems from day one and should still be.

I'm fairly sure though that there were many complaints about BC being in the PS3 though in the first place, so they took it out to help make the PS3 a bit cheaper, and people complained more. Sony was really in a no win situation at the time with BC.

 

[Wagewar47]

Many of you seem to be missing the point of this. When this emulation rolls YOU CAN STILL USE YOUR PS2 DISCS. That's what this plan is, to bring back BC with the added ability to download the games you don't own and/or couldn't find, AS WELL as purchasing import games over PSN.

SCE just want to be able to give people a second option aside from the luck driven world of finding second hand PS2 games that aren't damaged. You don't have to re-buy your collection, because you can still use your collection as normal!

Geez! Talk about tarring and feathering a company for a good idea >_>;

If that is the plan, then yes I agree.

From a business sense, offering PS2 Emulation to allow a consumer to play a game they already have.... when at the same time you are trying to re-market the same games for sale on your network (The article specifically notes GTA: Vice City was mentioned) is not a realistic (or at least not an intelligent) business option.

The import idea is nice, but you have to buy them via download anyway since the original PS2 disc is region-specific, so Sony will still make money off of these.

As i mentioned with Microsoft earlier, as soon as they started offering original xbox games for download, they stopped working on backwards compatibility. Not saying that Sony would make the same decision as Microsoft, but the precident is there.

And It's not so much missing the point, it's just when you see the words "SCEA wants to sell all PS2 titles on PSN.", i have to beleive that this can be achieved with an emulator that does not have disc-read functionality.

We'll wait and see in a few months/years I guess. I do hope you are correct, because would be a huge benefit.

 

[Halifirien]

If the proposed BC works for discs you already own, I'll be happy. If it's only for PS2 games downloaded off PSN, I will not be happy. For now, it's wait-and-see for me. I have a BC machine now, but I'd like to think if I ever had to replace it sometime in the future the BC would be preserved.

 

[Makelith]

Sony were interested in bringing a service that's similar to the Virtual Console to PS3.

Besides, it's all good, cause with it, there will also be Shenmue. Man, Shenmue as a downloadable title, never thought I'd see it, perhaps if it's successful, Sega might finally make Shenmue 3, but, then again, that's probably wishful thinking with the Yakuza series going on right now.

Or you could just download shenmue, burn it to a CD-R, and play it on your dreamcast anyway. Same with every dreamcast game that was ever made, which is why trying to sell emulated dreamcast things are silly.

 

[Gerry]

Deleted until I can get my words straight. >_>

 

[Novolo]

this is kind of commical, this actualy makes me not want to buy a ps3 i love pulling out my old xbox games and playing them on my 360

 

[Anttaru]

If they bring ZOE2 and Shadow of the Colossus to PSN in HD. I'll be quick to buy.

I don't see all games being remade for HD. That would be too much to ask for from 3rd parties. What matters is all up to the consumer. They can have a PS2 game for chap, regardless of the conditions. It's really no different than Wii's virtual console. If you missed a PS2 game, or are just interested in playing it, it's yours for cheap.

On a side note PS2 emulation is not easy to pull off to begin with. Up scaling issues on the PS3 demote the intended quality of the game. From both a business and consumer perspective, this will lead to an undesirable outcome. The Cell can do many things, but emulating the PS2's emotion engine is even a challenge on that.

 

[Firestreak]

What's the point of praising or damning something that hasn't even been announced based on information that wasn't even said that came via essentially a rumor?

All we know is nothing. So what's the point of flap-flap-flapping. There's so many other things worth talking about, like if the universe is going to expand forever and freeze us all to death or collapse in and crush us all. I hope crush.

 

[Halifirien]

There's so many other things worth talking about, like if the universe is going to expand forever and freeze us all to death or collapse in and crush us all. I hope crush.

Heh. Either way, fanboys will be arguing all the way up to the final curtain. It's what we do. :biggrin: