PlayStation 3 in Europe will play fewer old games

[BGonaSTICK]

The European version of PlayStation 3 will play fewer PlayStation 2 video games when it launches on March 23 compared with models launched earlier in Japan and America, Sony Corp said on Friday.

"The backwards compatibility is not going to be as good as the U.S. and Japan models," a Sony spokesman said.

PlayStation 3 (PS3) was first launched in Japan and North America in November and the model that will be introduced in Europe will be designed differently.

Software will take over some of the functionality that was originally taken care of by dedicated chips, which means far fewer PlayStation 2 (PS2) games can be played on a European PS3 compared with the Japanese and American PS3 models which play 98 percent of old games.

"Sony is managing expectations by saying now that the new console will play fewer of the old games, and that's a good thing," said analyst Alex Kwiatowski at British market research group Vertical Market Technologies.

Over the last 18 months Sony has had a series of public relations disasters, including a recall of nearly 10 million of its computer batteries, PS3 delays and a software program on Sony Entertainment music CDs that breached computer security.

Kwiatowski said gamers with a PS2 would have to hold onto their device to play their current collection.

"I'm as disappointed as the next game player about the reduced backward compatibility, but even the most nostalgic, misty-eyed gamers will have their steely hearts impressed by the new features that PS3 games provide," Kwiatowski said.

The PS3's graphics and sound capabilities are much improved over the PS2.

"Rather than concentrate on PS2 backwards compatibility, in the future, company resources will be increasingly focused on developing new games and entertainment features exclusively for PS3," Sony Computer Entertainment said in a statement.

About one million units will be available at the European launch next month, as many as were made available in the United States during the first six weeks after the launch last year.

Sony loses money at first on each PS3 sale due to high production costs.

But Nobuyuki Oneda, Sony's chief financial officer, said in January the company aims to bring the negative PS3 margin to break even toward the second half of the next business year, which starts in April, by component cost savings on chips driving the PS3.

[BGonaSTICK]

They can stick it up their arse then. Not that I have a PS2!

[jontydog]

agree with that one stick. Whats the point of that? Not doing a very good in the european market really are they. Alot dearer than the rest of the world and less compatible? GOOD SELLING POINT SONY

[Unknown user #1]

The reason why EuroPS3 won't support PS2 games is because they removed PS2 support chip from mobo.
This chip called EE+GS (Emotion Engine + Graphics Synthesizer) and it is basically the 'heart' of PS2 console. Thus, Sony managed to save roughly 30 USD.

I am boycotting Sony because of their arrogant attitude towards low-cost game resellers (remember Lik-Sang (RIP)? ). There is no bloody way I will buy PS3. Unless, of course someone will send it to me as a gift That's how I got my PS2.

[BGonaSTICK]

Yes, this has got my back up big-time. How the hell can they charge us all that extra money (over US/Japanese 'equivalent') and provide us with a significantly disabled product?

I think they've lost the plot...

[Jimdefruit]

Originally Posted by TheRookie

......There is no bloody way I will buy PS3. Unless, of course someone will send it to me as a gift That's how I got my PS2.

I wouldn't even have one as a gift considering that they have announced a price of £49.99 for each game. I hope Blue-Ray takes the big dive that Sony deserves

[Unknown user #1]

Originally Posted by Jimdefruit

I wouldn't even have one as a gift considering that they have announced a price of £49.99 for each game. I hope Blue-Ray takes the big dive that Sony deserves

Well.. my Xbox never saw any 'official' games (apart from those that came with it). As to PS2 - well it saw some but not that many. I guess some bright guy will manage to find ways to break Sony protection and then (when price will be dropped to reasonable level, say 99 quid) it'll be a perfect networked HDTV player for many people. Or maybe not, who knows. It could be by the time when PS3 price will drop that low, Microsoft releases Xbox Xbox 3600 SuperGTI or whatever...