Last week, Sony confirmed to scores of surprised gamers that PS2 emulation is coming to PlayStation 4. Although backwards compatibility rumours have been in circulation for quite some time now, they became more credible back in September when PEGI (Europe’s video game ratings board) listed several PS2 classics including Dark Cloud, Twisted Metal Black, and Ape Escape 2.
Confirmation from Sony finally came last week with the launch of Star Wars Battlefront. Those who went out and brought one of the limited edition PlayStation 4 bundles were treated to updated versions of four memorable Star Wars video games. Among them were Super Star Wars, which originally launched on the SNES, as well as three titles from the PS2 era: Racer Revenge, Jedi Starfighter, and Bounty Hunter.
Naturally, we assumed the latter three would be remastered ports. However, it didn’t take long for Digital Foundry to work out that these Star Wars hits are actually running via the PlayStation 4’s yet-to-be-revealed PS2 emulation process. With the cat out of the bag, Sony responded to questions but didn’t go into any more details as to what fans can expect from its upcoming emulation feature, which games it will cover, and how it will actually work.
For some, however, this backwards compatibility may as well have stayed a secret. Although he considers it to be a nice addition, Teflon points out that in today’s current climate gamers are always looking for the newest, shiniest games to stock their libraries with. To that effect, he doesn’t envision a massive uptake when PS2 emulation finally rolls out, compared to the Xbox One’s backwards compatibility to the 360.
Another point he makes (and one shared by Dom) is that many of the classics from that era have already undergone substantial work. Ever since God of War kick-started the trend back in 2009, we’ve seen a flurry of notable series retooled for newer hardware, from Kingdom Hearts to Prince of Persia. We’ve yet to hear any solid details regarding the PlayStation 4’s emulation process, but if publishers need to be involved, would it honestly be beneficial for Square Enix and Ubisoft to feed these previously remastered hits into the pipeline? Looking further ahead, there’s a good chance that – in Square’s case at least – we haven’t seen them hit remaster saturation, especially with hits like Final Fantasy XII and Dragon Quest VIII waiting in the wings.
Whether or not these emulation tools take the PS4’s fan base by storm will hinge on functionality. Personally, I’m quite happy to draw a line under my PS2 backlog and call it a day. However, if each emulated title gets the same treatment as the recent Star Wars trio then my stance is likely to chance. For starters, with a noticeably improved resolution and the games running at 60fps, the PS4’s emulation process looks to eliminate some of that visual awkwardness when revisiting older games. Another boon would be the implementation of trophy support – personally, I’m a massive trophy fiend, so having them there would provide some added incentive.
Of course, implementation is also another huge consideration. If, by some miracle, the PlayStation 4 allowed players to redeem free emulated copies of titles by inserting their old discs into the system, for many that would be game, set, and match. That’s exactly what’s happening with Microsoft and the Xbox One with more and more games from the 360’s software library requiring nothing more than an old disc to cement that backwards compatibility process, albeit it from a pre-approved list that comes from working in collaboration with publishers.
We honestly shouldn’t get our hopes up, however. As much as I’d like to believe this is what Sony is doing, it doesn’t make sense for the company to work hard at implementing this new feature without wanting to fill their pockets. Chances are that emulated PS2 games will crop up on the PlayStation Store as downloadable titles, though hopefully those that have already bought a PS2 classic for play on the PS3 will be treated to the PS4 version via cross-buy. At the same time, with their PS2 emulation at a sufficiently advanced stage, it’s quite plausible that we’ll see them added to the PlayStation Now streaming service.
Although this will certainly cater to some fans, we can’t see the uptake coming anywhere near to that of the Xbox One’s superb backwards compatibility offering.
So, how do you think Sony’s PlayStation 2 emulation plans will play out? Are we a little too pessimistic in dispelling the disc-reading theory or is PS2 emulation bound for PSN and PlayStation Now? Which lesser-known PS2 games would like to see make an appearance?
lambchop
No we are not too pessimistic. They will just be wanting to sell us games again. I have bought a few ps2 games recently but still looking to just get a ps2 to play them on as I went gamecube that generation as I wasn’t playing games that much…
colmshan1990
I’d be very surprised if it worked differently to the PS2 classics on PS3 (non-launch models anyway).
A select few PS2 games on the store to buy, forget your discs.
Germanos
The only emulation that would satisfy me is such were I would be able to insert my disc copies into the PS4 and play. I don’t need 60fps. I don’t trophies. I just want to be able to replay my favourite titles on the PS4. Right now my fat PS2 is making its last breaths, still holding up pretty well, but for how long?
If SONY would announce that the emulation works like I want it to, it would be the happiest moment for me as a gemer since long.
Anyway, that would be nice, while I know in what kind of word we are living in and as long as there is a opportunity to generate cash from a feature, each company will do it without hesitation. Disc based emulation is nothing but a dream :(
PS. I don’t agree with Teflon and Dom about the need for backward compatibility. It’s been a significant argument for Nintendo consoles for years and for me, as well as many of my friends it would be a real blast if they would implement it without having to buy games we OWN again.
JustTaylorNow
How is backward compability superb though, I mean people are going on like its a game changer. At the end of the day, why buy a new console to play old console games? I personally will ever use the Xbone to play 360 games same as I won’t use my ps4 to play ps2 games.
This is just an excuse to give developers every reason not to release new games & people should not encourage or welcome these features
Amphlett
JustTaylorNow, I’m with you on this point. Backwards compatibility is just not for me. I have a PS3 still so that my son can play some of his favourite games like LBP and others with his friends but apart from that I just use my PS4.
I can guarantee that I wont play any PS2 games on my PS4, unless you count the bucket-loads of shovelware ‘pixel-art’ games Sony keep pushing out with PS+ every month.
Avenger
I’d be surprised if they allow discs to be shoved in a played just like that. Or even if they make it so the disc allows the digital version to downloaded.
I can’t see this being that big, otherwise Sony would’ve made an announcement with lots of publicity by now. They’ll maybe just keep it small like the PS1 library started off on PS3/PSP. Then grow it over time with some classics, and that’s it. It’s still a welcome feature though if they pick the right games.
It’s all a bit of an irony though considering it wasn’t too long ago that Jim Ryan declared Sony were not interested in Backwards Compatibility, and that there wasn’t much call for it. Considering they’re making money from ‘the call for it’ with PS now, and now PS2 games are popping up, I’m not quite sure Sony know what they’re saying half the time.
TSBonyman
Wasn’t there some sort of PS2 emulator/engine for PS3 in Japan? Perhaps they could do something like that, in the form of a paid app.
There are a few games i would like to play again – The Getaway, Timsplitters 2, Red Faction 2 and a few more – but i know from experience that the novelty of b/c wears off pretty quickly when you have a steady flow of new games competing for your attention.
As you say, it wouldn’t really compare with XB1’s b/c – not many folks out there still waiting to upgrade from a PS2! :)
Although if Sony were to give away an emulator that could play almost every PS2 game, digital or disc, and without having to download extra code it might compare more favourably to XB1’s thus far limited selection of titles, some of which are excellent but others seem to be ports of older games.
The other possibilty i see is that the emulator is added to the PS4 system functionality but is only accessed when you purchase a PS2 game from the store.
If it’s the latter, my interest might extend to picking up a handful of games again for the enhancements but once again, novelty/nostalgia vs new games crops up.
Either way, it’ll be interesting to see what way they go with it and what it’s capabilities and limitations will be.
beeje13
The original PS3 model(60GB phat) had PS2 hardware inside, if that’s what you mean? It was cut out of later models because of cost. But PS2 games were playable, unfortunately without the memory card support.
TSBonyman
I meant that on the Japanese store at one time there was something called PS2 Engine, or something to that effect. I wondered if that was some sort of emulator, i never needed to try it myself as i had the 60GB EU model.
There were virtual memory units on PS3 – but you couldn’t plug in your old saves unless you bought a USB adapter.
hazelam
i suspect it’ll be like it was on PS3.
emulation, but only for titles you buy on the store.
but not for any games anybody may already own on disc.
if that is how they do it, then i refuse to buy any PS2 games from the store.
if they want to make money from emulation, sell the emulator as an app, i’d buy it, and then i’d buy games on the store as well.
ones i haven’t got on disc from the store.
at least MS are letting people use the game discs they already own.
it’s especially annoying as an EU playstation owner, as we never actually got to have full hardware BC like the us and japan did.
for Europe they delayed the console for months to give them time to redesign the hardware to give us a cut down machine.
once again with sony, Europe paid more and got less.
hopefully though, the way ms have done BC will pressure sony into letting people use the discs they already have with the emulator.
ron_mcphatty
I’m with you, I like the idea of paying for an app so I can shove my discs in. I managed to buy SSX On Tour as a PS2 Classic a few years ago, before it was taken off the store, and like the disc in an old 60GB it kept bloody crashing. Emulation debugging is hard work, I don’t expect them to get every game working perfectly, but it’d be nice if they picked a good pile of the best sellers and got them working flawlessly.
Starman
I think the low key way it’s been announced means it won’t be the full effort of every disc game working. Adding trophies is a nice move though. Maybe we’ll see the PS2 version of a game included as a download with some new PS4 games like how Battlefront has done.
TheShepanator
The xbox one’s emulation of the 360 is thanks to some kind of porting/recompiling, hence why you only authenticate using the disk and then download the whole game from xbl anyway.
It would be great if this is a ‘true’ native emulator, and just requires the disk and nothing else.
They could sell ps2 games on the store to make back the cost of the emulator, but it would be nice if they allowed people who still have ps2 disks lying around (there can’t be that many) to play them for free.
stueeeee
I dunno I’ve got most of my ps2 games in the garage! Probably not been played for 5 years at least though….
stueeeee
I would say that I’d like them to implement this with the already owner disc functionality like xbox has done, but tbh nearly all the the games I had were remastered with trophy support on ps3. And I still haven’t been through all those trilogys!
But more choice for consumer the better…