PlayStation 2 Games on PSN
When you first unwrapped you PlayStation 3, the last thing you thought about, was the consoles online network. You were too busy drooling over the trailer of Killzone 2, wishing Konami would release more on Metal Gear Solid 4 and saving your next months wages, for one Blu-Ray movie.
Now however, PlayStaion 3′s online support has started to gain momentum. Every Tuesday, you can now expect to see more game ad-ons, PSP games and demos (well…sometimes), PS3 demos and more importantly (well, to us anyway) PSone classics. PlayStation Network (or PSN as it’s now known) is starting to become a major selling point, for the Blu-Ray equipped console. 50GB capacity discs, super high quality DVD’s, PSone Classics, Metal Gear, Killzone…it’s starting to look a lot better for Sony, that’s for sure.
PSone Classics did it for us, but what made PSN for you?
Sony’s Selective Backwards Compatibility
We all remember that great E3, when the 360, PS3 and Wii (or “Revolution” as it was referred to then), were first announced (possibly our greatest E3 ever). One of Sony’s “Knockout Punches” was PS3′s ability to plays existing PS2 games. This was exciting news, as not only could you quickly trade in your PS2 for some tasty PS3 credit, but you could also keep those classics, such as Metal Gear Solid 3, Devil May Cry 3, Okami and many more.
BUT…after the consoles launch, it was suddenly announced that PS3′s compatibility, would only be fully supported in Japan. Only launch (60GB) PS3 consoles, would be the only BC PS3′s in the UK and US. 120GB or all slimline owners, suffered the depressing news, of not being able to play their classic PS2 games (and that they would have to hunt down a mint condition PS2 AND rely on good old AV connection…yuk!).
If you own one of these, chances are you're as inpatient as us, to see a PS2 game box cover, hit PSN!
Put all of this together and you start to understand what Sony are getting at. However, it is kinda funny that it took them a while to get there, though (originally releasing PS3′s with PS2 Backwards compatibility). Sony now have a superb opportunity to make money on existing PS2 games…but are we ticked off? Well, yes and no…we are still a bit miffed that PS3′s exist, that play such games straight out of the box, but on the other hand, we think it’s kinda cool, to simply go online, select Metal Gear Solid 3 and be playing it in an hour or so.
C’mon SONY!
We now know what Sony plan to do. They’ve even officially announced that plans for PS2 games on PSN, are “in the works”. So now we have to play the “waiting game” and keep checking PSN, to find out. Will Sony market such debut releases months in advance, or will you suddenly see a game or two appear on PSN, one Tuesday?
If 'PS2 Games' appear in that menu, we're going to wet our pants...deliberately!
Unfortunately it isn’t exactly an easy task making PS2 games, PSN-ready. Such games will need to be re-coded, which will mean developers taking time away from (or taking certain studios from) current next-gen titles, already in development. Add to this, the fact that many studios that produced or developed such classic PS2 titles, may not even exist anymore, so now you have copyrights to deal with (this may even be an obstacle, with much of the PS2′s library, anyway).
This may help us all understand why such games are taking so long, but it’s in no way an excuse for Sony to push PS2-PSN games, to the “to do list”. PS2 games on PSN will not only make Sony some serious money, but it will be a much welcomed addition to PSN, by just about every PS3 owner (even those lucky 60GB ones).
Until we hear an official announcement, it’s going to be weekly PlayStation Blog visits and PSN sign-ins.
I think DC games are startin to appear on PSN. Playstation 2 games on PSN would be amazin!
Devil May Cry 1, 2, 3 (and SE) PLEASE SONY!
Hard to find good condition used copies now :o(
Metal Gear Solid 3 on PSN…YES PLEASE!