DrunknMunky Veteran Posted January 10, 2008 Veteran Share Posted January 10, 2008 Sony discontinues the PS2-playing PS3s in its homelandIf you want a PS3 that plays PS2 games, the race is truly on because, flowing the killing of 60GB PS3's here in the West, Sony will now discontinue production of both 20GB and 60GB models in Japan, too. An official statement reads: "Along with both the increased efforts to improve software development environment and the availability of a more extensive line-up of software titles for PS3, SCEI will vigorously promote the expansion of the PS3 platform by further concentrating on the 40GB HDD (CECHH00 Series) model introduced in November 2007, equipped with the core technology components that make PS3 the most advanced high-definition entertainment system while realizing lower power consumption." That leaves just the 40GB version, which lacks PS2 BC support (although PS1 support remains) and chops two of the older model's four USB ports as well. We plan to keep our 60GB full-fat PS3s in mint condition for 200 years, then sell the 'OMG RARE!!11' console for about 80 million quid. Mike Jackson Source: CVG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Audioboxer Subscriber² Posted January 10, 2008 Subscriber² Share Posted January 10, 2008 Oh well, bummer for Japan (N) It doesn't seem to be making much of an impact over here. As I've said many times, potential software support in the future for those who care! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Teej Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Sony have officially lost the plot. Any chance of the PS2 surviving has now lost. Ooooh, I think I've finally figured out their plan! The PS2 makes money, the PS3 does not. By forcing people to buy the product that makes money, they essentially up their profits! If people buy PS3s to play PS2 games in HD, Sony loses money! Chances are, the PS3 will be fully BC when the PS3 makes money, I bet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Audioboxer Subscriber² Posted January 10, 2008 Subscriber² Share Posted January 10, 2008 Sony have officially lost the plot. Any chance of the PS2 surviving has now lost.Ooooh, I think I've finally figured out their plan! The PS2 makes money, the PS3 does not. By forcing people to buy the product that makes money, they essentially up their profits! If people buy PS3s to play PS2 games in HD, Sony loses money! Chances are, the PS3 will be fully BC when the PS3 makes money, I bet. :blink: The PS2 was outselling the PS3 until very recentely (november last year I think) Japan don't care about graphics as much as we do, and they flock to buy "small" cheap established things - Such as the PS2 slim. This won't cause a roar in Japan at all if you want my 2c. The PS2 still averages a very respectable 20k (fluctuates) in the Japanese hardware sales topic - https://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=437160 I'd say that's good for a 7-8 year old console that has an install base of over 120million units. Sony don't want to end the PS2 selling, so you're probably right, when it dies off itself, they'll no doubt add software BC to the PS3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Teej Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Ok, I should of phrased that a little differently. I mean, any chance of the PS2 surviving once it dies off is gone. I hope Sony decide to add PS2 support to their PS3s soon, because I'm not buying one until they do... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.KICK Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Ok, I should of phrased that a little differently. I mean, any chance of the PS2 surviving once it dies off is gone. I hope Sony decide to add PS2 support to their PS3s soon, because I'm not buying one until they do... Same, I have a tonne of PS2 games I enjoy playing, bit annoyed they are scrapping BC from their PS3's but I feel Sony has lost the plot in trying to eliminate BC completely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CelticWhisper Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 They had me so close to buying a PS3 too. If they scrap backward compatibility in the US, the deal's off and I stick with my PS2. Frustrating how they just don't get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyLarry Veteran Posted January 10, 2008 Veteran Share Posted January 10, 2008 You three posters above me realize that the 60GB supports BC and is still available right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kazuyette Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 *BEWARE a joke is coming up* If only Sony could axe the whole PS3 lineup everywhere ... :) /joke mode off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digitalx Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 If they scrap backward compatibility in the US, the deal's off and I stick with my PS2. Why does it matter Lol, you have a ps2. Sometimes you just have to weigh up the differences, you want a cheap console that plays new games or an expensive one that plays old games ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPyro Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Ya, its not like you could play PS2 games on, you know.....your PS2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrunknMunky Veteran Posted January 10, 2008 Author Veteran Share Posted January 10, 2008 You three posters above me realize that the 60GB supports BC and is still available right? Not in Europe it's not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Audioboxer Subscriber² Posted January 10, 2008 Subscriber² Share Posted January 10, 2008 Not in Europe it's not. It is on ebay, I sold mine for ?500 :devil:: But yeh, not in stores anymore. In terms of hardware selling, I don't think it's going to cause any difference really. Very few people will be as hard as a nut with the "im not buying till BC appears" when the games they want to see start appearing on the PS3. If you stay like that fair enough(Y)) It's just you missing out on the new games. BC IS a loss, I don't dispute that, but I think it's a loss we can get over for now, given the install base of the PS2. The 360/Wii are in a different realm in the sense that there is a huge market buying them this time around that didn't own an xbox or gamecube, although with the PS3 it will be a MUCH smaller market who don't own/haven't owned a PS2. 24 million xboxes, 21.6 million gamecubes, and 120 million + PS2s (PS2 still on the market as well). If Sony had axed PS2 support/stopped selling the console I'd see why thiscould> be more of an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrunknMunky Veteran Posted January 10, 2008 Author Veteran Share Posted January 10, 2008 Indeed, and on Amazon Marketplace for stupid amounts. Also, I noticed you never included details of you buying your PS3 2nd hand in your auction :p tut tut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Audioboxer Subscriber² Posted January 10, 2008 Subscriber² Share Posted January 10, 2008 Indeed, and on Amazon Marketplace for stupid amounts.Also, I noticed you never included details of you buying your PS3 2nd hand in your auction :p tut tut. "Up for auction is a used PS3" :p It is in excellent condition, so theres no problems. I hardly used it other than to stream content. The most important thing is it came with the original receipt and still has the 2yr extended Game warranty, which I actually forgot to put in the auction. Although I told the buyer about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhav Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 It's bad that less and less backwards compatible PS3s are being manufactured, but it's good that they're finally pushing towards a single worldwide model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CelticWhisper Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Why does it matter Lol, you have a ps2.Sometimes you just have to weigh up the differences, you want a cheap console that plays new games or an expensive one that plays old games ? A big part of it, though, is that I wouldn't have to maintain multiple consoles. A major driving force behind my purchase of my PS2 was that I could get rid of the PS1 and still play the games. The same principle applies. Not to mention that the PS3 is big. Physically, I mean. I wouldn't have a lot of space for the PS2 the way I currently have my game center set up. Going from GC to Wii was great because the Wii is so much slimmer than the Cube. Not the case with the PS3. If it's able to take over the PS2's duties then I don't have a problem, but if not, and it thus necessitates me having an extra console around, it's a less attractive option until more must-have games are out (as I've mentioned in other threads, that basically means Silent Hill 5 and a mainstream Shin Megami Tensei release, "Mainstream" meaning not Persona or a spinoff like DDS or Devil Summoner). Consolidation is a good thing, and this seems like more of Sony shooting themselves (and their customers) in the foot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Audioboxer Subscriber² Posted January 10, 2008 Subscriber² Share Posted January 10, 2008 (edited) A big part of it, though, is that I wouldn't have to maintain multiple consoles. A major driving force behind my purchase of my PS2 was that I could get rid of the PS1 and still play the games. The same principle applies.Not to mention that the PS3 is big. Physically, I mean. I wouldn't have a lot of space for the PS2 the way I currently have my game center set up. Going from GC to Wii was great because the Wii is so much slimmer than the Cube. Not the case with the PS3. If it's able to take over the PS2's duties then I don't have a problem, but if not, and it thus necessitates me having an extra console around, it's a less attractive option until more must-have games are out (as I've mentioned in other threads, that basically means Silent Hill 5 and a mainstream Shin Megami Tensei release, "Mainstream" meaning not Persona or a spinoff like DDS or Devil Summoner). Consolidation is a good thing, and this seems like more of Sony shooting themselves (and their customers) in the foot. Putting the "BC driven consumer" thoughts aside for a second, Sony realise BC is NOT as big a need from them right now. What the majority want is lower costs for the PS3. Sony have decided NOT to release limited "next gen models", such as one without a hard drive, or one without wireless (20GB is gone for good). So the only areas they can attack is PS2 BC, and of course the card reader/usb ports. So for Sonys sake, ditching BC hardware to reduce costs is not shooting themselves in the foot. They want more people to buy the PS3 and what is needed is a lower base unit cost. Of course the games are still the main attraction, but think around the time MGS4 gets released, what will sell more? ?299 40GB PS3 and MGS4 or ?350 60GB PS3 (what the 60GB was in UK when it was in stock) and MGS4. I'd put my wages on the first combo, as people will overlook BC to get a PS3 and get PS3 games. As lets face it, buying a next gen console to play last gen games, is a benefit rather than a necessity. That will always be the case in my books. And that notion is reinforced by the fact the PS2 is still easily available worldwide. If it wasn't im sure Sony would be playing this differently, but it is still out there on shop shelves. Sony PR, oh how we love them, have even said Sony plan to keep the PS2 going to take on the Wi:laugh:h: This is why "BC driven consumers" just need to hope software BC is added at a later date.... if there is no PS3 games you want, don't buy a PS3 and stick to your PS2. If there is a lot of PS2 games you want, stop being soo edgey over BC and go buy your PS3 - You will enjoy it regardless if there are a lot of next gen games you want to play. Sorry, but it's as blunt as that. Sony know they will get you either way, as holding out playing the next installments in your favourite series' as the PS3 doesn't have BC, is going to tick away in your mind 24/7...:laugh:h: Edited January 10, 2008 by Audioboxer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Master Ryu Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Wait, isn't the 80 Gig version still out there. It at least supports 80 % of the PS2 library. Heh, oh well. I'm glad I got my 60 gig in the summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundayx Veteran Posted January 10, 2008 Veteran Share Posted January 10, 2008 BC is so... "overhyped". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts