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Sunday Meditation: Thoughts On ‘PS3 Classics’ For PS4?

The trend up for discussion today is one that may or may not continue. I'd like to know how it would go over with everyone if things go down the way I think they might.

Backwards compatibility for new consoles is a big deal for a certain subset of gamers but in general most people are okay with their new console only playing new games. The PS2 was the system that made people think the feature should be normal. After all it allowed you to sell your last system and put that money toward a new one, which is great for both the gamer and the console maker.

The Xbox 360 had some selective backward emulation abilities but it was the PS3 that eventually made the biggest stir by pulling PS2 B/C from the PS3. Gamers were mostly understanding because it did cost some money to put the extra chip set in there. But you know, those systems that did software emulation ran most games just fine. Why remove that?

We could still play our PS1 games at least, which was cool. Just in case we didn't have the classics Sony was nice enough to provide them for sale digitally on the store. Later on we learned that PS2 classics would be coming, and they did. So much was going on surrounding the excitement of what PS3 had to offer that the fact PS2 emulation was dropped so we could be resold our PS2 games got lost in the shuffle. A lot of people had held onto their PS2s anyway, further obscuring the move by Sony in the minds of gamers.

Now things are different, we are entering into an extended cross-gen period where these things might matter to gamers more. It makes perfect sense that the PS4 can't play PS3 games, they are so different you'd have to jam a whole PS3 in there to make it work. Even the mighty PS4 wouldn't be able to emulate the PS3 with software by my estimation. So on its face PS3 classics might seem like just a nice available offering.

Supposedly somewhere down the line the Gaikai streaming service is going to provide some backward compatibility. I think based on the information we have it's safe to say that not all titles will work with it, and probably only a few select games if history is any judge. So what would you think if “PS3 Classics” started popping up on the PS4 store?

There are a few conflicts of interest if this happens. The biggest one is how it will impact the Gaikai streaming service. If there are PS3 classics for sale on the store then Sony has little or no motivation to provide the game as a backwards compatible Gaikai offering, essentially extorting those who want to play their old games and don't have their old console (or don't want a stack of consoles in their entertainment center).

With the announcement of Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition and rumors swirling about PS4 versions of Gran Turismo 6 , The Last of Us , and other games I get the feeling we might be in for more of these Definitive Editions. I would also expect them to be sold as outdated PS3 classics first with Sony continuing to deny rumors of a PS4 version. That would ensure nobody passed on the classic to get the full PS4 version.

Finally there's the Gaikai service itself. I can guarantee you that you'll need a PS Plus subscription to use it. That seems fair, it costs money to run servers. Still, it adds to the list of things (which now include basic multiplayer) that only come with paying more. Remember, Gaikai was purchased by Sony for $380,000,000. We might get that cost passed down to us in some kind of silver or gold level PS Plus subscription. That subscription might be required to use the service. If that happens there will be a lot of second class gamers left out, forced to rebuy their old games to play them again or sit and hope for a Definitive Edition to buy them again at full price.

It's gut check time. Do you think there will be PS3 classics on the PS4 store? What would you make of it? I know a lot of us are keeping our PS3s but set that aside a moment and feel free to go with your gut reaction.

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Jawknee
Jawknee
10 years ago

Meh, I'd prefer they make new games. Seems silly to move "definitive" versions of PS3 games given the difference between the PS3 to PS4 isn't as drastic as PS2 to PS3. Seems like a waste of time and resources to me.

Temjin001
Temjin001
10 years ago

My biggest concern about the Gakai stuff is the idea of a streaming service possibly replacing the model of the Instant Game Collection. I can just see it where Sony puts up free streaming of select games for a limited time. Believe it or not this would significantly reduce server stress as streaming services is more about low latency and smaller bandwidth. If SOny could reduce full bandwidth content downloads from off of their store it would save them money. I hate this but it seems to me a possibility.


Last edited by Temjin001 on 1/4/2014 11:30:41 PM

Jawknee
Jawknee
10 years ago

I'm still not sold on streaming services. I pay $80 a month for up to 50mbps from comcast and I still can't go a day without a hiccup, having to power cycle my router or slowdowns that cause Netflix and Amazon to stutter and stop. Going all streaming digital is going to be bad for consumers. Such crap when I rent an HD movie from Amazon and I can't even watch the whole thing in HD because the connection has an unexpected problem. I can't imagine it being any better for games. In fact it's likely to be worse.

Temjin001
Temjin001
10 years ago

crazy? 50mbps? I get 10, max from our cable service and we hardly ever have hiccups, even on HD content.

EDIT: but anyway, as I said, streaming is more about latency.


Last edited by Temjin001 on 1/4/2014 11:53:58 PM

Shams
Shams
10 years ago

Your ISP sounds fine. How old is your router? I used to have to reset my router all the time, until I replaced it a couple black fridays ago. No problems since. Newer technology seems more stable.

I, too, am iffy about streaming tech, or anything that anchors me to the internet, even though, these days the internet is almost as reliable as electricity.

Jawknee
Jawknee
10 years ago

My router is less than a year old. It's a modem/router comcast sent me when they upgraded everyone speeds. I use it for wifi and have an Apple AirPort Extreme connected to it via Ethernet with an Ethernet cable going to my PS3. I've tried everything I can think of plus everything comcast has told me to do as well as what tech blogs suggest. Nothing seems to fix the problem for more than a few days. On a good day I get at minimum 25mbps. Great days about 40 but I have never seen it hit 50. And even on those good days I'll get random time outs and connection drops. I'm out of ideas.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
10 years ago

Oh wow, I never thought of that. the IGC would become the TGC: Temporary Game Collection.

Jawknee: I have a similar experience with Comcast. I have 50mbps and am lucky to get 15, and yeah it hiccups.


Last edited by WorldEndsWithMe on 1/5/2014 9:04:33 AM

bigrailer19
bigrailer19
10 years ago

Comcast is cable Internet correct? The problem with cable Internet is that certain areas belong to hubs. Those hubs all run off the same line so your 50mbps is shared between other users. So you'll likely never see it at 50 for that reason.

Jawknee
Jawknee
10 years ago

Yea it's cable. And since they switched to faster speeds, the speeds are pretty great when it works but I just have way too many hiccups and interruptions to justify paying $80 a month for it. But they're the only cable offering in my area so I'm stuck. I could always switch back to DSL but the DSL provider in my area sucks big time.

bigrailer19
bigrailer19
10 years ago

Yea I went to dsl because it's dedicated to you only and even though my "up to" speed is slower, I get roughly the same speeds because it's not being bottled up by other people. I got tired of trying to download something on weeknights when everyone was using the internet. Plus our cable company pulled a fast one on us. And it's cheaper. However dsl can be shotty like you say.


Last edited by bigrailer19 on 1/5/2014 3:02:12 PM

Underdog15
Underdog15
10 years ago

Our cable has signal booster. I rarely drop below my max (35mbits per second) and if I'm online into the night, the signal booster means if it's available, we get more speed. So yeah… during downtimes, my speed can get up to 80mb/s download and 6 mb/s upload.

I'll never go back to DSL.

That being said, North American internet sucks the nut sack, in general and compared to other countries.

Norrin Radd
Norrin Radd
10 years ago

"I know a lot of us are keeping our PS3s but set that aside a moment and feel free to go with your gut reaction."

But you can't do this. No one with half a brain is getting rid of their PS3. Unless they really don't want an additional spectacular Blu Ray player. That just doesn't make sense to me.

I think people won't re-buy PS3 games – but there are a ton of people who haven't played all the fantastic PS3 games (think converts) and also a ton of people (like me) who never got around to playing all the best on PS3. Let's face it – the back end of PS3's life cycle has been bombarded with superb software – and it's still coming! The market demand is there, why not meet it?

Temjin001
Temjin001
10 years ago

so Norrin are you really saying Beamboom only has half a brain? =p

Beamboom
Beamboom
10 years ago

Let me ask you one thing, Norrin: Have you always kept your old PCs when you get a new one? How about your old mobile phones? DVD players? Amps? TVs?

What makes no sense to me is your argument to keep the PS3 due to the blu-ray player. Why the heck do you want two blu-ray players in your livingroom, on top of which none of them are stackable in a rack and just clutters up the place?

There is one single, lonely reason to keep the old console, and that is to play your old games. And this incompatibility is one of my major arguments against console gaming as a whole.


Last edited by Beamboom on 1/5/2014 7:11:25 AM

Norrin Radd
Norrin Radd
10 years ago

Okay – let me rephrase:

IMO (and if I could out that in bold, I would!), anyone with a family and more than one TV for game playing/movie watching is crazy to get rid of their PS3! When I get my 4, the PS3 is becoming the kids gaming and Blu Ray player. Good bye Wii. Good bye 360. Good bye crappy samsung Blu Ray player. Those are the systems the PS4 will "replace" and help reduce the clutter in my entertainment center. That's still a -2 in my book.

Plus, I just shouldn't post late at night. No offense intended to anyone.

Beamboom
Beamboom
10 years ago

Ah but then you have someone to take over your old tech. That's just a technicality, imo. My son has taken over some of my old stuff too, both PCs and mobiles.

I moved my PS3 over to the cabin along with all my ps3 games. So it's still there, but lord knows when I'll turn it on again.


Last edited by Beamboom on 1/5/2014 8:17:48 AM

Underdog15
Underdog15
10 years ago

Whether I had more people in the house or not, if had more than 1 tv, I would be keeping the PS3.

Heck, I have friends with 2 PS3's currently. The other reason to keep a PS3 right now is that PS4 offers almost nothing.

Temjin001
Temjin001
10 years ago

and I just have to point this out. the official PSXe word of the month, in my estimation, has been "estimation"
I don't think I go a day anymore without spotting the use of it somehow, somewhere here. That is all.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
10 years ago

I'll have to consult my thesaurus to phase that one out 🙂 Would it be more charming if I said "I reckon"?

Kryten1029a
Kryten1029a
10 years ago

I reckon it would! 😛

Lunar_Miyuki
Lunar_Miyuki
10 years ago

i wouldn't care if sony put PS3 classics on the ps store but heres what there likely going to do

#1 their going to watch PS3 game sales over the next couple years

#2 once the PS3 game sales start dying out they'll add PS3 classics for PS4

as a buisness this would make sense because its a win win for most ppl

stores like gamestop will stock less PS3 games they'll be harder to find and the new gen will have a way to access older games

that would be looking at it from a buisness stand point

as an older gamer your like why should i have to re buy an older game i already own

well my explanation nobody is forcing you and lets say your looking for a game maybe you could never find in your area

with my area i live in hyper dimensional neptunia 1 took me like 2 years to get ahold of because it was always out of stock

now if it would of had a digital release i would of paid 60 dollars instead of 30

i found out about the game alittle while after its release when i seen a psn friend playing it

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
10 years ago

Digital titles to offset the lack of availability is a very good argument in favor of them. That's how I finally got to own Legend of Dragoon.

___________
___________
10 years ago

whats wrong with classics?
setting up services to allow people to play legacy games on their new system can be nothing but a good thing!
even if it does become a subscription based service, better than paying per title.
encourages you to use it allot more!
one thing i HATE about apple TV, having to buy whole seasons of shows when i only missed certain episodes.
or why not offer season passes for that specific show, offering you a significant discount on every season instead of having to spend the price of a TV on them individually?
seriously every season of family guy is 70+ bucks, theres been what 13 seasons?
thats over 900 bucks!
900 bucks to watch one show, the price of a frigging TV just for a TV show!
and if you want to watch 5 different shows, make that almost 5K!
yea, little absurd, no?
wish they would offer a "premium" subscription service, a all you can eat buffet.

that however wont stop publishers from re releasing GOTY / "definitive" versions of their games though.
and i really dont care as long as said game actually brings something worthwhile, as long as it makes the game better somehow.
not just take the PC version and re label it as the console version, especially when its full price!
oh and dont use the original developers for it, use smaller supporting studios if remakes must be done.
ND working on a new J&D, SP working on a new sly, would be a massive waste of their time.
getting lesser smaller unknown studios like sanarzu to do said games is a whole other kettle of fish.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
10 years ago

yeah I'm not really saying it could be bad to put up legacy games, just that it's worth talking about how it could be manipulated.

Vivi_Gamer
Vivi_Gamer
10 years ago

I talked about this before on the Tom Raider article but I still feel the same, PS3 games arent old enough to start re-releasing. The main reason being that the PS3 is HD, unlike the PS2 and as the PS3 cut the PS2 backwards compatibility it made PS2 games far more accessible. Sure most PS3 games run in 720P but it looks god still and not worth paying full price again for a game I bought cheap pre-owned.

However, I do like the idea of the games being on a download service and accessible to people who were foolish enough to sell their PS3 for a PS4 – Its just good to know its there. But sudden re-releases like Tomb Raider just seem a bit much.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
10 years ago

It could also be a decent business decision for console sales to just make people who sold their PS3 on whim get a new one to play games they get nostalgic for. Though the used game market sucks up most of that business.

It does feel too early, if PS3 classics do happen they may wait a few years to soften the blow.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
10 years ago

Does anyone know or read rumors about if PS1 classics will ever be available on PS4 without having to use Gaikai? I really think they should just make them work, I want that library with me forever.

Jawknee
Jawknee
10 years ago

I hope they don't stop allowing us to buy them to download. I quite enjoy having an extensive PS1 library on my Vita.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
10 years ago

They don't seem to exist on the PS4 store yet.

Shauneepeak
Shauneepeak
10 years ago

Sadly I remember hearing that they would only be available through Gaikai same goes for PS2 titles. =S

ethird1
ethird1
10 years ago

I should be able to play all my ps3 games I bought off of the psn store on my ps4, but greedy ass Sony says no.

Screw Sony on this.

Gaika fu**ing sucks.


Last edited by Ben Dutka PSXE on 1/5/2014 8:59:08 PM

Underdog15
Underdog15
10 years ago

It's "Gaikai" and it isn't out yet. How do you know it sucks?

As for me, I don't really want my PS4 dedicating it's resources to being able to play old tech.

Shauneepeak
Shauneepeak
10 years ago

Long as they keep the lead development teams working on new titles I say sure why not. With the amount of people converting from Microsoft to Sony definitive editions would give them a taste of what they had been missing out on all this time.

Nas Is Like
Nas Is Like
10 years ago

I'd love to see CoD 4 on PS4. It's the game that changed everything. Plus the game itself was incredible, but not playable due to many hackers.

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