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This must be a question a fair few people are asking after the latest in a line of disappointments for the potential PS3 customers on this side of the Atlantic. First the delays, then the choice of only one machine (which, in my opinion, will be a good thing in the long term) and now the bombshell that most PS2 games won’t be compatible with the PS3 in European consoles. And Sony wonder why people import!
This cost cutting process means that Sony, while not making a profit, can make less of a loss on the PS3. At the same time, it may also prevent PS2 owners from trading in their machines and their precious back-catalogue of games which now seem unlikely to be played on the new console. Software emulation is still working, but this supports only a small number of the vast back catalogue of PS2 games at the moment and doesn’t seem to rise to Xbox 360 proportions as yet.
There was a similar outcry when Microsoft announced that not all old Xbox games would be compatible with the 360, but then software emulation was on the cards from the start with that console. With the PS3 Asian and American owners have already enjoyed hardware emulation, so it makes little sense for Sony to remove this even before the European launch unless, like many are now thinking, they have something against Europe.
On the plus side, the PS3 releases look quite strong enough to hold plenty of interest for potential purchasers, but PS2 compatibility would have been a nice bonus for those wanting only 1 console under their TV.
> Are PS3 games region free? I think I heard that somewhere.
>
> If so, I'll import when the time comes for me to take the
> plunge.
Not sure if you'll get the download service working from a US PS3, I think there are obstacles to paying downloading or something. Might have to look into that first.
If so, I'll import when the time comes for me to take the plunge.
Two cheaper rivals with established user-bases both with deep pockets and both with a degree of marketing savvy and a reluctance to play the old FMV tricks that have been used by Sony in the past.
> No doubt Sony have realised that many NTSC titles were never
> translated to various european languages so releasing them in
> their current state (ie with just English and Japanese
> translations) would be a disaster for the european launch.
But that has nothing to do with hardware emulation, which is basically the same as putting a PS2 inside the PS3. Therefore, it's easier for them to keep it in to cope with all the other language releases.
There may be an issue as to the amount of PS2 software sold in Europe, but considering previous sales figures and the PS2 being the dominent machine from the last generation, I doubt it.
So the only reason is cost cutting, and damn Europe if the customers get in the way...
Compared to sorting out Japan and America, Europe's a minefield. It's this extra hassle that sees it get the poor deals.
No doubt Sony have realised that many NTSC titles were never translated to various european languages so releasing them in their current state (ie with just English and Japanese translations) would be a disaster for the european launch.
Still the British market is supposed to be incredibly strong (at-least the recent support for the 360 has shown this) so Sony it really would have been a coup if Sony had just let the British Isles have these titles, but then that would annoy the rest of europe and I doubt the strong conmsole market in Britain can equal the total console buying power of the rest of europe.
"Meh" :D
Anyone would think their long-term goal was to move out of Europe altogether.
I'm not really bothered by it, there would be a handful of games that I'd probably play on the PS2 at the moment but I doubt when the new PS3 games were around that I'd give them much thought.
I'll not be rushing around at launch to try get one, going to wait until a few games that actually look like being something special appear out for it.