40GB PS3 official for Europe -- no backwards compatibility, at all

295 Comments by Alexander Sliwinski Oct 5th 2007 12:23PM
Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Business

Sony has announced that the 40GB version of the PS3 will enter the European market on Oct. 10th, for a price of €399 ($565). The unit sports only two USB ports (instead of four) and does not include the multi-memory ports. And, in a move we absolutely cannot understand, the new model is not backwards compatible with PS2 discs. Seriously.

Since BC is handled by software emulation (in the 80GB model), why is it gone from the 40-gigger? It's not that DVD support has been removed from the Blu-ray drive, as Sony continues to hype DVD movie upscaling. But the official line is, "the new model is no longer backwards compatible with PlayStation 2 titles, reflecting both the reduced emphasis placed on this feature amongst later purchasers of PS3, as well as the availability of a more extensive line-up of PS3 specific titles." Extensive? Don't even get us started...

If BC's on your checklist, you best scoop up a Starter Pack (now €499) "while stocks last."

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

Tags: 40gb, breakingnews, europe, price, ps3

Read

(Page 1) Reader Comments

Spitkicker: Oct 5th 2007; 12:27PM

LOL. I remember when SONY was trumping full backwards compatibility for the PS3. Oh how that promise was broken...along with just about every other one they have made.

Seriously...SONY what the fuck are you guys doing? Do you have a plan?

Rususeruru: Oct 5th 2007; 12:34PM

Yes they do it appears. Fail miserably as a gaming company and put a Linux based Media Center in as many homes as they can.

Zootittles: Oct 5th 2007; 12:57PM

"...the PS3 will feature backwards compatibility with PS and PS2 games from day one. I'm emphasizing this because, from what I hear, there are some platforms that haven't been able to completely do this. It's costly in terms of hardware, but we'd rather invest firmly on compatibility from the beginning, rather than to have issues later on."
-"Krazy" Ken Kutaragi, whose vision has been killed by a series of cuts and wounds.

James: Oct 5th 2007; 1:02PM

It's very stupid indeed.

I was planning on buying a PS3 so I could finally bury my dead PS1 and play all them apparently good PS2 games I missed out on.

It just doesn't make an ounce of fucking sense. Yea. Take out the B/C chip by all means, but there's a perfectly viable software emulation option. I just don't get it. The logical bit of my brain can't see it and I'll be damned if my illogical part can make sense of it too.

FrankTheCrank: Oct 5th 2007; 1:32PM

The daily "beat up on Sony" news story. This is becoming extremely redundant.

Sony couldn't appease anyone even if they gave out free consoles.

I for one bought one and am EXTREMELY happy with it.

blooh (CDF - Ass Ring): Oct 5th 2007; 1:35PM

oh come on frank, i'd be very happy with a free ps3

to buy one though, i'm waiting for it to come down to $300 and for it to have 5 must-have games (that's $600 worth of stuff, pre-tax)

JL: Oct 5th 2007; 1:39PM

Im with you Frank. I bought one of the 60GB awhile back. Upgraded its hard drive to 120. I love it.

Taking the software emulation out is pretty stupid though. But I dont have to worry about it because I got the one with the EE chip because I actually have a job and 600 dollars is not really a lot of money. Seriously, I make that in a day.

Poisoned Al: Oct 5th 2007; 1:41PM

I think their plan is to make sure I will never buy one. I mean seriously, WTF?

The BC on the 360 might be pants, but most of the big titles work.

Dave: Oct 5th 2007; 2:00PM

While it may not make sense from a technological standpoint about not including the BC software, it does make business sense. I mean if they left it included would there be any reason to buy the European 60GB (which only had software compatibility that partially works).

If BC is so important to some people that are waiting then find a NA or Japanese PS3 60GB that has the EE chip. These have very good BC if not 100% (Personally I haven't had a problem with it).

I mean at the price reduction you can buy a PS2 if you really want BC, or you can pay a little more and get a model that has the capability built in.

I really do feel that for some people it really doesn't matter what sony does people are going to complain.

Rayonic: Oct 5th 2007; 2:17PM

The 80GB PS3 was missing the Emotion Engine (CPU) but still had the Graphics Synthesizer (GPU). That's why the software emulation was as good as it was: there was still some PS2 hardware in there.

Obviously Sony doesn't have a FULL software emulation solution, and I wouldn't expect one for years (if they're working on it at all). I mean, look at the state of the Xbox emulation. Microsoft has had a crack team of developers working on that for how long? Maybe 3 years now at least? And it's still not close to 100%.

vinny: Oct 5th 2007; 2:55PM

The daily beat up on Sony? They do it to themselves dummy! Being a PS3DO fanboy as yourself you HAVE to love the system, its your job.

E.J.: Oct 5th 2007; 2:56PM

Seriously, Frank, when someone puts a "kick me" sign on themselves, what can you do? Or are you the one crying for Sony?

A lot of folks are going to be disappointed when they come home with a reduced-price PS3 this holiday season. Not only does this move confuse customers, it confuses sales persons as well.

PS3 at launch: Backwards compatible!
PS3 several months later: Check a website!
PS3 future: What's a compatible?

Early adoption FTW!

Digi Smalls: Oct 5th 2007; 3:20PM

he cries for Sony. they all do.

FrankTheCrank: Oct 5th 2007; 3:37PM

If you missed your chance to buy a PS3 with the Emotion Engine(PS2) built in, you have know one to blame but yourself. I have a 20GB PS3 with EE...talk about a rarity.

Most of you guys don't give a shit about the PS3 and wouldn't buy one anyways...this is just your chance to whine....wahhhhhhh....wahhhhhhh...wahhhhhh.....and do your PS3 stomp dance for the day.

Seriously, who gives a shit about backwards compatibility? Are you that turned off? You can always leave your original console hooked up if your that hung up on playing last gen games. Remember NES anyone? Couldn't play NES games on a SNES...or SNES or an N64. Babies....

227 posts, they still care.

ukickmydog (NDF - Earth): Oct 5th 2007; 4:04PM

lol

[Orcish]: Kek

LaughingTarget: Oct 5th 2007; 4:11PM

For all of us that aren't filthy rich like JL up there (seriously dude, if you're pulling down $260,000 a year pre-tax - $600 * 260 working days / .65 [reversing the taxes paid on that income] - , you'd unlikely have time to play videogames let alone come here to brag about your $600 a day job), this really isn't much of an issue. After the PS2 was around for a year, PS1 software sales pretty much dried up and, even though the unit kept selling, the new games were garbage-bin junk. Sony is pretty much figuring this will be the same with the PS2 in 2008 and is doing what it can to cut costs. I won't be surprised if emulation gets dropped entirely and all future models are without it, along with vanished support for current emulation-ready units.

ukickmydog (NDF - Earth): Oct 5th 2007; 4:37PM

Let's do the Sony dance

one step forward, two steps back

once more!

one step forward, two steps back

Digi Smalls: Oct 5th 2007; 4:37PM

some of us do have a PS3 and have MORE of a reason to care about the brand and it's future.

sorry, but cheerleading for them isn't going to make Sony make better decisions.

.

Digi Smalls: Oct 5th 2007; 4:42PM

JL, so whats it like being a stripper?

Spirit-of: Oct 5th 2007; 8:40PM

It absolutely dumbfounds me that someone would consider buying a PS3 to "play all the PS2 games I missed out on" when you can get a PS2 for $129 (probably $99 by the time I hit "Add Your Comment") and it still has backwards compatibility with PS1 games.

I feel like I've taken crazy pills!

Buy a PS2 to play all those PS2 games you've missed out on and step into the of 2007.

joeyg: Oct 5th 2007; 12:27PM

i was never into bc...when i got my wii, i didn't play my gc games...when i got a ps2, i didn't play ps games. When i got my 360, i stopped playing xbox games.

no big deal (for me anyway)

jpn: Oct 5th 2007; 12:29PM

I'm the same way but I have to say it's nice to have the BC for things like SingStar and I never got around to playing FFXII, but now it's easier.

xXFenixKnight13Xx: Oct 5th 2007; 12:35PM

Yeah your buying another system to play the new games not to play the previous games from their last console. If you wanted to keep playing those old titles then you shouldnt have sold it or traded it then lol

blooh (CDF - Ass Ring): Oct 5th 2007; 12:39PM

you never play smash bros on your wii?

you never played any of the ps1 ff's on your ps2? you didnt play lego star wars on your 360? (the xbox version was 10 bux cheaper and worked with 360, woooot!)

i know i did/still do all of that

xXFenixKnight13Xx: Oct 5th 2007; 12:44PM

@ blooh (CDF - Ass Ring)

No

JodyAnthony (FDF - Hedonism Bot): Oct 5th 2007; 12:52PM

i love the BC on the wii and the PS2 just because I dont want to have my cube or ps1 hooked up and taking up space, yet still want to play some of the fantastic ps1/gc games out there

Hirsbrunner: Oct 5th 2007; 1:08PM

I'm still pissed that my SNES games won't work on my N64. What a load of crap!!

BC isn't, nor has it ever been an issue for me, either.

blooh (CDF - Ass Ring): Oct 5th 2007; 1:11PM

the ps3 BC wasn't just pure BC, it also did upscaling. and with the side benefit of freeing floor/cabinet/whatever space in your game area

Poisoned Al: Oct 5th 2007; 1:48PM

Humm, I dunno. I never had an Xbox, so I used my 360 to play Halo 2 before 3 came out. I could have bought the PC version, but why bother if you can borrow it off your brother? It's nice to have, but I'm not sure I'll use it again. Depends on what turns up in the bargain bin at Blockbusters.

Questworld: Oct 5th 2007; 11:56PM

I never got a PS2 because too many people said their broke so I considered it a lemon system (like the 360, and not even the greatest of library would let me risk buying systems that I'll more than likely have to replace too soon for my own good) and held out hoping the PS3 wasn't. So far it doesn't seem like a lemon so I got some of the PS2 games I've had on my list. I still intended to wait for price drops though (and better BC, rumble controllers, certain games, lower priced games, etc.) but now I may be forced to get a PS3 sooner than I'd like. Sure I can just get a PS2 as well but that's just more money I didn't intend to spend.

This is terrible.

jpn: Oct 5th 2007; 12:27PM

That's definitely weird. But...you have to consider a few things I guess...

-The PS2 is still selling
-It's super cheap
-Most people who want one seem to have one already

Having BC on the PS3 really only has 2 benefits I can think of:

-You can play PS2 games if you don't have one or
-It takes up less room/connections on your TV

I guess if it lowers the price then...why not...also who knows what goes on over there in Europe

Jon: Oct 5th 2007; 12:39PM

Agree. People if you want to play PS2 games then either keep your PS2s or trade them in for the 60GB PS3 with back compact. How simple is that?

Another thing I can think of that could explain the lose of back compact is because the mobo is manufactured by another OEM, so there could still be compatibility issues if software emulation is used.

NekoMode: Oct 5th 2007; 2:05PM

You missed a benifit. It will upscale old PS2 games to Hd resolution. sure it will suffer from the jaggies but tis kinda nice.

I know the 360 made Halo 2 look better. Sure this is not an issue for some but I don't buy a new 40" 1080p Full HD LSC HDTV to play stuff at SD resultions.

JJ Rooster: Oct 5th 2007; 12:28PM

RIDICULOUS!

Guess I'll keep waiting if this comes out in NA. How much could removing BC have saved them?

jpn: Oct 5th 2007; 12:30PM

Well at first, wasn't the PS3 BC totally hardware based, i.e., there were actual PS2 guts IN the PS3? I think now it's software based.

plyx: Oct 5th 2007; 12:32PM

No shit. It's not like they have to pay a license fee to THEMSELVES every time they install the emulator on a new machine. Maybe firmware upgrades will eventually give this machine backwards-compatibility.

Trev: Oct 5th 2007; 12:57PM

@plyx: But they do have to pay for the PS2 gpu's they were putting in them. The cell processor was only emulating the PS2's processor, not the gpu.

Less parts, lower cost. More parts, higher cost. People wanted a lower cost, so they get less parts.

plyx: Oct 5th 2007; 1:01PM

@Trev:
Shouldn't the cell be powerful enough to emulate both? You know, one SPE for GS and one for EE.

Dave: Oct 5th 2007; 2:04PM

Trev,

My understanding is that the 80GB and 60GB European BC has always been 100% software based. Only the NA and Japanese 60/20GB models had the EE engine.

If you got a model with a EE engine you got near 100% computability. If you got one that is 100% software BG then the number of compatible PS2 games dropped a significant amount.

Gambit: Oct 5th 2007; 12:29PM

I knew this was coming. Sony needs to cut the shit and start doing things right.

AirIntake: Oct 5th 2007; 12:29PM

HA! Typical Sony maneuver.

Slaziman: Oct 5th 2007; 12:31PM

I was happy, till I read no backwards compatibility

what the hell Sony?

Joshua: Oct 5th 2007; 12:32PM

If you really cared about BC, you'd have picked up a 60 GB or 20 GB model, except for Europeans, who are stuck with software emulation.

But...This is a severely crippled machine. No point in selling it.

daddycool: Oct 5th 2007; 12:51PM

Really cared? I really cared to not pay $600 when there was only one game. I guess everyone really cared about BC back then.

They better not be removing the feature completely. I won't get this. I am halfway considering getting the 60GB even though I don't want it right now.

This is BS. I don't car about the hard drive, but I want as much BC as possible, the card slots and honestly, the rumble Sixaxis all in one box. I still wouldn't pay £425 for it though.

The Boo: Oct 5th 2007; 4:42PM

That's right, because when the 60 gig came out we all knew that they were going to scratch the BC eventually.

jsn: Oct 5th 2007; 12:34PM

haha, so funny. Sony should get an award for the worst product marketing EVER. I can't wait to see the backlash from confused consumers who get this for christmas and learn that, despite hearing for a year howt he PS3 was backwards compatible, it won't play thier ps2 games. There are plenty of people out there who got the ps3 because it should eventually have some good games to play and it would allow them to retire their PS2.

exit stencil: Oct 5th 2007; 12:34PM

This maneuver defies logic.

Aurvant: Oct 5th 2007; 12:35PM

Well, the BC function isn't really instrumental in carrying the platform forwards anyways. The PS2 base (who hasn't upgraded to next-gen hardware yet) has been waiting for this type of drop in price and considering that most of the potential buyers ALREADY own a PS2 (it's an assumption I know, but an educated one) it shouldn't be that big of a deal.

I DO have the 60GB PS3 at home, but I cant play Guitar Hero 2 on the system because of the lack of decent adapters to hook the guitar. So, i just switch the component cables from the PS3 to the PS2 (takes all of 3 seconds) and voila! I can play my Guitar Hero 2 and since it uses the PS3 component cables to hook to the PS2 I now have Progressive Scan too.

The only cool thing about the PS3 BC is that it upscales the games a bit, but on some titles you cant even notice a difference. Except for Shadow of the Colossus which looks amazing.

Anyways, talked long enough. Even though BC is gone it wont deter people from wading in to the PS3 waters. Because, honestly, aside from the few AAA titles that people still religious play who here still pops in a copy of "Coolboarders" for the PS1 in their PS2?

frozengod: Oct 5th 2007; 12:36PM

The clock on the Wii menu has also a reduced emphasis amongst well, Wii owners in general, and besides being far less useful it is there.

Rususeruru: Oct 5th 2007; 12:36PM

Sony criticized Microsoft for limited backwards compatibility, said that rumble was last gen, etc. Why the hell don't they just make a PS2 that plays blu-ray? Every effort to sell the PS3 has resulted in a more messed up SKU system than MS ever did!

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Most Recent | Next 50 Comments

Add your comments

Please keep your comments relevant to this blog entry. Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments.

When you enter your name and email address, you'll be sent a link to confirm your comment, and a password. To leave another comment, just use that password.

To create a live link, simply type the URL (including http://) or email address and we will make it a live link for you. You can put up to 3 URLs in your comments. Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

Sep	OCT	May
	11
2006	2007	2009

EASTMOST PENNINSULA IS THE SECRET ZELDA DS LITE Baby brain training on its way to the U.S. Card Hero: Intelligent Systems' other strategy game Shining Force developers working on DS RPG Age of Remakes: Roundtable discussion, part 1 Subscribe with My AOL, MyYahoo or Bloglines	Japanese PS Store continues to expand with more PS1 games Vagrant Story a "natural" choice for next PSP makeover Fanswag: Win a new Darth Vader PSP-2000 (Day 3) Tartarus featured in new God of War screenshots Behind the scenes of Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow Subscribe with My AOL, MyYahoo or Bloglines
Brawl character selection screen revealed Nintendo mysteriously updates Everybody Votes, Opera throws the browser a keyboard bone The Play 'n Learn bundle issue cleared up, sort of Mario Kart Wii just got a bit less kartish Knuckles and Sonic get it on Subscribe with My AOL, MyYahoo or Bloglines	Linden Lab and IBM Collaboration on Virtual Standards Bleeding Edge Nicholaz edition-s released for all platforms Depo to run fashion show with no size 0 models ESC launch sanctioned new viewer to tie in with CSI:NY in SL Yesterday's Money: 9th October Subscribe with My AOL, MyYahoo or Bloglines
Time Crisis 4 trailer assures us they still suck at voice acting Oblivion: Shivering Isles may become DLC on PSN Japan's 40GB releases with Dynasty Warrior 6 bundle 40GB to be released in Saudi Arabia HD DVD group: Cheaper PS3 won't help Blu-ray sales Subscribe with My AOL, MyYahoo or Bloglines	Learn2raid: Raid speak The sad state of BG healing Another option for new content: factional class flipping? The challenge of recruiting for farmed content The foot-moving thing? It happens. Want me to kill him again? Subscribe with My AOL, MyYahoo or Bloglines
Survey: 1 in 6 Americans wants an Apple product for Christmas iPhone Dev Team announces public iPhone 1.1.1 Jailbreak Ask TUAW: Automatically printing attachments, upgrading to Leopard, testing backups and more Rumor: Apple to launch WebApp consolidation portal Rumor: Apple using 1.1.2 internally Subscribe with My AOL, MyYahoo or Bloglines	Fanswag Weekly: win Project Gotham Racing 4 Party Animals achievements hide gamer in-jokes Rock Band venues revealed, video preview The sequel to teh most awesome plasma stick Molyneux on games as art: "Of course they are." Subscribe with My AOL, MyYahoo or Bloglines
Victoria's Secret 2007 Fantasy Bra The Gold iPhone Dior Cannage Drawstring with Flap, Handbag of the Day The Wonder Room at Selfridges Saro-Gem BuonGusto 43 Watch Subscribe with My AOL, MyYahoo or Bloglines	Sydney 2007: Holden debuts VE Commodore Sportwagon Sydney 2007: Holden HSV Maloo R8 a "coupe with a damn big boot!" Chery may bring M14 convertible to U.S. next year First shots of Jason Platos Caparo T1 inferno DARN! Forbes was right, UAW strike against Chrysler is over Subscribe with My AOL, MyYahoo or Bloglines
Make money with embeddable video care of Blinkx Linspire 6.0 release: Linux for the Windows set An open source internet stupidity filter Read Office 2007 documents without installing Office 2007 Skype 3.6 beta includes high quality video support Subscribe with My AOL, MyYahoo or Bloglines	Fashion buyouts are all the rage Serious Money: Warren Buffett sells more PetroChina (PTR), but ADRs are up NFL takes big bite out of Michael Vick's signing bonus CNinsure - biggie Chinese insurance broker looks for an IPO New mutual fund concept - they'll manage your payout Subscribe with My AOL, MyYahoo or Bloglines

Breaking News »