Sony's views on backwards compatibility @ Gaming Target

Written by Ashley Coomer on October 06, 2007

News: Sony speaks on backwards compatibility... or the lack of it.

The news has been released and we've previously reported on it Ц a 40GB PlayStation 3 is coming (to Europe, at least) and it won't have backwards compatibility with PS2 or PSone games. Both Sony UK boss Ray Maguire and Sony Europe spokesperson Nick Sharples have issued speeches as to why the new model will lack backwards compatibility.

УAs we come to our first Christmas with the PlayStation 3 there's going to be about 65 games in the marketplace,Ф said Maguire. УSo we feel now that there's sufficient choice in the marketplace and that we're still better off using that money that we'd put into backwards compatibility in either investing in new games or using that money to help support bringing the price down so that people can get into the franchise.Ф

Elsewhere Sharples has been talking with his views on the matter. УWe have made clear on many occasions that our priority is on developing innovative new features and services for PS3 and not on backwards compatibility.Ф

Hang on then, let's cast our memories back to 2006 where Sony's Phil Harrison was talking about PS3 and backwards compatibility. УBackwards compatibility, as you know from PlayStation One and PlayStation 2, is a core value of what we believe we should offer. And access to the library of content people have created, bought for themselves, and accumulated over the years is necessary to create a format.Ф That sounds pretty fair. So why, around a year afterwards, are we being told that backwards compatibility does not matter?