Sony Releases PS3 Back-Compat Checker

With the 60GB version now 'sold out', the 80GB version of the PlayStation 3 is quickly going to be the only option for consumers in stores. Besides the hard-drive size, though, the two systems have another fundamental difference: the 80GB unit handles backwards compatibility with software and not hardware. What games work on the two console versions is now a bit trickier. To aid in your comprehension, Joystiq notes, Sony has released a handy online game checker to let you know how your library will fare. Over at Curmudgeon Gamer, they have an examination of a game library looking at both a PS1 collection of titles and a group of games from the PS2 era. Assuming this random sampling to be in any way indicative, it looks like there isn't much difference between software and hardware compatibility for PS1 games ... but PS2 games might not have an easy time of it.

Still don't understand why the hatred of software

[Stevecrox]

I bought a PS3 in the UK a month or so ago, it came with software version 1.6 which couldn't play the few PS2 games I threw at it. Once I setup the wireless connection I was imediatly upgrade to 1.9 and my small library of PS1 and PS2 games (probably a total of 60) all play on it. I'll agree some games (GTA SA) don't look as good on the PS3 as they do on the PS2 but Sony do seem aware of that. I'm more than willing to believe Sony will fix the issue considering how many times they've released software updates for my PSP. This is only my expearence there are probably games out there which don't play but I'm betting Sony will get the emulation upto 99% before jacking it in. I just wish PS1/PS2 memory cards could be connected to my PS3.