Sony is adding the long-requested ability to play PlayStation 2 games on its PlayStation 4 console, the company recently confirmed to Wired.
It appears that the feature has already been quietly rolled out. A PS4 console bundle that is now available includes, along with the recent Star Wars Battlefront, a variety of classic Star Wars games: Super Star Wars, Star Wars: Racer Revenge, Star Wars, Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter, and Star Wars: Bounty Hunter. The last three games in that list were originally released for PS2. Digital Foundry reported for Eurogamer that they appeared to not be adapted ports, but were in fact running in their original form through software emulation.
There are no further details about the emulation beyond Sony’s confirmation. We still don’t know when it will roll out more broadly, how many games will work, or whether it will require downloads or if you will be able to insert PS2 CDs directly.
Emulators use one computing platform to simulate the software and hardware environment of another, generally less powerful platform in order to run older software. Both the PS2 and PS3 launched with some backwards compatibility for their preceding consoles (although not all subsequent iterations of the PS3 did), making the PS4 an exception for not including the option. Microsoft made waves at E3 with its announcement of Xbox 360 backwards compatibility coming to the Xbox One, which just rolled out widely in the most recent system update.
Skipping back one generation further makes sense for Sony, since the PS2 was the dominant console of its generation, and remains among the best-selling consoles of all time. Its lineup includes all-time classics like God of War 1 & 2, , and Shadow of the Colossus.
At the time of this writing, Sony has declined to comment any further on the PS4’s emulation future.
Related Posts
Your Xbox ecosystem just levelled up across every device
Gaming Copilot is now live in the Xbox mobile app (beta), offering real-time AI help for gameplay, achievements, tips, and more.
I’ve played every major Zelda game, here’s what The Legend of Zelda movie needs to get right
In terms of iconic pop culture heroes, Link is up there with Luke Skywalker, Frodo Baggins, and Superman. While Benjamin Evan Ainsworth has proven himself capable enough to lead The Legend of Zelda's cast, adapting Link’s character for the big screen is a challenge. For much of the Zelda franchise, Link is depicted as a silent protagonist who serves as a stand-in for the player. However, that doesn't mean Link isn't a unique character. Each version of Link has a distinct story, but they are all known for their incredible courage, loyalty, and dedication to protecting the innocent. However, he has also shown many times that he can be silly, reckless, rageful, guilty, and tempted by greed. Link doesn’t necessarily have to speak in the film to appeal to audiences. However, he just can't be a one-dimensional fantasy hero. We have to see how multifaceted a person Link is as he grows and reacts to everything, carrying such a heavy burden as the Hero of Hyrule. Zelda should share the adventure with Link
PlayStation 5 can technically be a CD-player, if you’ve got a tinkerer’s heart
But a creator behind the YouTube channel Will It Work? decided to test that limit with a clever workaround. Using an unusual optical drive, he managed to trick the PS5 into reading CDs as if they were USB storage devices.