The PlayStation 2 console presented in 1999 was able to reproduce almost all games with the PlayStation 1 and even supported the memory cards and controllers of the first model. But this is not the first prefix with support for compatibility. The Power Base Converter adapter came to Sega Genesis, which allows you to run games with Master System. And the earlier Atari 7800 launched almost all Atari 2600 cartridges, and this is the first console with support for such a function.

But back to PS2.

The console input-output processor is a central processor from PS1. In late models, it was replaced by a chip with PowerPC architecture, and the PS1 core has already been emulated. Thus, some games with PS1 work incorrectly on the late PS2 models, if you start at all.

One of the hardware features of PlayStation 2 is the presence of vector modules VU0 and VU1. VU0 is used to transform the landfills, physics and other things related to gameplay. When the console operates in PS1, the block implements support for the original controller – GTE (Geometry Transformation Engine). In PS1, it was used to work with three -dimensional graphics and was placed on the same crystal with the central processor. The VU1 module is used to transform the landfills, lighting and other calculations associated with visualization.

Sony designed PlayStation 2, not only as the evolution of the console, but also made sure that PS1 support was implemented at the level of iron. The only thing that emulated programmatically was the implementation of the PS1 graphic processor, which the PS2 Emotion Engine processor was responsible for. New options in old games became a bonus – accelerated reading from the disk and smoothing textures. The PS2 architecture consisted of three key parts: the central processor "Emotion Engine", the Graphics Synthesizer graphic processor and RDRAM RAM. The console became the best sold in history, and Sony took care of reverse compatibility, promoting the next generation of its devices to the market.

In 2005, at the E3 exhibition, the company introduced the PlayStation 3 and announced that it will be compatible with PS1 and PS2 games. Early models contain chips from PS2, including Emotion Engine, Graphics Synthesizer and RDRAM memory. These microcircuits were soldered directly to the motherboard, copying PS2 equipment. But emulation was also used here. The implementation of input-output and sound processing were not hardware, so PS1 emulation was produced software. Cell processor was responsible for both functions.

Thanks to the PS2 hardware emulation in the secondary market, the PS3 Cech A and B model are still in demand. But they are difficult to find, since the devices are extremely unreliable. You can encounter the "yellow fire of death" and the problems of overheating, the drive also quickly fails.

Photos of the PS3 board and Cell crystal: “Emotion Engine”, “Graphics Synthesizer” and the RDRAM memory are on the motherboard, and the rest of the architecture is emulated

In 2006, Sony released the firmware 3.0 for pocket console PSP. This added reverse compatibility PS1. And again the emulation was implemented properly. The portable system was built on the MIPS R4000 processor, a direct heir to the MIPS R3000 with PS1, which allowed us to run games from an old console with good performance. Adding new functions stimulated users to update the firmware. Thus corrected holes in safety. There was a constant struggle between the company and hackers. New firmware will allow you to play in the last games and gain access to the PS1 catalog. And the company will get rid of vulnerability, with which you can launch pirate roma and put your firmware. But hackers will find a new gap and force Sony to update.

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The reason for the high cost of the PS3 console was, including hardware support for PS2. This meant that Sony does not make money on the sale of consoles. To save the architecture, they revised by removing Emotion Engine and RDRAM memory, but retained the Graphics Synthesizer chip. "Emotion Engine" began to emulate the programmatic. This task was hung on the PS3 physical accelerator, and all the rest of the SPE Jadra will emulate the remaining equipment.

In the Slim version of the console, reverse compatibility was completely cut out, abandoning the Graphics Synthesizer chip and software emulation. This reduced the costs of the manufacture of devices, which was important for Sony, as the company lost the battle with Microsoft – Xbox 360 leading in the market.

Sony will return PS2 support for PS3, but already through the PlayStation Store digital store. The section "Classic hits" will offer about 70 games. This is a fully software emulation, the central and SPE-yard of the Cell processor is responsible for it. Despite the low compatibility, the emulator works well and in some cases offers better performance compared to the starting equipment.

PS vita – the last “portable” Sony – reproduces most PSP games, thanks to the built -in gland of the predecessor. True, the games themselves are available only through the PSN store.

In 2013, PlayStation 4 was released without a reverse compatibility function. Many abandoned the lack of support for games with PS3. The reason was the complexity of the architecture of the Cell processor. Sony did not try to emulate it on new consoles, focusing on the remasting of games.

In 2015, the company officially confirmed that games for PS2 will be released on PS4. Unfortunately, you will not be able to reproduce the disc from PS2, inserting it into the console. A section for buying games from a special collection was added in the PSN digital store. And many it disappointed.

Trophies were added to the PS2 classics, but we are drawn to the old games because of nostalgia, and trofihanters are already another layer of gamers.

In 2017, PlayStation CEO Jim Rian said that the company is not interested in supporting classical games, saying that this is one of those functions that are very in demand, but in fact few are used.

In anticipation of the launch of the PS5, Sony announced the reverse compatibility of most games with PS4, including reading discs. At the time of writing, I did not find information about the support of earlier generations. It is clear that hardware is capable of this, and with modern technologies of AI and neural networks it is possible to scale and reconstruct the picture. That is, old games can look great even on a 4K-TV.

In the coming year, the company will be engaged in the reverse compatibility of games with PS4 in order to fill in the window before the release of new games. From the first generations, only classic hits through the PSN store will be available.

Conclusion

You can achieve software emulation, but you have to work with the source code of each game. It is much easier to copy the equipment by releasing new revisions of old consoles. But few will make Dawngraid the living room, returning the kinescopal TV. Most want to play 4K TVs with voluminous sound. But these consoles and games are not sharpened under 4k and such a sound – you can’t just solder HDMI and optical audio output, and give the finalization of games to AI and neurosstals. You have to connect the team of professionals. Therefore, the only way is remasters and remakes for modern iron.

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The best comments

The article explains why Sonya refused to support old games.

Microsoft also has a list of classics, so I think that they will eventually go the same way.

Well, the problem of Sony is that they have almost all the prefixes of the family are made on different architecture, and to emulate this is a very ungrateful thing to email. I wrote not so long ago, although it can already have long been a blog about PlayStation 3, and there I painted it in detail by its architecture. In short, then, in addition to the video chip, the SPE-Jadra is engaged in rendering there, and how to transfer all this to one graphic chip big question. There in many ways and with an emulator on a PC because of this problem.

The situation is much better for MIKs, Xbox is all in its architecture closer to the PC and most importantly – to each other, moreover, one tools are the same DirectX. They are not difficult to make the same software emulation, it is not paradoxical, it will work better than hardware. By the way, IMHO, Microsoft presses and will continue, in the same way, for example, RDR in 4K can only be played on the Xbox One X. By the way, I also wrote about this)

Especially great for the owners of the Xbox 360 who have discs remained: I inserted some disk, downloaded the patch that improves the framework or resolution or one and the other and rejoice, playing your favorite game 🙂 Thus, cool games do not become victims of exclusivity for certain platforms like MGS 4, the Motorstorm and Kilzone series, well, and TD.

I had the first curling iron. Version 9 (like fairy tales in the store). I did not go through the new trilogy of Lara, the code of Veronica and the resident Ivel 4 (original, not Suvaver).