Rumor Reporter Exclusive: Sony To Release PS3 Emulator/Firmware For ‘Software Playback’; PS3’s Built-In HD Scaler To Eventually Upscale Existing PS2/PSOne Games To 1080i/720p

As some of you know, Sony just announced that they’re taking some hardware out of the PS3 and focusing more on a software solution for backwards compatibility.

Every PS3 owner knows should know that a firmware release with software playback [changing focus from backwards compatibility from PS3 hardware to software] is coming around the European launch of the PS3, possibly around GDC - that sort of timeframe.

Now, an industry insider who wishes to remain anonymous has informed exclusively to me more details regarding this interesting firmware update. This update is basically going to make “most” of the PS2/PSOne games play without any problems, as the PS3 was plagued with during launch. No enhancements or anything. Just play.

Since this firmware will be using software playback, think of it as an emulator of sorts, things should be much smoother. Now for the most interesting part:

My source tells me that Sony’s playing around with HD enhancements for certain games. As some of you know, the PS3 has a built-in scaler. So, in the future (presumably the summer), there’ll be another firmware update. This update will feature HD playback potential for a handful of PS2/PSOne games. That’s how the HD upscaling’s going to work, at least in the beginning.

Sony will be targeting specific games to get the HD upscaling. And although the up-scaler doesn’t go up to 1080p [for the PS2/PSOne games], 1080i/720p will be the maximum. It’s basically a way for Sony to resolve two problems: PS2/PSOne games not working/being problematic, and not being fully utilized with the PS3 hardware. God of War, Klonoa 2, Killzone, Final Fantasy XII, Devil May Cry… imagine how games like these would look with the full HD treatment. I can only see them right now.

Now although the new emulator will be coming out either before or on the European launch date, it won’t have HD playback. As I stated previously, it seems as if summer’s the estimated release for that particular firmware update. As expected, not all PSOne/PS2 titles will be compatible with this emulator at first. Sony plans to add compatibility with future firmware updates for titles that aren’t compatible at first. One goal is to release better versions of the emulator that works with more titles rather than fix the emulator around specific games (like the Xbox 360). Obviously, there’s no guarantee that all of these games will work flawlessly. The plan is to have a few titles at a time added to the HD upscale list for a while.

Sony’s ultimate goal is to get all PlayStation titles upscaled - effectively, efficiently, and consistently working. They’re really banking on the next-gen era here, with Blu-Ray and HD upscaling of existing titles. The 100%-free firmware should enable upscaling for specific games with each firmware, and starting up each game will pop up an option for you to upscale it. This will be a setting on the XMB menu. Even better, something tells me that Sony will take some of the cool “twerks” from Xbox Live to decorate their emulator.

What I have just told all you kiddos is expected to be mentioned during Sony’s keynote at GDC. Although I’m 100% certain it won’t be the main gist of Phil Harrison’s speech, non-Sony gamers can benefit the most from this. Especially if this is their first Sony game system.

So there you have it, time to hit the presses! Now that I’ve confirmed it, all I can do is sit back and wait for the announcement (like Warhawk). Stay tuned for my cryptic predictions for GDC… next week. Top Secret

holy moley!!!

Upscale?

No.

Render in HD resolutions?

Yes.



What i said last week regarding the EU backwards compatibility going software was...

The only possible good that can come out of this for the consumer is that via software emulation it may be possible to render the games in HD resolutions.

The good thing about it is that it' ll be possible to play games that originally didn' t support anything above 480i in 720p/1080i.



Oh and Bish, where did you get that poorly written article from?

Hopefully they' ll get the games rendered in HD resolutions, then I' ll finally be able to play VF4 Evo and Tekken 5 in 480p. Along with various others.

...post edited..

Hopefully they' ll get the games rendered in HD resolutions, then I' ll finally be able to play VF4 Evo and Tekken 5 in 480p. Along with various others.

...if PS3 will upscale/render PS2 games up to 720p and 1080i, why are you going on about 480p????

It' s the res those games (art, textures etc) were made for. Having a PAL PS2 means many games were unavailable in 480p over here in the UK.

Ninja Gaiden Black running in 720p/1080i looks way better than most 360 games. I can' t wait to play Snake Eater or DMC3 in 720p!

...so much for convincing myself that a PS2 is just fine until MGS4/Sigma/DMC4 are released (FFXII, Okami, God of War 2)...

It' s the res those games (art, textures etc) were made for. Having a PAL PS2 means many games were unavailable in 480p over here in the UK.

...really? ...so wouldn' t that have a negative effect on the overall appearance of a game if it' s scaled/rendered at a higher resolution that it was made for?

So this is the same in the states then I take it? Can anyone over there in the good ole U S of A confirm if the BC has improved the look of PS2 games over there, not doubting anyone here of course just Sony, that' s all.

God of War, Klonoa 2, Killzone, Final Fantasy XII, Devil May Cry… imagine how games like these would look with the full HD treatment.

Fun game, but HD aint doin' nothing for Killzone' s graphics, I' m sorry Guerilla.

....spot the muppet...

Bake me some cookies.

ORIGINAL: Bishonen

...really? ...so wouldn' t that have a negative effect on the overall appearance of a game if it' s scaled/rendered at a higher resolution that it was made for?

Games will be sharper and have far less jaggies but the textures will look flatter.

Go HERE for Xbox vs Xbox 360 comparisons.

lol ...not gonzo, i meant:



alinub the muppet...

ORIGINAL: Bishonen

lol ...not gonzo, i meant:



alinub the muppet...

Hahahaha. Dude you fucking kill me!

Rumor Reporter Exclusive

Just noticed that it said Rumor Reporter, and does that mean that it hasnt been announced yet?




Just thought id do it to fit in

Well I certainly hope it’s about rendering the image at HD.

Up scaling the image is a different thing all together. Scaling only makes a picture fit within a given resolution frame. It doesn’t in any way ad more picture detail/enhance the effective resolution. But that’s the purpose of a scaler... to make the picture fit on screen. It is not meant to be a detail enhancer since no extra detail is being added through scaling.
Up scaling a PS/PS2 game to HD in the console is further more quite redundant since the HD display device can do the scaling for you.

In order to truly enhance the picture quality of older media the only thing to do is to render in higher resolution such as HD and that is without a doubt what the guy in the article was talking about even though he said scaling.

Who are you?
A total of 4 posts since you joined may 2006.
You seem to know much about technology in this thread
heavenly sword is jagtastic!
Are you planning to post more often?

In order to truly enhance the picture quality of older media the only thing to do is to render in higher resolution such as HD and that is without a doubt what the guy in the article was talking about even though he said scaling.

...yeah but if PS2 games are supposed to be rendered in 480p, is it really worth it?...

good news I take it. Isnt it?

ORIGINAL: Bishonen

In order to truly enhance the picture quality of older media the only thing to do is to render in higher resolution such as HD and that is without a doubt what the guy in the article was talking about even though he said scaling.

...yeah but if PS2 games are supposed to be rendered in 420p, is it really worth it?...

Where are you getting 420p from?

It doesn' t exist.

Most PS2 games were created for 480p/576i, just like most Xbox games. Some were created with higher resolutions in mind and a couple even support 1080p (Gran Turismo 4).

All that will happen is that there will be much less aliasing and everything will be sharper.

Ninja Gaiden was created with 480p/576i in mind and yet in 720p/1080i is looks better than most 360 games.

If they render in HD then they' ll look better. It' s definitely good news.