Famitsu recently interviwed Playstion's CEO, Jim Ryan which was translated to English by Siliconera. In that interview, Ryan confirmed two things. First, the PlayStation 5 will have a 99% compatibility with all PlayStation 4 titles. Second, the PS5 will not have backwards compatibility with PS1, PS2, and PS3 games.

Famitsu: We were also surprised when we heard that it will have 99% compatibility with PS4 titles. By the way, will there be compatibility with PS1, PS2, and PS3 titles?

Jim Ryan: We keep in mind the engineering specialized for the PS5, as we produced the device. In the midst of that, the PS4 already has 100 million players; we thought they ought to want to play PS4 titles on the PS5 as well indeed, so we included compatibility with the PS4. While implementing that, we also focused our efforts on taking in the high-speed SSD and the new controller DualSense at the same time. So, unfortunately, we couldn’t reach the implementation of such compatibilities.

This news makes it clear that remastered versions of the PS1/2/3 era games for the PS4 will still be playable on the PS5 via backwards compatibility with the PS4. However, the confirmation that backwards compatibility is limited to the PS4 may be upsetting to some, but it is likely not surprising. What classic PS1, PS2, or PS3 era games do you wish you were able to play on the PS5?

Source

 

[64bitmodels]

This is the same guy who also said in 2017:

“When we’ve dabbled with backwards compatibility, I can say it is one of those features that is much requested, but not actually used much,” says Ryan. “That, and I was at a Gran Turismo event recently where they had PS1, PS2, PS3 and PS4 games, and the PS1 and the PS2 games, they looked ancient, like why would anybody play this?”

PS1 i can understand, but saying ps2 games are ancient are bold words for someone in God of War 2 range

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

people are so eager to be Sony's hardware beta testers. Foaming at the mouth for a preorder just to possibly be screwed in the ass with a faulty console

Can't wait for crowbcat's "PS5 launch defects" video

 

[HideoKojima]

Backward compatible= less money for blood sucking corporate.

 

[64bitmodels]

Backward compatible= less money for blood sucking corporate.

gotta rerelease the same games over and over again, suck money off their wallets!! while we're at it let's raise the price of games too because FUCK YOU that's why
why anyone is actually considering buying a PS5 or XSX this gen is beyond me... just get a PC you guys!!!

 

[Acid_Snake]

We already have PS3 emulation on PC, where ~60% of titles are playable and more being added every day, and that's dev'd by a few randos on the internet. \

With Sony's knowledge and documentation PS3 emulation would be an absolute breeze on the PS5, especially when the CPU being used isn't utter dogshit like the PS4's. There's absolutely nothing stopping Sony from doing PS3 emulation.

The thing is with these emulators "playable" doesn't mean it runs perfect. There's always small issues that isn't really that bad when you're playing a pirated game. But if you're gonna play a game you paid for it better be perfect.
Backwards compatibility like this is expensive, so unless they somehow make that money back they won't bother implementing it. And when they do bother they will just make very specific emulators for very specific games that they will sell to you again, and again, and again.

 

[raxadian]

At least with Slim PS3s PS2 games never have worked from an external. Not sure if it's the same with the original PS3s or not. Pretty sure you would need to upgrade the internal.

Old fat PS3s had hardware to play PS2 games, Slim and later do not. PS1 games still work by using emulation.

 

[Deleted User]

Old fat PS3s had hardware to play PS2 games, Slim and later do not. PS1 games still work by using emulation.

Your reply has zero to do with mine. I said it didn't work from external. I'm pretty sure original PS3 that had PS2 support did not work from external.

 

[White_Raven_X]

There's always emulators for that, but who still has ps1 discs anyways. As long as it's ps4 compatible!

 

[Dimensional]

There's always emulators for that, but who still has ps1 discs anyways. As long as it's ps4 compatible!

Legend of Dragoon, Digimon World 1, 2, and 3. YuGiOh Forbidden Memories, Frogger, Spyro The Dragon, Breath of Fire IV, Crash Bandicoot: Warped.... I even have a working PS2, and a disc drive that can read + and - Offset discs for Redump.

 

[raxadian]

Legend of Dragoon, Digimon World 1, 2, and 3. YuGiOh Forbidden Memories, Frogger, Spyro The Dragon, Breath of Fire IV, Crash Bandicoot: Warped.... I even have a working PS2, and a disc drive that can read + and - Offset discs for Redump.

Frogger? Really? I played Digimon World 1 a lot and I played 3 several times. The card game in 3 can be completely skipped and is better to do so by never getting the starter pack. 2 was... a bit frustrating but fun.

Crash Bandicoot: Warped is definitely one of the best games for the PS1.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Maybe they have plans to release a lot more PS1/PS2/PS3 remasters. Otherwise it makes no sense why they wouldn't just reuse the emulators they already have.

 

[White_Raven_X]

Crash Bandicoot: Warped is definitely one of the best games for the PS1

I agree with that, but I would prefer using emulators.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Maybe they have plans to release a lot more PS1/PS2/PS3 remasters. Otherwise it makes no sense why they wouldn't just reuse the emulators they already have.

They may want to do that, especially since many people have been interested in emulating previous titles. Maybe it will be like on the switch where you get monthly retro games when you pay for a monthly membership? That would be smart.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

I agree with that, but I would prefer using emulators.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------


They may want to do that, especially since many people have been interested in emulating previous titles. Maybe it will be like on the switch where you get monthly retro games when you pay for a monthly membership? That would be smart.

If they were going to release emulated games through a subscription or the store then it would still count as BC, wouldn't it?
Plus, PS+ already offers "free" games.

 

[godreborn]

You are mistaking it for another console, or you are lying, or you had PS2 with a very bad laser and lower quality DVD-Movies, either way this is not true. All PS2's have DVD player support, that's how FreeDVDBoot works. The player works on software so there's no reason to drop it to lower costs. Also their license can't expire since Sony owns pretty much all optical media format (specially DVD and BD).

Sony does not own bluray. It's owned by a series of companies of which Sony is a member. They have to pay licensing fees just like everyone else.

 

[Acid_Snake]

Sony does not own bluray. It's owned by a series of companies of which Sony is a member. They have to pay licensing fees just like everyone else.

They are the founders of the Bluray Association (other companies simply joined), they don't have to pay any fee for their own technology.

 

[PROTOBOY]

I don't get it.. So many lies..

They told ps5 would work just a few 100s of ps4 games, now all from the sudden they are saying will be almost all ps4 games???

Lies lies and just more lies..

 

[codezer0]

I really don't understand why Sony doesn't even try to try to do the same thing with the PS5 when it had done it in past generations, this is really annoying even more when we see that the Xbox Series S and X can play discs of all Xbox consoles.

not just discs but also the digital stuff on your account works, too.

At least when it was games with gold, you could keep the games given away, even if your sub lapses, on the 360.

Sony never let anyone keep games on PS Plus.

 

[the_randomizer]

Emulation is hard, apparently, can't even write their own PS1 emulator for the PS1 Classic lol.

 

[RedHunter]

How can people even buy this crappy console is beyond me, you need to be a super fanboy, everyone with a brain will go with Series X it's the complete package.

 

[Jonna]

How can people even buy this crappy console is beyond me, you need to be a super fanboy, everyone with a brain will go with Series X it's the complete package.

Well, that wasn't very cash money of you.

 

[Deleted User]

I don't get it.. So many lies..

They told ps5 would work just a fen 100s of ps4 games, now all from the sudden they are saying will be almost all ps4 games???

Lies lies and just more lies..

So your complaint is, they are overdelivering on their original promise. Ok....