PS4 Backwards Compatibility Achieved By Using The Cloud?

A great many gamers are hoping the PlayStation 4 will offer backwards compatibility.

And although one UK developer said such a feature could present Sony with a host of technical obstacles, they do offer a possible solution: The Cloud.

In speaking to PSU, developer Clever Beans directors Martin Turton and Andrew Newton said b/c for the PS4 is "something that would be very difficult to achieve," but it might be doable via "cloud-based streaming." You may recall Sony acquiring streaming service Gaikai earlier this year, so it seems evident that it will be used in some capacity in the next PlayStation console. However, it still won't be that easy:

"Internet bandwidth and latency across the world generally are still patchy at best, whilst the technology required for (non cloud-based) gaming is all the time becoming cheaper, more mobile and more ubiquitous. So there doesn’t seem to be a lot of point in streaming games from the cloud."

Still, demos are possible from the cloud, as are older games. Backwards compatibility remains a significant topic when discussing the next generation of machines, but we might have to prepare ourselves for the total lack of b/c...unless these guys are right about the Cloud's potential in this capacity.

Tags: ps4, playstation 4, new playstation, orbis, ps4 bc, ps4 backwards compatibility

11/17/2012 10:40:28 AM Ben Dutka

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Comments (40 posts)

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Hoagie324
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 11:18:56 AM
Reply

The only feature I'm really hoping for in the PS4 is PS3 backwards compatibility. It would be nice to play the entire Playstation catalog from PS1 to PS3 on the device, but I know that's extremely unlikely, unless they can do like it's said in this article and have Cloud-based streaming service for older games. There is a massive potential of what Sony can do now since their acquisition of Gaikai.

0 up, 0 down

robinhood2010
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 11:20:15 AM
Reply

Backwards compatiability is an important feature for me, and I don't want that limited by my internet connection.

There may be plenty of people, like myself, that struggle to play online because of a bad internet connection, or agonisingly slow speeds.

This is a bad idea, and certainly one way to put off existing customers from upgrading!

6 up, 1 down

Cesar_ser_4
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 11:21:44 AM
Reply

This could potentially be a great idea...for the people who have the bandwidth to handle that kind of traffic. But Sony will lose a piece of market with people who either don't have the speed to play at a decent resolution or just don't have internet at all. In my opinion either give us a viable b/c or none at all, specially if It's one of those deals where Americans get the shaft and have to buy all titles all over again like with the psp/vita.

1 up, 0 down

Temjin001
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 11:32:58 AM
Reply

hehe better than nothing I guess. But don't let anyone be fooled if this is true. Keep your PS3 and PS3 game library and don't bank of the PS4 being an all-in-one wonder (those days died after PS3 Phat). PS3's stuff on PS3 will be better than any cloud version of the same stuff.

Last edited by Temjin001 on 11/17/2012 11:33:32 AM

3 up, 2 down

Temjin001
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 11:41:03 AM

oh, and two more things.

First, seeing that Cloud based gaming is a service with overhead expense on SOny's part, don't expect this to come free with console. No, I feel pretty certain it will be locked behind a PSN Plus membership ;)

Second, this may be a soft confirmation that PS4 is indeed not Cell based. Those rumors of x86 are becoming more and more probable.

2 up, 0 down

Ultimadream
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 11:37:54 AM
Reply

I have over 100 PS1/PS2/PS3 discs... I don't want them to become invaluable. I also dislike the concept of relying on an online source for my games. At least now if I can download a game of the PS Store the data is on my console.

If any of you have played OnLive, you'll know that while it runs fine, the image quality has blotches like a buffered Youtube video. I demand sharp quality in my games, I play my PS1/PS2 titles through my PS3 on HDMI - if I didn't have that I wouldn't even dare buy a cheap PS2 without an HDMI port - it would look horrendous

1 up, 0 down

Killa Tequilla
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 11:59:28 AM
Reply

Sony did it with the Ps3 a while back. They can do it again.

0 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 1:00:32 PM
Reply

I think that is proof that PS4 will be a PC in a box. PS3 B/C would be easy if they had stuck with the Cell.

I'll probably wait longer to get a PS4 if this is the case. I have all these games I love and I'm not done with em yet!

3 up, 2 down

mehrab2603
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 1:03:42 PM
Reply

Yeah just ship out a box that can stream games online and call it PS4. No need to put any hardware in the box except the ones needed for streaming.
Online streaming isn't true backward compatibility. Period.

1 up, 0 down

playaplus
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 1:04:10 PM
Reply

All I want is to be able to play dark cloud again

0 up, 0 down

Temjin001
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 1:23:44 PM

will you eat turkey first before doing it?

=p

0 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 3:57:17 PM

I wouldn't wait on the PS4 to be able to do that, just break out the PS2 and have at it.

1 up, 3 down

ethird1
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 1:42:41 PM
Reply

I want to change the subject just for second.
I would like to play all the Sega Saturn RPGS and Strategy rpgs that I did not get to play. I would also like to play them on my ps3. I think this is far more important that backward compatability on the ps4.

COD FOR YOU AND ME!

End of Line.

3 up, 10 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 3:57:54 PM

I don't think that makes any sense.

8 up, 1 down

xenris
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 1:48:42 PM
Reply

If they don't have backwards compatibility with the PS3 I'm probably not going to get this unless I can register my retail copies to the cloud and keep them. If I have to buy all my PS3 games again then screw that.

I see know reason for it not to be backwards compatible unless the technology is so insanely different that it doesn't run well or they need to put in a ps3 which pushes the costs way up.

3 up, 0 down

Ignitus
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 2:26:27 PM
Reply

BC is the reason SONY bought Gaikai.

Let's see how this unfolds, though I have a bad feeling about this.

1 up, 0 down

kraygen
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 2:40:32 PM
Reply

I don't consider that b/c that's just streaming. How does that help those of us with large physical libraries? Do we have to repurchase them and even if someone they found a way for us to not have to repurchase them, I still wouldn't be able to play them when the network or internet is down.

I want physical b/c, I paid for it with my ps3, I'm willing to pay for it even more with my ps4.

3 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 3:59:32 PM
Reply

So what would they do? Have PS4 read your PS3 discs and then access the game from an online server somewhere and stream it to you?

3 up, 3 down

gumbi
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 4:55:17 PM

Now that sounds absolutely ridiculous... Although, I won't rule out it's plausibility.

3 up, 0 down

Russell Burrows
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 4:58:35 PM
Reply

I had plenty of PS2 games but do you know how many PS2 games I played on my BC PS3:
None!!

And I guess that once I have my PS4 thats going to continue as I have a brand new PS3.

PS4 games on the PS4 and PS3 games on the PS3.

4 up, 2 down

kraygen
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 11:31:44 PM

B/c is a really good way to attract customers who didn't have the previous system though. I didn't have a ps2, so I bought a ps3 and while I couldn't afford the handful of new ps3 games, there was a giant library of great $5-$10 games for me to enjoy.

3 up, 0 down

gumbi
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 5:11:09 PM
Reply

I'll admit that I don't really miss PS2 b/c too much these days. We're getting top notch HD remakes now. And for the first couple years, when it was important to me, I had a 60gb launch model that could do it anyway.

It's a very different story now though. I have a HUGE backlog of PS3 games because I just don't have the free time I had last gen. If the PS4 arrives with no b/c, I'll have no reason to buy one until at least the first price drop. If PS4 is backwards compatible then I'll buy it at launch.

So, b/c will have no impact on whether or not I buy a PS4, but it will have a huge impact on WHEN I buy a PS4.

2 up, 0 down

Killa Tequilla
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 5:44:02 PM
Reply

As long as I can play my Ps3 games on the next system. I really don't care too much for BC as I used to. Sony basically gave me every game that I didn't play back then as a collection or as a trilogy. If we don't get BC, I won't care. I'll keep my Ps3. One thing I do care for however is for PSN. I hope it doesn't shut down or I'll loose digital content. I hope it carries on to Ps4.

Last edited by Killa Tequilla on 11/17/2012 5:44:57 PM

0 up, 0 down

tlpn99
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 6:02:13 PM
Reply

Ok yeah were all on the cloud all well and good. What happens omg Sandstorm Frederick 57 hits we have no net connection.

Does this mean those that want to play the cloud has no chance playing an older game ?

Alhough I know some of you are going to say well why are they wanting to play online when a freaking storm is about to hit, this is just a for instance no need to get your knickers in a twist lol ;)

1 up, 0 down

BikerSaint
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 7:01:33 PM

^^^^ True that!

Hurricane Sandy has already put a stop to cloud gaming for many, and any online internet at all for that matter.

Last edited by BikerSaint on 11/17/2012 7:02:39 PM

0 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 8:16:29 PM

Storms are the best time to play.

0 up, 1 down

firesoul453
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 6:30:26 PM
Reply

cloud backwards compatibility would suck....

0 up, 0 down

olicapone
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 7:12:45 PM
Reply

If it is possible for backwards compatibility I'm sure that the feature will attract many of this current generation who may have been debating whether to stay with sony or not.

1 up, 0 down

Knightzane
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 9:41:31 PM
Reply

Im not sure i understand why people don't want to play their PS3 games on their ps3. Thats like asking to use your psp disks on your vita. Different tech will equal different results. You don't buy an apple hoping it will taste like an orange because they grew at the same farm so you? Im also extremely tired so just ignore my entire post. Damn tests

1 up, 2 down

BikerSaint
Saturday, November 17, 2012 @ 11:30:57 PM

Well, I think most people would rather have just one system, rather than 3 to 4 different systems cluttering up their play-space in order just to play all the Playstation games in their collections.

As for myself, even though I have all of my Playstation systems hooked up(even my dual PS2 & PS3 phats & slims), I still want any new PS system to keep up up with B/C for all of their older systems, just so I don't have to spend all that wasted time to re-find, and then re-buy(& without any warrenties), any of the earlier console that might & probably will give out on me over the course of the future.

But that's just me.....

1 up, 0 down

Gabriel013
Sunday, November 18, 2012 @ 2:11:23 PM

And also what about system failure. If my PS3 breaks I'd like to just get the PS4 to replace it. What about playing my PS3 games if I can't replace it as it's no longer made? My PS3 is already on it's last legs and you can be certain I'll be buying another rather than buying a PS4 if there's no BC.

0 up, 0 down

___________
Sunday, November 18, 2012 @ 1:52:02 AM
Reply

i honestly would not be surprised if $ony turned BC streaming into a sort of yearly subscription service, kinda like what they have with vidzone and the music service.
its certainly the most cost effective and easiest way to achieve this.
they could do like what they did with the ps3 and include the hardware, but that wont happen far too costly.
as for software emulation, well, after all these years they still havent managed to get ps2 emulation half decent!
so good luck with ps3 emulation.
at least with a streaming service they can make some money out of it too, id be hard to do that through software or hardware emulation.
yea they could charge per game, but people would see that as rebuying their games and its quite clear how people stand on that.
streaming service, think of it as a fee to cover server costs and such.

though if there going to do such a streaming service, they need to make sure EVERY ps1, ps2, and ps3 game is available!
if not dont bother!
licensing would be the biggest issue, especially with older titles like earthworm jim theres battles still going on over who owns the license.
one of the many reasons i love my PC, if you can find the game theres a emulator that will run it!
i had forgotten how much fun the simpsons hit and run was up until i got my ps2 emulator working properly.
such a awesome game!
actually hate it to be honest, because every time i play the game i cant get the bloody duff beer song out of my head!
annoying, very, very, VERY annoying!

1 up, 0 down

JROD0823
Sunday, November 18, 2012 @ 3:02:55 AM
Reply

I'm glad that I own 2 PS2s and 2 PS3s, this whole subject of b/c is meaningless to me. I'll buy a PS4 within 6 months of its release, b/c included or not. I don't understand why anyone would get rid of their old consoles for anyway, it would be just as easy to save your money for 6 months to a year longer to buy the next console instead.

0 up, 1 down

Beamboom
Sunday, November 18, 2012 @ 6:02:53 AM

It's not so much a question of getting rid of our old console, but more a question of having the space to have a bunch of consoles stacked up, with all it brings of cable clutter, peripherals, mess and hassle.

Last edited by Beamboom on 11/18/2012 6:03:17 AM

2 up, 0 down

Beamboom
Sunday, November 18, 2012 @ 6:01:35 AM
Reply

A cloud streaming service is not what most of us mean by "backward compatibility".
It's a solution if the machine is *not* backward compatible. Had the machine been compatible with your PS3 games you would not have needed a streaming service.

1 up, 0 down

Highlander
Sunday, November 18, 2012 @ 6:09:01 AM
Reply

Cloud streamed games are not a solution to lack of backwards compatibility. Network latency is your problem, and it's a problem that is never going to go away. When you add the overheads of streaming game play sending controller inputs back ad forth and all the rest, there really is zero chance that streaming gameplay from the cloud will replace backwards compatibility for PS3 games on PS4.

I do hope no one tries to say that Internet connections get faster every day and so on and so forth. You need to understand that network bandwidth or data rate is not the same as network latency. Network latency is not going anywhere, it's a fact of life on a routed network, and it will not allow the same responsiveness of software running on a cloud server to match that of the same software running on your console. So let's put this nonsense to bed once and for all please.

2 up, 0 down

Qubex
Sunday, November 18, 2012 @ 9:55:11 PM

Yes, agreed... but it still doesn't solve the problem of many people the world over wanting to play their disc based Ps3 games directly on their Ps4's.

From the current rumours I think we are going to be seeing a huge shift away from optical. It seems Sony is going to do everything to deliver games via the internet as much as possible.

I will go as far as saying that optical drives may be an add-on you will have to pay for if you want to remain on optical.

Q!

"play.experience.enjoy"

0 up, 0 down

T2X
Sunday, November 18, 2012 @ 8:54:17 AM
Reply

I had heard long ago that SONY purchased the factory that makes the Cell processor (Not sure if true though), if true, I wonder how hard it would be (Or even possible) to drop a cell processor into the PS4 consoles.

1 up, 0 down

Highlander
Monday, November 19, 2012 @ 5:56:32 PM

They own the rights to make them, and the factory that makes them. They also own the rights and manufacturing to make the SPURS co-processor which is a Cell processor minus the PPE unit and only has the SPUs. That co-processor would make an easy drop in supplement to a PS4 design and allow Cell to be emulated in a combination of a PPE emulated in software with the SPUs provided in hardware.

0 up, 0 down

Ather
Monday, November 19, 2012 @ 5:09:32 PM
Reply

The Cloud is useless without a permanent internet connection, and we still haven't figured this one out. 3 time sin the past 5 years Verizon has crappe dout on me, denying me TV, phone, and Net. I at leats cna play video games while I wait a few days to get a technician over. Cloud only severely limits my use of games. So why would I wnat a PS4 if I'm dneied access to parts of my library?

0 up, 0 down

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