PlayStation Isn't Adding PS4 Backwards Compatibility: "We Are Just Taking a Different Path"

During the Xbox E3 2015 press conference, it was announced that the Xbox One would allow for backwards compatibility with select retail and digital Xbox 360 games when the update launches later this year for everyone. While the rollout is expected to start with a handful of titles, hundreds more are set to be added as the months go by.

Asked by MCV UK if PlayStation was going to be making the PlayStation 4 backwards compatible with PlayStation 3 games, PlayStation Europe President Jim Ryan said they are taking a “different path” and are focused more on delivering on the promises they made when they first announced the PS4.

After first saying the Xbox backwards compatibility was “quite a complicated announcement and I’m not sure I fully understand it yet,” but that it’s a very logical approach to take for those upgrading from Xbox 360 to Xbox One, Ryan explained why they aren’t following suit:

We are just taking a different path. To the extent that you are investing in software technology – which is what this is, it’s delivered through software not through hardware – we are trying to commit our resources and put our emphasis on delivering on the promises we made right at the start of this whole PS4 thing, to be the forward-looking, socially-connected console. We are placing our bets on things like SharePlay, on things like Play as you Download, and things like Suspend/Resume.

We are just taking two different approaches. Unfortunately there are just not sufficient enough software engineers in the world for everyone to do everything. Each platform holder has to make their choices, we made one and they made another. Their choice is entirely legitimate, and I think our choice is legitimate, too. In some ways it is quite nice to have points of difference between the two platforms, and people will decide which approach suits them best.

Of course, they tried backwards compatibility before with early PS3 models, but despite being a “much requested feature,” Ryan adds that “it’s not so greatly used.”

So, to play your PS3 games on PS4, you’ll have to stick with PlayStation Now.

[Source: MCV UK]

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