PS2 games on PS3: Who cares?

"Canis Canem Edit, Okami, Resi 4, Manhunt... that's why I care about backwards compatibility. PlayStation 2 has a staggeringly good catalogue of games, perhaps the strongest ever boasted by a single platform, and more surefire hits are on the way, like God of War 2 and Manhunt 2. Meanwhile, PS3 is launching with a barrage of proven, but mostly old games. By limiting the backwards compatibility, Sony is limiting the gaming options for new buyers.

"Of course, the games I've listed above may be immediately supported by PS3's Xbox 360-style emulator. But right now we don't know exactly how many a "limited number" is - will it be90% or 10%?Exactly how much ofmy long-term investment in PS2 is going to be rendered useless, or require that I dust off the old girl everytime I want to play TimeSplitters 2, for example?

"When the fantastic Oddworld: Strangers Wrath still isn't on thelist of compatibleXbox games - but the abysmal BMX XXX is - I worry we might end up with a similar situation on PS3,withniche, yet superbly crafted old favourites not making the cut. Games are a console's lifeblood, and unless a surprise onslaught of stunning PS3 games appears on the horizon, Sony should be exploiting the full strength of PlayStation's heritage."

Ben Richardson, News Editor