I’m Having A Hard Time Buying The “Native PS3 Titles On PS5” This Late In The Game

Back when I got my PS4, I was cruelly told not to expect any backward compatibility, while Xbox One users were having the time of their life with their 360 titles. Disappointed, I started browsing the store and stumbled upon something shocking. PS2 and PS3 titles available on my fancy new device with something called a “PlayStation Now.” I was beyond myself with joy, thinking “Hah, they sure got me good.”

It wasn’t until I started the 7-day free trial and took it for a test drive that I found the horrible reality. It was no backward compatibility after all; the game was running via cloud streaming, with a ton of lag to boot. The excitement and joy left my body quicker than a blink.

The Emerging “PS3 Native Ports” Rumor

Over the years, PlayStation Now was replaced by the revamped PS Plus and its Classics Catalog, but the cruel truth remained the same. Classic titles still ran via cloud streaming on the PS4 and even the subsequent PS5. Sony’s negligence of backward compatibility genuinely baffles me.

Petitions were made, and demands issued. “Bring native gameplay capability, Sony, not this sorry excuse for backward compatibility.” Alas, it was all a cry on deaf ears. However, that hasn’t stopped fans’ vivid imagination though.

Not having full backwards compatibility is a HUGE deal to me.
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Rumors and speculations arrived more often than not, and now we’ve got another one, this time from a more definite source. Reputable insider Shpeshal_Nick claims Sony is preparing “select PS3 titles to run natively on the PS5.” It’s far-fetched, but who knows? 

Imagine The Possibilities If PS3 Titles Ran Natively

For a moment, ask your inner realist to throw away the detective cap and hold back the urge to burst my bubble, and let the child within run free. Now, imagine the fun and the kind of creative, nostalgic adventures you could relive if this was indeed true.

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Imagine booting up your PS5 and finding you’ve got a number of PS3 titles to run natively, no cloud streaming nonsense. You start up Infamous and relive the original power fantasy in all its glory. You move on to Killzone and have some good old-fashioned shoot-off. Boot up the original God of War and relive the beginning of the legendary saga. Play the original Demon Souls and see just how far the series has come.

And that’s just the beginning. With gems that Sony refuses to revive like Sly Cooper, the classic Ratchet and Clank games, Jak and Daxter, and much much more, this might finally be the push that the PS5’s cold library needs, and an incentive the entire planet will applaud.

Sony is bringing PS3 backwards compatibility support to PS5, but only a select few of them. What game would you add?
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Now, I’m afraid that’s enough fantasizing, and time to face some facts.

The Sheer Improbability Of It All

No matter how soul-soothingly beautiful and “There’s nothing I won’t give to get this” it all sounds, we have to see logic, and just how bad our odds are.

For starters, the term “native” in the aforementioned rumor is highly vague and questionable. It’s a broad definition, but I believe it refers to how the games would be running locally and not on the cloud. Assuming that’s the case, I’m sure it’ll be more emulation than native. The PS3’s CELL hardware is, well, a piece of work. Not to mention way different than both the PS4 and PS5. Native running is probably out of the question.

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And if it’s emulation, I know I’m not the authority on the topic, but I presume it’s no walk in the park. It’s possible, yes (as the hacked consoles showed us), but it is a tall order, one I’m not sure Sony sees any merit in undertaking. That’s my second point. What convinced Sony to try this move so late in the game, especially with the PS5 more than halfway through its lifetime?

PS3 emulation on PS5
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The demand for proper backward compatibility has always been pretty significant, but can it make a difference this late in the game for Sony’s latest console? Which makes me think of another possibility regarding all this.

An Undeniable Asset For Sony’s Future Product

Considering the argument, logic dictates that PS3 native support happening for PS5 is pretty unbelievable. However, what are your thoughts about it for the PS6 instead?

That’s right, the PS5 is already nearing its time, and there’s not reason enough to go through so much trouble for the sake of an aging machine. However, doing so for a future device holds innumerable benefits. Not only does Sony have ample time to make it happen, but the consistent demand for backward compatibility will take a new console’s popularity that comes with the feature through the roof. It’s the perfect plan.

PS5 will go down as the first console in history to not have a single game.
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Whatever the case, all I want is for Sony to make it happen, one way or the other. The possibility to enjoy these classics properly once again is too good to pass up, no matter how slim. I’ve always been an advocate of backward compatibility, and I’ll continue to say so until Sony gives up.