PS2/PS1 memory card data will be accessible on PS3

Backwards compatability is a big strength for Sony - it ensured continuing sales of PS1 games long into the life of the PS2. Not only that, but PS1 memory cards were completely functional with the PS2, making backwards compatibility a useful part of the PlayStation 2's arsenal. The shift away from memory card technology began when Microsoft included a hard drive in the Xbox, negating the need for a memory card, and eliminating portability of gave saves. The Xbox 360 has limited backwards compatability, but old Xbox saves can't be used due to a lack of a standardised accessory for transferring data. With the introduction of a hard drive on the PS3, it didn't seem like there would be support for the use of older memory cards. However, Sony has indicated that this will indeed be possible.

The official PS3 website states that "To use saved data on a PlayStation 2 memory card, you must copy the data onto a virtual memory card within the hard disk. This requires a PS2/PSone memory card adaptor to copy the data to your PLAYSTATION 3. A memory card adaptor is designed to edit, up/download game saves to and from EMS flash card or smart media card."

This is good news for those with archived game saves, who want to continue to build up an impressive collection (did someone say Final Fantasy?). In general, this will make life much easier for those who still enjoy playing their old PS2 and PS1 saves. However, at this point it is still unknown whether Sony will actually release an official branded accessory, or rely on third-party support, but be assured that PALGN will be the first to let you know.

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30 Comments

HeDanny

5 years ago

This is indeed(tm) good news. I like the idea of being able to transfer the data from the old memory cards to the HDD and still be able to use the data. Being able up upload it again to take the saves with me to game nights is also a very good thing.

Now all I need is to find somewhere that actually still sells PSOne memory cards. No one within is 2 hour drive radius of here sells them anymore

ZNMS

5 years ago

So a memory card adaptor is required to use a Sony PlayStation 1 and 2 memory card on the Sony PlayStation 3. That's just great. More money to spend.

Sin Ogaris

5 years ago

At least they're giving you the opportunity to do it, you don't HAVE to buy the item if you don't want to.

Frozencry

5 years ago

Very good news. I have too many saves to let it all go out in an instant.

admeister

5 years ago

Take that Microsoft, Sony seem to have been paying attention to all the compatability problems with the Xbox.

Jellyfish

5 years ago

I thought this was announced at E3?

Gamesta

5 years ago

It probably wont but the adapter should come with the PS3.

Kaboth

5 years ago

Sony have a history of annoying additional accessories. Remember the multitap necessary for multiplayer support above 2 on PS2. That was simply rediculous after the N64's multiplayer was so accessible.

admeister

5 years ago

I have to agree with you on that, got to hate them for that. N64 ruled as far as multiplayer went.

Gamesta

5 years ago

Though am a huge Playstation fan I think that Playstation has never been very good for multiplayer games.

Se7en

5 years ago

ZNMS wrote

So a memory card adaptor is required to use a Sony PlayStation 1 and 2 memory card on the Sony PlayStation 3. That's just great. More money to spend.

Sarcasm huh? "Babble Babble Bitch Bitch" indeed Mr Warner. However as a loyalty benefit, SONY should make the memory card adapter available (at no cost) to those who preorder a PS3. That would be really nice.

Cerebral

5 years ago

admeister wrote

Take that Microsoft, Sony seem to have been paying attention to all the compatability problems with the Xbox.

At least you don't need to buy an old Xbox HDD to save Xbox games played on a 360.

admeister

5 years ago

Cerebral wrote

admeister wrote

Take that Microsoft, Sony seem to have been paying attention to all the compatability problems with the Xbox.

At least you don't need to buy an old Xbox HDD to save Xbox games played on a 360.

Well duh, why would you, it's a HDD for goodness sake!

Jellyfish

5 years ago

^ You're missing the point there. He means you should be able to just plug the cards into a slot and not have to pay anything for an adapter to transfer the saves. Also remember the Xbox and Xbox 360 are completely different like the Windows and (old) Mac.

admeister

5 years ago

That's true, but by the sounds of it, the PS3 is going to be very different to the PS2, so backwards compatability is difficult to do that easily. They probably could if they really wanted to, but I doubt that they will, them being Sony and all.

Infested Jibbs

5 years ago

^Well to their credit they did a bang up job with backwards compatability with reagrds to the psone/ps2.

Kaboth

5 years ago

Yeh it sounds like the excellant backwards compability will continue with PS3 memory card issues aside which you really need when you sell a machine as huge as the PS3

Backwards compatability is definately a huge purchasing factor for me though. I'm not one to sell my old consoles and games.

Daniel_Rehn

5 years ago

hey, guys ???

In all honesty, I NEVER was able to use my ps1 mem-cards on my ps2. It simply refused to accept their existence, so as such I could not read/write my save files while playing say tekken 3 or GT2 on my ps2.

Was, IS, there a way to make this work??? ANY helpful comments would be greatly appreciated. Even though its probably 8 years too late !!
Regards,
Daniel.

Emuaust

5 years ago

^WTH? you simply plug them in dude, if they dont work then your console is defective.

Daniel_Rehn

5 years ago

^^^ YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT AFTER ALL THESE YEARS IT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE ?!??!?!? Ive gotta go give it one last try in about 15mins. I kid you not- they never did work (ps1 mem-cards). I just thought, oh well, a least I have the Playstation still. If this is the case I feel about this (.) big.

Daniel.

ugh the boot

5 years ago

This is great news, adaptor or not....atleast it supports it. With the Xbox and the 360 there is no way to get your saves from your old xbox over to the 360, basically every game has to be started from scratch.

Why Microsoft didn't make the Xbox memory cards compatiable with the 360 is beyond me. I mean they even have the same capacity (64mb), just a different slot. It's like they didn't make the compatiable just so we would spend that extra money buying all that stuff all over again.

Well done Sony.

wobbler

5 years ago

I dont know why MS cant allow save games to be transfered to a flash card through the usb slot on the xbox and then uploaded the same way onto the 360. Considering a card reader costs only $10 nowdays it would only require a simple update for the dashboards of the two machines.

RazMasters

5 years ago

The same thing can already be done with the Xbox 360. It may not be standardized, but it's very simple. Here are two ways: (1) http://www.ebgames.com/product.asp?product%5Fid=802467 (2) http://www.ebgames.com/product.asp?product%5Fid=802323

ugh the boot

5 years ago

^ Yea actually I read a review of the Xsata Transfer Kit on IGN, I don't know how it slipped my mind.

One thing i'm confused about....and that's how the hell do I get the bloody orignal Xbox saves off the original xbox? To my knowledge there were no usb ports on the machine (other than the controller ports). Are the controller ports unmodified so you can just plug usb devices straight into them or is there a usb plug on the back of the machine I never saw?! I don't understand....I feel like i'm taking cRaZy piLLs (again)!!

Please explain.

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