PSone/PS2 games region-locked on PS3

PS3 News | Whether on disc or downloaded.

It's been revealed that all PSone and PS2 games will maintain their region-coding when played on the PlayStation 3, regardless of whether they are downloaded or disc-based.

Much like the Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console service, the PlayStation 3 will allow users to download selected retro titles from the PSone's mammoth back catalogue, with the original Syphon Filter and Twisted Metal to be available at launch. The news that downloaded titles would be region-locked was confirmed by Sony's senior director of corporate communications Dave Karraker, who told Gamasutra, "All of the online stores are region-specific, so that’ll dictate where you can download the games."

Meanwhile, IGN confirmed that both PSone and PS2 discs would only work if played in a machine from the same region. Nevertheless, new PS3 games can still be played on a console from any area of the world.

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11 Comments

Zarnoss

5 years ago

At least they are backwards compatible, not like microsofts poor offerings.
I wanna play Shenmue 2 on 360! >.<

iorkara

5 years ago

that sucks that its region locked!!!

renegadesx

5 years ago

Does anyone notice this announcement was made after Nintendo said VC games were going to be region locked?

Crestfallen

5 years ago

renegadesx wrote

Does anyone notice this announcement was made after Nintendo said VC games were going to be region locked?

nintendo is not the messiah if that is what your alluding to

Emuaust

5 years ago

renegadesx wrote

Does anyone notice this announcement was made after Nintendo said VC games were going to be region locked?

and this is relevant how?

admeister

5 years ago

That sucks. There's ging to be a lot of unhappy people. But as it's been said, at least there is full backwards compatability.

taraw

5 years ago

This really sucks. When I first heard that the PS3 was going to be region-free, I was so happy. At that time, I was going to get one at launch and import the PS2 titles I wanted that didn't make it to PAL release. Once I heard how much the PS3 was going to be, I quickly revised my plans and got myself a 'refurbished' PS2 instead (no PS3 for me for a long time into the future, methinks!). But I was still counting on the PS3 to be able to play my imported titles once my current PS2 dies.

I know nothing about console hardware, but I'm wondering/hoping whether someone will at least make it possible to copy different-region games onto the hard drive and play it that way... I know the downloaded games are going to be region-coded (WHY?!?!? *sob*) but does anyone have a guess whether this will be possible or not? Oh, well. For now, just don't die on me, PS2!

Ellegarden

5 years ago

But why downloaded ones? Wouldnt sony make more money that way?

Never mind I get it, its licensing.

Rob_Jedi

5 years ago

More retarded region locking, once again PAL takes a shot to the head

this really is sad. Guess I should just get my PS2 "refurbished"

HeDanny

5 years ago

Kinda makes the backwards compatibility redundant for me, and mostly every person I know (with a few exceptions). Hopefully the scene will be able to rectify this issue so we can legitimately replace our PS2s with PS3s rather than having to keep the PS2s just to play our imported PSOne and PSTwo games.

troublemaker

5 years ago

Personally I think backwards compatibility is a little overhyped really ... it's nice to have a trip down memory lane every now but it really doesn't make up a large % of your gaming time.

I can understand why XBox users might be annoyed about not all games being compatible, given that the console is so huge ... but with the PSOne and PS2 Slim they take up bugger all room and probably are only worth ($30/$100 second hand anyways)

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