PS3 launch in Japan

[Nitrous]

PS3 sells out, second-hand cash-in begins

Saturday’s PS3 launch in Japan saw the much-anticipated console sell-out by noon – while auction websites and games shops wasted no time in profiteering

Now all eyes are on the US PS3 launch on the 17th. While many more units will be available in the States, retailers and auction websites are bracing themselves for a similar rush to cash in on the PS3 frenzy.

Sony has still yet to confirm a date for the European launch other than sometime in March, leaving an increasingly confident Microsoft and the arrival of Nintendo’s Wii to hog the pre-Christmas headlines.

Source: MCV
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The PS3 only launched in Japan a few days ago, but already Sony has been forced to confirm that there are some issues with the machine’s backwards compatibility with PSOne and PS2 titles.

The games giant has admitted that PS2 hard drive titles such as Final Fantasy XI will not play on PS3, and the list of games experiencing issues such as freezing already includes the likes of Gran Turismo 4, Devil May Cry, Tekken 5 and Onimusha.

Microsoft experienced a number of similar problems when it launched Xbox 360 last November. Unlike PS3, Xbox 360 never promised total backwards compatibility with Xbox titles as it relies on software emulation, as opposed to PS3’s hardware emulation.

The difference between the two is that Xbox 360 uses embedded software that forces the Xbox 360 to behave like an original Xbox. PS3, on the other hand, is said to include the inner mechanics of a PSOne and PS2 within its circuitry.

The latter option is more expensive but should allow for flawless backwards compatibility. However, the early problems with PS3 suggest this is not the case.

Sony has already begun releasing patches over its online network, much like Microsoft has done, which should address some of the compatibility issues. Whether this will lead to total backwards compatibility is yet to be seen.

SO KEEP HOLD OF YOUR PS2's FOR A WHILE AFTER YOU GET A PS3 IF YOU WISH TO PLAY PS2 GAMES!