PSthree [Rumour]

[Neon Ignition]

http://www.the-magicbox.com/1107/game110726c.shtml

Rumour that a new, cheaper PS3 redesign will be revealed at GamesCom next month. The Slim saw a massive sales surge for the format and after the hacking scandal I can see the PR sense in given the system a fresh bit of momentum to ensure it maintains it's catch up of the 360 pre-Xmas.

[Shozuki]

well I'm a sucker for redesigns but that does look hideous, still I'm sure I'll cave.

[toythatkills]

That'll look lovely in any living room from the 1980s

[charlesr]

I presume that's an artist's drug induced mock-up? Still, I haven't liked the look of any of the PS2 or PS3 variants. PS1 chunky I thought was pretty cool though - nice circle lid and sensible shape to the rest.

It'll be interesting to see how small they can make it though. The PSOne and PSTwo were rather spectacularly small in comparison to their brothers. The 360s isn't nearly so radical.

[abigsmurf]

I imagine a PSthree would be a hit in Japan.

Isn't the size of console a very real consideration that they take into account when buying a console?

[wod]

that doesnt look good and i would get rid of the word three and use the number 3 if i was designing a smaller ps3

[moonwhistle]

I'd be very tempted by a new model regardless of aesthetics if they were to put the backwards compatibility back in. The launch 60gb models will only last so long and it's my only reason for owning a PS3.

[cutmymilk]

It would be a feat if they somehow get full backwards compatibility and the size of a PStwo. With Upscaling, Blu Ray etc it would be a MEGA CONSOLE!!! Won't happen though.

[Flabio]

The PS2 backwards compat is dead. The base hardware of the PS3 simply can't do it, and it's not going to get additional beef in a smaller form factor is it?

[Neon Ignition]

Plus it would remove the HD Collections from being sellable

[Daragon]

The PS2 backwards compat is dead. The base hardware of the PS3 simply can't do it, and it's not going to get additional beef in a smaller form factor is it?

Except the UK 60GB relied on software emulation for BC - only the US models featured hardware emulation. If Sony WANTED to re-enable BC then I don't see why they wouldn't be able to.

[Flabio]

I'm pretty sure that's not the case, and that all the 60GB ones did it in hardware.

You can't do a PS2 in software only on the PS3. You'll just have to take my word for it.

People I trust that worked at Sony at the time have told me such on several occasions.

[Dogg Thang]

There was software back compatibility in early PS3 models here. I think it was partial software (so still probably required some hardware and why it's now a missing feature) but missed the full hardware BC of the early US models. At least I think that's the case. There's a list here with the features of each model - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlaySta...del_comparison

Also here's a comparison between the hardware and software BC of the system - http://www.hardcoreware.net/playstat...ibility-sucks/

Edit: Your point still stands though - it's not coming back.

[Flabio]

Ah, a hybrid does sound familiar. It just isn't possible to do it in software alone, the PS3 GPU can't match the PS2's fillrate (strange, but true. The PS2 had a very very out there rendering architecture)

[Daragon]

You have to wonder what the USP of this latest model would be without the return of BC in that case.

A bigger HDD? How big do you need honestly?

Even slimmer than the last range? Nope, can't imagine that would do it either.

As much as I need a new PS3 given the death of my launch 60GB, I just don't see this being anything more than rumor mongering. A substantial price cut of the existing slims across the board would be more than sufficient.