Report: PlayStation 4 will soon emulate PS2, PSone titles

PlayStation 4 could be emulating PS2 and PSone titles soon, and potentially executing games in upgraded HD resolutions.


Digital Foundry (via Gamespot) reports that a source close to PlayStation Now reveals that Sony's new streaming service will focus exclusively on PlayStation 3 games. That means games for PS2 and PSone would be played directly on the PS4 using emulation technology. Here's how:

Sony's internal emulator is already used on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita, but the incarnation in the works for PlayStation 4 is said to be aiming for the ability to run the games in native HD resolutions. This would offer a distinct visual advantage over the current PS1/PS2 upscaling, and open up visual options seen in emulators like PCSX2. Running classic PlayStation games locally on your PS4 would also mean that any of the potential downsides of streaming--such as input lag--would be non-existent.

GS also has a photo of Silent Hill 3 running in a native 1080p format through the emulator PCSX2. If all of this holds true, it could breathe new life into all of those classic PlayStation 2 games. It may not have the professional look of a truly remastered game (like so many Sony classics have been through), but it will be night and day better than simple upscaling techniques.

Now it all depends on how many games will be available and when for PS2 and PSone. If a great selection is available before next holiday season, the PS4 could start dominating the console market.

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