Sony may be expanding the backward compatibility options for the PS5, as several PS3 games appeared on the PlayStation Store.
During the weekend, titles such as Dead or Alive 5 for the PS3 briefly appeared on the PS5 store, sporting a price tag of £7.99. Typically, this would direct users to the PlayStation Now service, where some last-gen titles are available. However, this time users saw a price tag attached to the game.
According to VGC, social media users also noticed other PS3 games like Bejeweled, as well as a couple of Prince of Persia games: The Forgotten Sands and The Two Thrones. However, none of these titles, including Dead or Alive 5, were actually available for purchase.
The appearance of these titles comes amid rumors that Sony is working on expanding backward compatibility, potentially through an updated patent from PlayStation lead designer Mark Cerny. The patent suggests potential backward compatibility through the use of spoof clock and fine grain frequency control, which could involve Sony adjusting the speeds of the PlayStation 5’s powerful processors to make emulation of older games easier.
Additionally, there are rumors about Sony launching a potential rival to Xbox Game Pass, codenamed Spartacus, which may combine the best features of the PS Plus online membership and the PS Now streaming service into one enhanced package. This could provide PlayStation users with a similar value proposition to what Xbox gamers currently enjoy.
Reports indicate that Spartacus might launch this spring. In related news, Xbox boss Phil Spencer has described Sony’s potential answer to Game Pass as “an inevitability” and “the right thing” for gamers.
With this latest development, enthusiasts may soon be able to enjoy early-generation PlayStation games on their PS5 consoles. Which PS3 games would you like to see on your PS5? Let us know @trustedreviews on Twitter.
