[fit2rule]

So I'm clueless as I haven't been paying attention to this market since the PS4/XBox360 were released - does the PS4 not run PS3 titles? If so, does it have some emulation or is it new hardware sitting on top of the old Cell design?

[chucknelson]

Neither PS4 or Xbox One are backwards compatible with their previous generation counterparts. Both of them went x86 this time around with no emulation layer or additional legacy hardware to maintain any sort of backwards compatibility.

A little bit of a bummer, but we'll all forget about it in a year or two :)

[robmcm]

I don't get this desire for backwards compatibility. Why would you want to play a really old game on a shiny new console?

If you really did, then pick up a used ps3 or 360 for about £50 and get the PS4 later!

[ScottWhigham]

Says a guy who obviously doesn't have children and who also doesn't own console games :)

I bought my kid the new Lego Batman II for PS3 in March for his birthday. We decided to upgrade to the PS4. He can't play this new game - that was recently released - on the PS4. It's a weird thing to not support backward compatibility IMO. It's a win for the developers/Sony but a loss for consumers. I have to now buy all new games and Lego Star Wars isn't going to be any better on PS4 than on PS3. Your question acts as though there should always be this "evolution" going on but I disagree. I like watching Daffy Duck from the 1940s - I don't like watching the Daffy Duck from the 1980s. Sometimes a game is "really good" and doesn't need revving - it just needs to be made available for the current gen console.

[robmcm]

Firstly why are you getting rid of your PS3, secondly I have a 360, and a PS2 before that, PSX before etc etc I also have a XBone and PS4 pre ordered.

I trade in all my old games as I never re-play them, if I do it's normally after such a long time that I can download them on my phone or run them emulated as I'm sure will eventlally be possible on the PS4.

Supporting backwards compatibility could result in developers not bothering with the new hardware, soemthing that has happend a bit with the GBAdvanced and DS platforms.

[ScottWhigham]

Again, "Says the guy who obviously doesn't have children" haha

[ScottWhigham]

You don't see what difference it makes because you have no context. There are a lot of things I thought/did as a young man with no wife or children that I don't do today now that I have both. I can't tell whether you are being willfully dense (or "captious" as yesterday's word of the day taught us) or you just haven't taken the time to think from someone else's perspective.

[robmcm]

Try making a valid point rather than saying I'm not considering your point of view.

Or I could just say, "Says a man who's insecure" or some other vague and assumed statement.

[robmcm]

I don't see what difference that makes, you could get maybe $50 on ebay for a ps3 slimline.

[cylinder]

Why get rid of them? I wish I still I had my NES and SNES from childhood. Even if I couldn't play them, I'd love to just see them, for the memories and nostalgia.

[fit2rule]

Because maybe I've already got $1000 invested in games I'd like to keep playing?

Well, I understand the clean break was necessary .. since their architecture strategy sort of requires it .. but its still a nuisance that we're confronted with yet more consumerist ideals being marketed as 'features'.

[robmcm]

You have two options, keep your old console and keep playing them. Or sell the lot second hand and the IF you want the play them in the future download them on your phone or what ever device can now emulate them in JavaScript ;)