Sony's PlayStation Classic Runs on an Open Source Emulator

This really feels a bit distasteful, as if Sony are doing some dodgy back-room deal. I mean, open-source so it's entirely legit but it kinda stinks.

I kind of get the complaining in that this is Sony emulating its own games with software that was built to let other people emulate those same games but... Everything uses open source software. So many games we play use open source software. Open source software in itself is not a bad thing...?

As long as Colony Wars and Driver 2 run properly when my Playstation Classic arrives, I'm happy.

I'll just stick to my OG PS1 + CRT Trinitron combo.

It's really not a big deal. It's interesting more than anything; I think that like most I'd assumed that Sony would have a fairly capable library of tools to use for the task given the PS1 compatibility of PS3, PSP and Vita (PS2 was integrated hardware, then partially brute force for the slim) - but perhaps they were using some open source components too?

I think that the generally poorly received games list, uninspiring front end and lack of software features are the bedrock of disappoint for the PS Classic - the non-story of Sony using open source code is just another bit of kindling.

There is talk that the games that run at 60fps are having issues with slowdown and input lag.

So...not good.

@KALofKRYPTON wow I just saw the interface for the first time. looks like one of those cheap knock-off emulator consoles.

and for 100 EUR you'd think they developed their own emulator...wow what a rip off

more damage control from push square... stop defending this product. you say it is not a big deal... really? not a big deal that a mammoth company like sony has resorted to a freeware trash emulator that is less than ideal to run its games with? please...

every time i look things continue to get worse... this has become embarrassing at this point — sony couldn't even put in the work to use its own emulator... this all but confirms performance will be less than stellar. even stranger is the fact sony has been emulating ps1 games since the psp days and does in fact have its own emulator. why the hell did they not use it here? heh, that is just one of many questions i have for sony at this point... what a nightmare! the most insulting of all is sony didn't think we, the loyal fans, are worth it... they took the easy way out and have presented us with a mediocre product that is overpriced to say the least. instead of providing ps1 classics on ps4, we are left with no other option but to purchase this crappy classic console? no thanks.

(i know ps3 and vita is an option for ps1 games via psn, but it would be nice to have an option on current tech).

what i find funny is that even if the ps1 classic is hacked and we can add our own roms to it, i don't think the emulator will be up to the task to run the games optimally. this product has no hope unless someone cleverly manages to install an entirely new emulator to the kernal lol... well, at least sony got the aesthetic right with this... other than that, meh.

"Video Game History Foundation founder Frank Cifaldi agrees"

Wow, talk about digging for someone to back up your argument. How many shovels did you go through

@manu0 100 bucks 2 controllers, with the 20 games, HDMI ah i could not care less just want to see if it works smooth. It is shocking they use their games and pay for the others they license i guess. To be fair it does not sound that expensive to me. Well i have not used it yet if it runs good ill have some great nostalgia fun. Well i hope it works good and ill have fun im not really that outraged as most people ill wait and see. And how is it strange that you take someone to court for using your properties?

@Shigurui i saw a HDMI adapter for the PS2 on Limited run i want to try that one. 😁

Another reason why I'll refuse to buy this piece of crap- along with the lack of games (rare notable ones at that) it's an emulator that I can get for free. What a waste of time.

Oh look, here's the next thing everyone's going to use to have a pop at Sony with. Didn't take long, did it? 🙄

Pathetic.

I'm surprised Sony didn't use a modified version of their PS1 emulator core from the PSP, the same one which also made it's way onto the Vita as part of it's own PSPemu core. Maybe it was too much trouble for them to modify it to run on whatever architecture the PS Classic uses.

The whole thing smacks of laziness, but hey, if they want to do a lazy steal of Nintendo's idea after Nintendo shafted them in the 90s and created their own rivals when they backed the wrong horse at the last minute (the woeful Philips CD-i) rather than continue their collaboration then whatever...

Well at least it looks cool!

Reinventing the wheel: Bad
Changing your tires occasionally: Good
I would’ve bought the PlayStation classic if it contained Chrono Cross but as it stands it’s a mix of games I have already played or have no interest in.

I’ve went from ‘Hello, what have we here.’
To ‘This deal is getting worse all the time.’

@Flaming_Kaiser it's trash. Stick with component.

At least I now know why Destruction Derby 2 isn't on there, I can never seem to get it to work on this emulator either

thats why its a mediocre game choice they could only pick from what runs on the emulator. yeah looks nice on outside but looks like as little effort as poossible went into the rest of system. Really disapointing

I had no doubt that gamers would bash Sony at every corner while having bought the Ninty offerings without much thought. It's always been that way. Overly critical gamers is Sony's audience, unfortunately.

@carlos82 you raise an interesting point. It’s a decent emulator, but it’s far from perfect on a lot of games. I’m still keeping my preorder though. I actually don’t think I’ll really use it. Just love the original PlayStation so it’s a nostalgic thing for me.

And how the PS1 games run on PSP, Vita or PS3 ? - on Sony`s OWN emulator. - outsouricing ?

Comes off as a bit lazy, imo, but when I saw the lineup for the system I was uninterested and can't really muster up any of the outrage I've seen when it's something I don't intend to buy. There are people who have been going nuts but then they'll go and buy a PS1 Classic anyway just like they do with Call of Duty every single year and the cycle of companies taking short cuts or doing stupid things will continue because gamers prove they love to be screwed over. The price point at $100 is still more of a hurdle to sales. $100 for a PS1 Classic with 30 games and 15 of them being system-defining games? Instant buy for most. But with 20 games and a lot of them not being games that really helped define the system? Tougher sell. Still, PlayStation has long since reached Nintendo status in terms of how it can play off people's nostalgia.

I think it is somewhat obvious that Sony doesn't want an emulator they developed in house in a cheap console that will be hacked minutes after it releases. It may leak. This is the reason Rare Replay for xb1 does not have a PC release, it has the inhouse 360 emulator included.

Maybe I am overthinking and it is a simple typical Sony laziness.

@naruball
Maybe because Nintendo put a little more effort into its classic line of machines? What's just as funny to me as the people criticizing Sony is that whenever it happens here somebody always has to go to 'while Nintendo...' even when it has nothing to do with the topic at hand. This is about Sony dropping the ball on certain aspects of PS1 Classic. You'll still be able to buy it and enjoy it, it's still going to be a big hit that makes Sony money so why care about what's probably 100 complainers (loud and obnoxious but not a big number) on Twitter at most, half of who will also buy the system anyway?

@get2sammyb it's definitely a big boys toy, I have the Nintendo ones and I'll get the Neo Geo and upcoming Megadrive but they'll all likely end up on a shelf for display purposes. I've barely got time to play my PS4, let alone games I finished 20 years ago 😆

@SoulChimera same here, mine will just go on display next to my other mini consoles

PCSX ReARMed is the greatest PS1 emulator so that's a good choice. No idea why people still stick with ePSXe.

@Porco "freeware trash emulator that is less than ideal to run its games with?"
If there are issues with the PS Classic, it's not on the emulator, Sony porbably just cheaped out on specs. PCSXR is more demanding than other PS1 emulators, but is more accurate. Even then it can run fine on a Raspberry Pi so that's very strange. Sony must have gone REALLY cheap.

@AdamNovice
I'm sure Sony will be making more classic consoles after this thing sells. What it means for how it supports legacy games on PS5, who knows? If it were up to me, in place of these mini retro machines I'd like Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox digital services similar to the original Wii's Virtual Console.

@Gamer83 How can it have nothing to do with Ninty when it's the exact same concept? When it was praised to death by gamers and media while Sony is getting all the flack?

People exaggerate all the time. They focus on the couple of unknown games and completely overlook some of the great ones that will be playable on it. Tekken 3, Final Fantasy VII, Metal Gear Solid and Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee were some of the defining games of the console. They made it hugely successful and must have cost Sony a lot to be part of the retro console. But no! Let's talk about everything else.

Today it's really impossible for some to just say no I don't like it then not buy it and forget about it. Strange time indeed.

@naruball
We're on a PlayStation website, we're talking about PS1 Classic. There's no need to mention Nintendo products that are already on the market and that were in fact also criticized by some in the Nintendo community. As far as Sony taking flack most of it stems from the fact that the games loaded onto this system are hardly representative of what made the console. No Tomb Raider, no Gran Turismo, the best Twisted Metal game isn't there. No Crash, no Spyro... If the game selection was better, I'd say you'd be seeing a lot less criticism. There'd be some but it would be drowned out by people excited to re-live some of their childhood. As it stands. there are lot of people who have been critical of the work put into this product. Including some staunch PlayStation fanboys.

@belmont ps3 was hacked ages ago... so was the vita. people can already get their hands on the ps1 emulator anyways so why would this be any different? geez, it is no wonder why so many of our favourite games are not on the ps1 classic — the emulator simply wasn't competent enough to run them.

@naruball because there was nothing to criticize with the nes/snes classics... nearly all the essential games were on there, the emulation was spot on for the most part, the ui was excellent, the price point was reasonable. what wasn't there to like? nintendo put effort into their product. the ps1 classic looks like it was thrown together in a few months and even less care was put into the game selection. probably the freeware emulator had trouble running the essential games (in addition to the lack of will of sony to get the games that matter) that should be on there, hence why they were left out lol. as a hardcore playstation fan, i feel burned by this and won't be supporting it. i even rushed to pre-order it day one thinking it would be limited in supply, etc... how wrong i was lol

" Maybe we’re making apologies for the organisation".

Well, that's what you always do, Sam. Nobody is surprised.

It is a shame they didn't put more effort in and try to make it a more desirable product. But oh well, saves most of us who might have been tempted, money.

I really don't understand the hate towards this. The game selection was never going to satisfy everyone ( personally I would have loved the original ridge racer) but overall there's some great games for everyone and if you don't want it then stop crying about it because you don't have to buy it. I remember buying my ps1 on release day from dixsons and I'll never forget that feeling of seeing ridge racer playing in the window and thinking it was the most amazing thing is ever seen. I'm 40 and my first console was a collectivision but this blew my mind coming from a snes. Even if you hate the idea of a company milking money from old consoles remember there are people like me that will buy them regardless and really love the opportunity to revisit some of these classics. I can't wait to try metal gear solid again bit even I'm disappointed that the rumble won't work for that amazing boss fight. Hopefully they still make us switch ports... xx

@get2sammyb
Way to move the goalposts Sammy. 👍🏻

@Flaming_Kaiser - I tried the HDMI adapter for Gamecube but I honestly didn't think that much of it. Old systems/games just look better on old TV's, that's why I still hook all my older systems up to a CRT TV.

It falls short of something I'd buy, the game selection mainly limiting my interest. Still sort of interested to see if the PAL release is 60Hz... With the SNES / NES mini consoles I mainly bought them for Castlevania in 60Hz in a nice little plug and play console. I liked Destruction Derby and a few of the others, but not enough to justify the price myself. Dont mind the emulator being open source, but some scan lines as option may have been a nice idea for those chunky 3D games.

Cancelled my pre-order. Their initial 5 announcements weren't 'novelty' and were on the money, but it's so off point as a retro item, it's disappointing. Still, like Sammy says, I'm sure some folk will use it as an expensive plastic tat stocking filler.

@Shigurui Ok well you know what you like best. 😁

Still would love to play Legend of Dragoon in HD. Man i love that game. 😃