It seems the PS3’s Cell processor was aptly named. The third generation in PlayStation was a high-definition step up from the PS2, and the capabilities of its custom chip was hyped up by Sony. But this massively powerful CPU proved to be a huge headache for a lot of developers, so much so that a number of PS3 games are likely forever jailed to the system – that is, unless Sony decides to put in the effort and resources for backwards compatibility, native support, or even emulation.

Backwards compatibility for PS3 games has been a source of discussion lately. There are jokes about how Sony itself doesn’t know enough about its own console, or just doesn’t care enough to support or emulate its most complex PlayStation.

Related: I Might Consider A PS Plus Premium Sub If It Lets Me Play These Forgotten PS3 Classics

There are other divisions. Some simply don’t care about old PS3 games, as many of its best games, such as the first three Uncharted games and The Last of Us, have been remastered for the PS4 anyway. But others, like Metal Gear Solid 4, Resistance 1 & 2, Tokyo Jungle, Binary Domain, Tales of Xilia, Heavenly Sword, and Folklore, remain stuck in a cell.

Metal Gear Solid 4 Screenshot Of Old Snake Running Past Soldiers In A Field.

The cloud-based PS Now subscription service already offers PS3 titles such as the Infamous series and Resistance 3, but only to stream, meaning you need reliable broadband to access them – Sony’s makeshift workaround to the back compat problem. However, there are entire regions of the world that don’t have decent internet or where PS Now isn’t available, such as Latin America.

There’s an excellent explainer video on why the PS3 was so uniquely difficult to develop for. To summarise, it’s basically due to the system's complex architecture. It required a significant learning curve from developers to get to grips with the many, many processes involved in getting data through the cores, which was compounded by the multiple number of cores.

The PS3's Cell processor makes it hard to emulate, so cloud streaming of its first-party games has been Sony's workaround 

To this day, the sustained single core performance of one of the Cell’s cores is still very impressive, but the actual technical know-how to get them all running well for a video game – rather than, say, scientific calculations – was beyond most. Naughty Dog was one of the few who were up to the challenge.

However, PS3 emulation is possible. The RPCS3 emulation program proves as much, managing to get some PS3 games running well on PC. Amateurs have debunked arguments that it was simply too complex, but this does miss out on an important point. Sony is a business, with a legal obligation to prioritize profits as a publicly-listed company. To achieve support or emulation in the seamless way that console players are used to – without having to fuss over technicals that PC users are more accustomed to – would require multiple years of investment and the money to fund it.

Driving down the street in GTA 1 as a building burns in the background
Playing old classics can be inspiring

Meanwhile, Xbox owners may well be peeking over with a certain smugness. Microsoft has made backwards compatibility a key feature of its platform, with many games dating back to the first Xbox available to play either on Game Pass or simply by inserting the disc into an Xbox Series X. It'll use the disc as a key and downloads the game digitally for emulation. It's a miraculous process, but it was no easy feat. The computing brains required for this “technical wizardry” should not be underestimated, and it’s a case of behind-the-scenes sweat and toil that have gone into magical features such as FPS Boost and Auto HDR.

Sony has been in the console space longer than Microsoft, but its American rival has far more experience and expertise in computers – and this background is clearly seen in Xbox, with its more computer-like hardware and software. Only since the PS4 has Sony made consoles that are less custom and more like an off-the-shelf computer games machine. With the enormous deal for Activision Blizzard, and the millions of dollars paid out to developers to get their games on Game Pass, it’s also clear that Microsoft has far deeper pockets than Sony has.

Shredders Games SSX 3
An oldie but still a goodie

If you want to give Sony a free pass, the excuses are there, but that doesn’t change the fact there are good reasons why it should work on backwards compatibility. There is value in looking back and seeing how games have evolved over the years. To discover how titles have popularised or perfected certain mechanics; to check out an important studio’s first hit, or just visiting earlier games from series you love. With music, we can easily go back to hear the first Led Zeppelin album. In film, we can witness how Jaws spawned the era of blockbusters. Why shouldn’t we be easily able to do this in video games?

Meanwhile, in many places internet reliability and connection speeds are still shaky, while PS Now, and the forthcoming PS Plus Premium tier subscription, are inaccessible for entire regions of the world. Cloud-based solutions are not the ultimate fix. Reliable native support or emulation is something that Sony can and should develop. It has an incredible library of games as part of its legacy, that is one part, but the benefits of this dedication could be myriad, with the experience and processes gained having knock-on effects.

Sometimes, creative and technological innovation can happen from looking back, by meandering through history, and who knows what inspirations could be taken from old games. With novels, comics, movies, and music, artists are continually mining for gold in their respective archives. With backwards compatibility and emulation, it’s forward-thinking to be looking back.

Next: The PS5 Awaits Its First Truly Hype Moment