Fans had hoped that the PS5 would be able to emulate PS3 games that will be offered as part of PlayStation Plus Premium. PS3 games have had to be streamed on PS Now in the past. However, with the revamp merging it into PS Plus Premium and bringing downloadable PS1 and PS2 games, fans had hoped PS3 games would be locally playable as well.
Will you be able to play PS3 games locally on PS5 with PS Plus Premium?
When PS Plus Premium launches in June, PS3 games will only be available via cloud gaming on PS4 and PS5, much like they are now on PS Now. Unfortunately, even after years of development, PS3 emulation on PC is still sketchy, and the system’s unique Cell architecture is notoriously difficult to work with. So, we can assume Sony has had the same issues making its own emulator. This is one of the big reasons we haven’t seen many PS3 exclusives make their way to PS4 or PS5.
There’s always a chance that Sony might be able to develop a PS3 emulator on PS5, but the company hasn’t tapped into backward compatibility like Microsoft has, which might indicate that it’s not interested in allocating resources toward a project like that. However, the fact that PS1 and PS2 titles are being introduced to the system with PS Plus Premium is a step in the right direction.
Streaming PS3 titles on PS3 is a mixed back. As with all cloud gaming, players have to deal with compression artifacts and input delay. This isn’t a big deal on some games, but it can render others nearly unplayable. In particular, playing Metal Gear Solid 4, one of the most prominent PS3 exclusives that hasn’t seen a port or remaster, via streaming is far from the best way to experience it.
As always, Sony is going to listen to whatever makes the most money. The more PS Plus Premium subscribers continue to request local PS3 support, the more likely it will be that a PS3 emulator is developed for PS5.
