Curious job listing found on SCEI career website

by Jem Alexander { Jan 17th 2008 at 11:00AM }

We have been informed that a job listing has been recently added to the Sony Computer Entertainment International careers website. The listing calls for a "PlayStation 3 compatibility feature engineer" with a job role that would require the applicant to "implement and improve an emulator on the PlayStation 3 and next gen systems. Target systems:PS1, PS2, PS3, PSP".

It is our responsibility to point out that this could simply be a Research & Development position for internal testing or for improving compatibility in older PS3s, to improve the number of titles which work with emulated backwards compatibility. With those more sensible ideas out of the way, we can move onto the fun speculation. The juiciest possibility being full backwards compatibility on 40GB PS3s. Not only that, but the inclusion of the PSP in the list of systems lends us to suspect that PSP emulation on the PS3 could be a possibility at some point.

We don't want to get your hopes up and even if our wild speculation is correct, we won't be seeing any of this stuff for a while. There's no telling how long until someone gets the job. The SCEI careers page is still listing a position for a Gran Turismo developer and, until recently, a game engine designer for Afrika. No wonder Sony takes so long to do anything!

[Thanks, Ittousai!]

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

binaryfiend @ Jan 17th 2008 11:11AM

I've been waiting to hear something about PSP emulation. Hopefully they find someone quick so we can find out what they are up to soon.

Akamaru @ Jan 17th 2008 11:20AM

Full BC on the 40giggers would be an epic win. Kutaragi-san would be so proud.

Chris Rah Osiris @ Jan 17th 2008 11:28AM

If they bring full bc to the 40gb model and enable psp emulation on the ps3, this would be epic. Simply epic

RCW @ Jan 17th 2008 11:51AM

The 40 gig will be getting compatibility. I was asked to take a survey the other day and it was all about how important is backwards compatibilty. I'd guess it's definately in the works.

James @ Jan 17th 2008 11:36AM

I see no reason why they couldn't implement a feature in new PSP/PS3 firmware that lets you dump a UMD from a connected PSP to a PS3, DRM'd to play only on the receiving PS3. I would definitely dig that. And obviously, the PS3 has horsepower to spare -- you could even play PSP games online over PSN!

This has a lot of potential...

rockmanjoey @ Jan 17th 2008 11:52AM

Yeah I would be cool for that! Like Remote Play but reverse! The other awesome thing would to have the downloadable PSP Games from the PS Store work also on the PS3 so if in the future theres online PSP Games that are online, you could have like PSP-PS3 online play which would give Sony their own like "Games for Windows" Connectivity with Xbox 360 and PC games.

That would be the ultimate if it came to reality. I've always wanted to play Irregular Hunter X and Power Stone Collection on the big screen.

rockmanjoey @ Jan 17th 2008 12:02PM

I was also meant to also say that it could give enhancements also like Upscaling PSP games. They would look better than the PSone and PS2 games upscaled as the games for PSP are designed in progressive scan hence composite on the Slim PSPs TV feature only works for Games on Component!

The icon when your online playing a game on the XMB could change from the PS Controller to a PSP. That would be sweet. I reckon if it is to happen, they'll steal the show at E3 2008 with that feature!

Laurens Holst @ Jan 17th 2008 4:20PM

@rockmanjoey:
Haha, so you could use remote play on your PSP to play an emulated PSP game on a PS3 ;p.

Neon @ Jan 17th 2008 12:01PM

I think that it would be a serious win for full BC with the 40GB units. I really think Sony has some good things planned for PS3 and PSP this year.

What I would LOVE is to be able to stream DVDs/Blu-Ray from my PS3 on my PSP though. Without having to rip and convert to MP4.

Andy @ Jan 17th 2008 11:54AM

Sony cannot do anything in secret. With people skulking around patent sites, the ESRB and job listings nothing is secret. This is getting a bit ridiculous if you ask me.

mareviq @ Jan 17th 2008 12:05PM

What I can't figure out is why can't they just sort of port pcsx2? While written for entirely different architecture it's still emulation, so it should be easier to base a new emulator on that than to write a new one from scratch. Software emulation would give the benefit of removing the annoying "switch" that happens currently and gives many possibilities for upscaling (ps1 games truly rendered in 1920x1080 and anti-aliased? I know PS3 already supports upscaling but frankly ps1 games look better emulated on my PC than on the PS3 and my PC is crappy by today's standards so something is not right here...)

SomeGuy @ Jan 17th 2008 2:38PM

Unlike ePSXe, pcsx, and pcsx2. The Playstation 3 emulate the whole PSX hardware not just the core and plugins/hacks do the rest. The problem with the PS2 emulator is that the pcsx2 uses a lot of hacks and workarounds to get the games to work, where Sony want to emulate the whole hardware. The only thing holding Sony back is the overly complex GS chip found in the 80gb and 20/60gb models.

Livi70590 @ Jan 17th 2008 12:17PM

I want PSP emulation, it means i could play Size Matters and ACX.

proArchy @ Jan 17th 2008 12:19PM

it says "IMPLEMENT and IMPROVE" which means to me that they want to make something that isnt already made, and then improve on either that (meaning game specific improvements maybe) or on something that is already in place. i would guess that this has a good chance of hinting at ps2 emulation for your lovely 40gbs. if not ps2 it would have to be psp emulation which would be phenomenal too. GoW:Chains of Olympus on my ps3? yes please!!

Popfrogs @ Jan 17th 2008 2:57PM

Implement and improve actually means take something that already exists (MAME or whatever) and get it to work on your platform while adding features / speed / etc.

Simstim @ Jan 17th 2008 12:55PM

I have a 60gb, but my friend has a 40gb. I borrowed his for a few days to download stuff on it for him since he lacks an internet connection in his apartment and I was curious to find that the 40gb model has the ability to make PS2 memory cards, why would Sony leave that in their if they had no intention to use it?

russell @ Jan 17th 2008 1:20PM

i guess sony has pretty high standards for they hire... i'm just glad they aren't settling for anyone and as a result they can put out some higher quality games. i'll have my ps3 for many years, so i don't mind waiting a couple years for the really good stuff to come out.

RPGJock @ Jan 17th 2008 2:02PM

I said it before in one of my comments, I really Sony is sitting on them working on making a full software emulation solution for the non EE+GPU PS3 sku s'. They are not going to talk about until they have it really close to being ready vs what they done in the past. Look at Home, In Game Cross Media Bar, Dual Shock 3, PSP connectivity to PS3, Sony Download Service and a host of other promises they made in the past that hasn't gone exactly as planned. And if they do get PS2 games to work, you know they are going to spin it saying that they had listen to demand backward compatibility and wanted to give it to their loyal fans. Similar to the rumble in DShock 3 issue.

Tony @ Jan 17th 2008 2:38PM

I want to play my PSP games (especially Mhunter Freedom 1 and 2) on my PS3...this would be cool.

Ruben @ Jan 17th 2008 3:54PM

Attention! Rockmanjoey has my brain, reverse remote play ftw!!!!

secret @ Jan 18th 2008 2:14AM

Let's take the time here to point out something somewhat related to this topic.

PS2 games emulated to the PS3 can have hiccups such as the framerate issues with Ratchet & Clank 1 and 2. But that doesn't mean that the PS2 is more powerful than the PS3, does it?

Now, we can pretend that the xbox360 games are also "emulated" to the PS3 with minor frame rate hiccups here and there as well. Are you sure then, that the xbox360 is more powerful than the PS3 because of that?