# My PS2 just died. Should I get a PS3 or another PS2?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ps2-just-died-should-i-get-a-ps3-or-another-ps2/500806>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [June 24, 2009, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ps2-just-died-should-i-get-a-ps3-or-another-ps2/500806 "2009-06-24T06:11:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ps2-just-died-should-i-get-a-ps3-or-another-ps2/500806/1 "2009-06-24T06:11:16Z")

</div>

My PS2 wont read a disk.

I have tons of PS2 games. Some I haven’t even played yet.Actually, I have 5 games I haven’t played yet. PS2 games are cheap since PS3 came out. My PS2 was also my DVD player, so i’m kinda bummed right now.

I can get a new PS3 for $399. I can get another PS2 for $99.

If i can buy a PS3 and have a blueray/dvd player AND play my library of ps2 games then i’ll pay the $300 more. (i would like to be able to play ps3 games too, but I can take it or leave it).

What should I do? If my PS2 library can be played on a ps3 and i get a good blueray player i’ll get the ps3. if the ps3 is sketchy at playing ps2 titles i’ll get a new ps2.

Opinions?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ps2-just-died-should-i-get-a-ps3-or-another-ps2/500806/2 "2009-06-24T06:33:15Z")

</div>

Here’s the Playstation database, which will give you info on backwards compatibility for the PS3:

[http://www.us.playstation.com/Support/CompatibleStatus](http://www.us.playstation.com/Support/CompatibleStatus)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ps2-just-died-should-i-get-a-ps3-or-another-ps2/500806/3 "2009-06-24T07:07:50Z")

</div>

Sony has not sold a PS3 that is backwards compatible with the PS2 in over a year. You can get one used, but you’ll likely be paying a similar price to a new PS3.

It sounds like you’re better off just dropping $100 on a new PS2. You can put the extra cash towards 10-15 new games.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ps2-just-died-should-i-get-a-ps3-or-another-ps2/500806/4 "2009-06-25T04:51:45Z")

</div>

Yeah, the only way you’re gonna play PS2 games on PS3 is if you buy a used one from the era when they were backward compatible. If you have a lot of PS1 games, I believe they still work on new PS3’s though.

If you really wanted to get into current gen gaming, you could get a new PS2 and a 360 “pro” for the same as you’d spend on a PS3. For less than you’d spend on a PS3 you could get the PS2 and a hard drive free 360 Arcade model. Of course with a 360 you won’t get BluRay, but they will play DVD, as will the PS2, so you’d be set for DVD watching even if either one died.

And if you really don’t want the 360, but are serious about BluRay, you could always consider the PS2 and a standalone BluRay player. That’ll still cost you less than a PS3, unless you get some ridiculously high end BR player.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ps2-just-died-should-i-get-a-ps3-or-another-ps2/500806/5 "2009-06-25T05:09:36Z")

</div>

Wow, that surprises me. I would almost assume backward compatibility as a given. (PS2 was backward compatible with PS1 games, right?)

Why on Earth would they have started off making the consoles backward compatible and then just stopped?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ps2-just-died-should-i-get-a-ps3-or-another-ps2/500806/6 "2009-06-25T05:26:05Z")

</div>

> [@Rigamarole](#):
>
> Wow, that surprises me. I would almost assume backward compatibility as a given. (PS2 was backward compatible with PS1 games, right?)
> 
> Why on Earth would they have started off making the consoles backward compatible and then just stopped?

Here’s a note [from their website:](http://playstation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/playstation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=232&p_sid=k-y79dBj)

> [@](#):
>
> The status of titles may improve as we continually update the PLAYSTATION 3 operating system software, including individual game software updates, so be sure to visit this site often to check on the very latest PLAYSTATION 3 compatibility status for your catalog of PlayStation and PlayStation 2 games.

Oddly, right above that shows the progression of fewer newer PS3s being backwards compatible as they’re released. So the system previously had the technology but then it doesn’t and now they’re trying to “improve” upon it. WTF indeed.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ps2-just-died-should-i-get-a-ps3-or-another-ps2/500806/7 "2009-06-25T05:36:49Z")

</div>

> [@Justin\_Bailey](#):
>
> Sony has not sold a PS3 that is backwards compatible with the PS2 in over a year.

And they are still making new PS2 games?

This is very good to know. I am this \> \< close to buying a 360. and well, I think I just might be \>\< close now.

But, talk me down here. The third place console in the race actually chose to alienate X% of its fanbase from the only generation it actually won? 😕

But, frankly, based on what I saw from E3, Sony is keeping PS2 to compete with the Wii in the “expanding market” market. – Yet at the exact same time, they reveal motion control prototype for PS3. I think it is very clear Sony has no clue what it’s doing.

Slight Hijack :  
Can the 360 play XBX games?  
(Then again, I sold my used Xbox back along with the DVD player and 5 or so games, with 20 bucks just to get my PS2. :smack:)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ps2-just-died-should-i-get-a-ps3-or-another-ps2/500806/8 "2009-06-25T07:34:14Z")

</div>

> [@Meeko](#):
>
> Slight Hijack :  
> Can the 360 play XBX games?

It depends. The XBOX games require a patch to run on XBOX 360. Microsoft has been fairly aggressive getting patches made, but it requires game developers to participate. See [here](http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/backwardcompatibilitygameslist.htm) for a list of XBOX games that are compatible with the 360

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ps2-just-died-should-i-get-a-ps3-or-another-ps2/500806/9 "2009-06-25T07:40:12Z")

</div>

> [@Rigamarole](#):
>
> Wow, that surprises me. I would almost assume backward compatibility as a given. (PS2 was backward compatible with PS1 games, right?)
> 
> Why on Earth would they have started off making the consoles backward compatible and then just stopped?

Cost cutting measure - the backwards compatability wasn’t done through emulation but rather it had some actual ps2 hardware in there.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ps2-just-died-should-i-get-a-ps3-or-another-ps2/500806/10 "2009-06-25T07:46:57Z")

</div>

> [@SenorBeef](#):
>
> Cost cutting measure - the backwards compatability wasn’t done through emulation but rather it had some actual ps2 hardware in there.

Actually it was done first through hardware, and later software emulation, then it was dropped entirely. [Cite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playstation_3#Models)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ps2-just-died-should-i-get-a-ps3-or-another-ps2/500806/11 "2009-06-25T12:02:24Z")

</div>

> [@Meeko](#):
>
> This is very good to know. I am this \> \< close to buying a 360. and well, I think I just might be \>\< close now.

Do it. The 360 is far and away the best console of this generation. I love my Wii, but you really have to be a dedicated fan of Nintendo’s franchises to get the most out of it. The 360 has a little of everything and the XBLA is just fantastic.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ps2-just-died-should-i-get-a-ps3-or-another-ps2/500806/12 "2009-06-25T12:19:42Z")

</div>

> [@squeegee](#):
>
> It depends. The XBOX games require a patch to run on XBOX 360. Microsoft has been fairly aggressive getting patches made, but it requires game developers to participate. See [here](http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/backwardcompatibilitygameslist.htm) for a list of XBOX games that are compatible with the 360

The patch is painless provided your Xbox360 is on the internet.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ps2-just-died-should-i-get-a-ps3-or-another-ps2/500806/13 "2009-06-25T14:11:09Z")

</div>

> [@Rigamarole](#):
>
> Wow, that surprises me. I would almost assume backward compatibility as a given. (PS2 was backward compatible with PS1 games, right?)

Not 100% - quite a few PS1 games ran wobbly on the PS2. I discovered to my dismay that Grandia would freeze pretty much at random. Still playable, but I had to become paranoid about saving.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ps2-just-died-should-i-get-a-ps3-or-another-ps2/500806/14 "2009-06-25T14:34:49Z")

</div>

I have owned a PS1 and a PS2 and I did not buy the PS3, both for cost and for the no backwards compatability. I don’t just sell all my old games, I replay them until they are dead.

I bought an XBox and hell it broke down and I had to send it back to Microsoft - who fixed it in less than 10 days, btw - and I still love my 360.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ps2-just-died-should-i-get-a-ps3-or-another-ps2/500806/15 "2009-06-25T15:17:44Z")

</div>

> [@Meeko](#):
>
> And they are still making new PS2 games?
> 
> This is very good to know. I am this \> \< close to buying a 360. and well, I think I just might be \>\< close now.
> 
> But, talk me down here. The third place console in the race actually chose to alienate X% of its fanbase from the only generation it actually won? 😕
> 
> But, frankly, based on what I saw from E3, Sony is keeping PS2 to compete with the Wii in the “expanding market” market. – Yet at the exact same time, they reveal motion control prototype for PS3. I think it is very clear Sony has no clue what it’s doing.
> 
> Slight Hijack :  
> Can the 360 play XBX games?  
> (Then again, I sold my used Xbox back along with the DVD player and 5 or so games, with 20 bucks just to get my PS2. :smack:)

If you get a 360 and play online, or even want to try it out, we’ve already got a bunch of Dopers that get on and play already.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ps2-just-died-should-i-get-a-ps3-or-another-ps2/500806/16 "2009-06-25T15:23:51Z")

</div>

**Quintas** , did you try [this](http://arstechnica.com/gaming/guides/2003/11/ps2-repair-guide.ars) first? It might fix your disc read error. I tried it last week to no avail, but it might be worth a try for you anyway.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![c\_goat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ps2-just-died-should-i-get-a-ps3-or-another-ps2/500806/17 "2009-06-25T18:58:46Z")

</div>

> [@thelurkinghorror](#):
>
> **Quintas** , did you try [this](http://arstechnica.com/gaming/guides/2003/11/ps2-repair-guide.ars) first? It might fix your disc read error. I tried it last week to no avail, but it might be worth a try for you anyway.

Even better, you might be able to fix it with only scotch tape. Put two pieces on top of the disc one on either side of the hole, maybe about 2 inches long. That used to work for me back in the day, and you can always peel the tape off later if you want (it didn’t ruin my Working Designs discs with images on the discs). Especially if it’s one of the older tray loading models.

|O| Like that, where O is the hole and | are pieces of tape.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ps2-just-died-should-i-get-a-ps3-or-another-ps2/500806/18 "2009-06-25T20:19:57Z")

</div>

Your best option would be to get your hands on an early PS3 that had all the options including SD card reader and hardware PS2 compatability. A PS3 will also play DVDs and Blu-Ray, MP3 files, most video formats like .AVI, and show photos. And surf the Internet, although the browser is clunky IMO.

[HERE](http://shop.ebay.com/items/__ps3-60gb?Condition=New&LH_Auction=1&_dmpt=Video_Games&_fln=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m283) should be a link to an eBay Search for 60GB PS3s. You’ll have to bid, the Buy it Now ones are very expensive!

Older/less popular PS3 games can be had for very little money too, I pick up one for $10 or $15 pretty regularly. Mercenaries 2 and Rock Revolution are my newest two.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ps2-just-died-should-i-get-a-ps3-or-another-ps2/500806/19 "2009-06-25T20:32:05Z")

</div>

> [@control-z](#):
>
> Older/less popular PS3 games can be had for very little money too, I pick up one for $10 or $15 pretty regularly. Mercenaries 2 and Rock Revolution are my newest two.

I have one of the 60GB PS3s. Bought it on craigslist and it was iffy, but Sony sent me a refurb that works fine. I play the occasional PS2 game on it.

Where are you able to find the games at such low prices? Gamestop is still a little on the pricey side for my tastes.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ps2-just-died-should-i-get-a-ps3-or-another-ps2/500806/20 "2009-06-25T20:35:58Z")

</div>

> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#):
>
> I have one of the 60GB PS3s. Bought it on craigslist and it was iffy, but Sony sent me a refurb that works fine. I play the occasional PS2 game on it.
> 
> Where are you able to find the games at such low prices? Gamestop is still a little on the pricey side for my tastes.

[Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com), click on the “More buying options…” and get the games from a third-party seller. Their shipping is usually reasonable, and the sellers are rated similar to eBay. I usually get new or like-new condition, but as long as they work it doesn’t really matter.

[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ps2-just-died-should-i-get-a-ps3-or-another-ps2/500806.md?page=2)