When thePS4first launched, one of the major complaints fans had with it was itslack of backwards compatibility. This was glaringly obvious when compared to the PS3, which was even capable of playing old PS1 games. Naturally, there are those that have tried to find their own solution to the problem.
Since its release, hackers have been working on thePS4in an attempt to add backwards compatibility to the system. Although simply enabling the PS4 to run PS2 discs is still quite a long ways away, they were able to make the PS4 run emulated PS2 games in the same way it runs PS Classics.
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As a disclaimer, it’s worth saying thatit is not recommended to hack, unlock, or jailbreak a PS4. Although it can clearly allow for more control over the system, it also compromises the safety and integrity of the console and can cause a lot of problems for users that aren’t well versed in its inner workings.
The emulator currently only works on the PS4 version 4.05 firmware, and since that firmware has since been updated, this won’t work on most PS4s anymore. There is currently no way to downgrade to previous firmwares, so only older PS4s which haven’t been updated past this point can make use of the emulator. There are other limitations as well, as a PS4 at that firmware will be incapable of playing some of the more recentPS4 games which rely on newer firmwares, making the whole thing something of a gamble.
There is also an ethical side to this conundrum, as the hacking and unlocking of a PS4 not only allows players to emulate old PS2 games, but also would enable the piracy of PS4 games. Sony has gone to great lengths to ensure that its software and the software of its business partners remains secure, but once a PS4 is unlocked there isn’t much it can do.Pirating games hurts the entire industry, and there are also a lot of other limitations to the PS2 games available on the new PS4 emulator such as graphics and audio bugs.
Still, it is pretty amazing what hackers can manage to do, and they will no doubt continue to work on the PS4, expanding the library of PS2 games it can emulate, even after the PS5 releases this holiday season. Thankfully, thePS5 will be backwards compatible with PS4 games, so these kinds of extreme measures won’t be as necessary in that regard.
