Sony Japan files 'backwards compatibility adapter' patent

Tech and gaming website Siliconera reports that Sony Japan has filed a patent for a device that will allow games from previous-generation PlayStation consoles to be played on the PlayStation 3.

Siliconera claims that, according to the Japanese patent database, the "adapter" features its own processor, DVD decoder/emulator, sound and graphic processors. However, the patent is merely at the application stage at this juncture, so  nothing is official.

The ability to play PlayStation and PlayStation 2 titles on the PS3 is a highly requested feature. The original 20GB, 40GB and 60GB models of the PlayStation 3 did in fact support limited backwards compatibility, although this feature was not all encompassing and was actually removed from subsequent models.