PlayStation Classic Pre-Order Success Proves That Gamers Still Love The Classic Gaming Experience
Fondly remember the PSOne experience, and wish there were a way to recapture it? Now there is, thanks to the advent of the PlayStation Classic, a new, miniaturized version of the original PlayStation console.
We only found out that the PlayStation Classic exists the other day, but pre-orders are already flying off the shelves at retailers. In fact, Best Buy, Walmart and Amazon have run out of stock, while supplies are dwindling at GameStop and Target.
If you order the console, you receive the unit itself along two controllers (also in the classic style) and 20 classic games which will be loaded in via old-fashion memory card slots. We are still awaiting a full list, but we know that titles will include Tekken 3, Wild Arms, Final Fantasy VII, Jumping Flash and Ridge Racer Type 4.
Those who have followed the controversy surrounding Sony’s refusal to integrate backwards compatibility into the PS4 are probably aware that Jim Ryan, the global head of sales, was quoted as telling Time at one point, “When we’ve dabbled with backwards compatibility, I can say it is one of those features that is much requested, but not actually used much. That, and I was at a Gran Turismo event recently where they had PS1, PS2, PS3 and PS4 games, and the PS1 and the PS2 games, they looked ancient, like why would anybody play this?”
Clearly, Sony is suffering from some cognitive dissonance—or just flat-out hypocrisy. Obviously they recognize the appeal of old games, which is why they released PlayStation Classic. And yet they still refuse to acknowledge the importance of backwards compatibility (even to the point of insulting their old catalog of games).
These pre-orders should prove a point to Sony and to the world. Gamers do want to play their old games, and those nostalgic experiences are actually in really high demand. Let’s hope that Sony learns from this and makes the PlayStation 5 backwards compatible after all. It’d certainly require fewer company resources than releasing new, miniaturized versions of all our favorite old consoles.
In the meantime, get those PlayStation Classic pre-orders in while you have a chance–because it is undeniably ridiculously cool! We’ll be sure to update you when retailers like Amazon are able to replenish their stocks and start taking new orders again.