Just when the 60GB PS3 got all hot and heavy on you like an italian stallion in heat and a hundred bucks cheaper so you don't have to keep your 2nd job at Taco Bell, the 80GB PS3 came along and showed us no emotion!

http://blog.wired.com/games/2007/07/backward-compat.html

There had to be a catch, right? GamesIndustry.biz reports that the just-announced 80 GB model of PlayStation 3 won't have the hardware-based backward compatibility of the current model. Says Sony spokesperson Kimberly Otzman:

The current 60 GB model utilizes a hardware and solution for backwards compatibility, namely the Emotion Engine chip. The new 80 GB PS3 will use a software solution for backwards compatibility, similar to that currently found in the PAL model.

 

why doesn't people just take the extra $100 they save by buying the 60GB model (which has the EE) and just upgrade the HDD to 250GB? Seriously I just went to Staples web site and they have 250GB SATA drives for $99.

probably cuz not everyone knows how to do the harddrive update. or that they didnt really care about the harddrive and just want the title of a more "premium 80 gig"? i wouldn't mind a 299 20 gig. :P

 probably because they are to stupid if they dont know how to look in the manual since it has step by step instructions on how to do it.

Fact: 98% of consumers do not read the manual before using the electronics device for the first time.

Ok... so how many complaints have we heard about the European Software BC up till today? Oh, none. That's right.

On March 20, 2007 Sony released a compatibility list; 1,782 of the 2,451 PS2 games (72%) released in Europe had noticeable issues, minor issues or no known issues, with the remainder being incompatible with the console.

Do we actually have a confirmation that the European models do NOT have the Emotion Chip in them?

The launch ones definitely did - so when the shipments change (if at all)?

...

It should be fine though - and games may even look better. Its a pretty significant change to the hardware though.

EDIT - ok looks like I wrong - launch Europe PS3s had no Emotion chip?

From Wikipedia:

Removal of hardware support
In order to reduce manufacturing costs, the Emotion Engine (EE) and Graphics Synthesizer (GS) are not included in PAL or South Korean consoles. As originally planned, dedicated hardware support has since been removed from the North American and Japanese models. The new 80 GB model released in North America will also lack hardware support for legacy titles.

Software emulation is used in place of hardware support and as a result, backward compatibility for PlayStation and PlayStation 2 games is reduced. Backward compatibility is improved periodically through PlayStation 3 System Software updates, however Sony has stated that its focus will shift to developing content exclusively for the PS3.

On March 20, 2007 Sony released a compatibility list; 1,782 of the 2,451 PS2 games (72%) released in Europe had noticeable issues, minor issues or no known issues, with the remainder being incompatible with the console. In system software update v1.80, support was added for upscaling of PlayStation and PlayStation 2 games when using software emulation. Upscaling can improve picture quality in some situations.

Small in the bigger picture of things, I'm sure backwards compatibility will continually be improved as well.