NGP backwardly compatible with digital titles

Sony has confirmed that the NGP will definitely be backwardly compatible with games for the original PSP – as long as they have received a digital release.

Andriasang reports that the compatibility will be powered by software emulation and not by any dedicated on-board circuitry.

However, as was seen with the PSPgo, there will be no provision for the running of UMD-based titles. Instead, the NGP will be able to run games released digital over PSN.

The good news for current PSP owners is that they will be able to re-download any titles previously purchased for their older device on their new machine.

And Sony is believed to be asking developers to prepare digital versions of titles that have not yet been converted from UMD.

As has been previously reported, NGP games will ship on a custom memory card that will include re-writable space for the saving of DLC and user data. Sony has also confirmed support for traditional memory cards – presumably SD.

Day-and-date release on PSN alongside retail games has not been confirmed.

The very first models of the PS3 included dedicated PS2 chips on their motherboard for PS2 emulation, though later models ditched this in favour of a software-based emulation solution, Eventually this was also dropped, meaning current machines cannot run PS2 software.