Sony (SNE) has offered backwards compatibility with the PlayStation 2 and select models of the PlayStation 3, however it was rumored that older games would not be supported on the PlayStation 4 due to the move to an AMD chipset. But according to a report from The Wall Street Journal, the company isn’t prepared to leave the classics behind with the release of its new gaming console. Sony will reportedly use technology that it acquired from cloud gaming firm Gaikai last July that can stream older games to the PlayStation 4. It is unclear how the company will charge for streamed games but it may be the case that users will be forced to purchase online versions of games they physically own.
The PlayStation 4 is expected to be equipped with an 8-core AMD processor, 8GB of RAM, 160GB of internal storage and a Blu-ray drive, and it may be capable of running 3D games at 60 frame-per-second at a full HD 1080p resolution.
The Journal’s sources also confirmed earlier reports of enhanced motion-sensing technology and a slightly redesigned controller with an integrated touchpad.
Sony is scheduled to announce its next-generation gaming console at a press conference in New York City on February 20th and BGR will be reporting live from the event.
