For avid gamers, the ability to fire up an old console and immerse oneself in a classic is a nostalgic experience that lets them reminisce their younger days. Sadly, not everyone shares in this privilege, which leaves a significant number of gamers dependent on emulators to bridge this gap.
Peacock’s post-apocalyptic comedy series Twisted Metal recently made its debut, driving fans back to playing the very same vehicular combat game it’s adapted from. Luckily, those who could not access the earlier generation PlayStation consoles were not shut out from the experience, thanks to Sony’s PlayStation 2 emulator, which is designed to breathe life into retro titles.
Unfortunately, most players did not enjoy playing the classic series due to a myriad of performance-related issues that heavily marred the gameplay experience. Thankfully, a new report indicates that Sony could be in the process of developing an improved PS2 emulator, aiming to address the issues tied to the existing one.
In a video discussing classic games on the PlayStation 5, Mystic, a well-regarded gaming insider and prominent content creator, confidently asserted that he has it on “good authority” that Sony is actively working on a new PS2 emulator, though it’s not ready to show anything at this stage.
ResetEra was the first to pick up on this, which prompted Mystic to further clarify his thoughts on this matter over on the r/GamingLeaksandRumors subreddit, stating:
Never thought I’d appear on this subreddit lol. So just for context: Yes I did hear about this but more or less this seemed safe enough to say given the current emulator isn’t very good and many PS2 games are broken on PS5 through backwards compatibility. This should be expected.
But I do prefer to aggregate news on the channel so I really didn’t intend to make this sound like a big scoop or something. I don’t really do that normally. Having said that, no clue when this is coming. And just a little CYA moment: if it doesn’t happen, apologies for getting hopes up!
Those familiar with Mystic can attest that he rarely, if ever, deals with gaming leaks, which enhances his credibility on this matter above that of other gaming insiders. It’s certainly reasonable to assume that Sony is in the process of developing a new and better PS2 emulator, particularly in light of the recent rise in PlayStation Plus subscription fees.
While Sony defended this unpopular move by citing the intention to “continue bringing high-quality games and value-added benefits to your PlayStation Plus subscription service,” it notably omitted any specifics on said benefits. Should a new PS2 emulator be the compensation for these increased costs, most gamers would likely regard it as a reasonable trade-off.
The PlayStation 2 currently holds the crown as the ultimate best-selling gaming console, having shipped an incredible 155 million units to date. Reviving beloved classic titles that played a pivotal role in elevating the stature of this sixth-generation console is a prudent strategy to increase subscriptions for PlayStation Plus and, more importantly, to retain existing subscribers.
Would you like to see a new PlayStation 2 emulator, or are you still holding out for a PlayStation 3 emulator? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
