Forums > News > New platform added

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Corn Popper (69030) on 12/17/2011 4:23 PM · Permalink · Report

Yup, another one added on the day of launch... PS Vita

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CrankyStorming (2927) on 12/17/2011 6:17 PM · Permalink · Report

So how are we going to look at PSP downloads? Are we going to add new platforms to the games currently downloadable or treat the Vita like the iPad and just assume the PSP games are compatible?

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Sciere (927124) on 12/17/2011 8:35 PM · edited · Permalink · Report

That's a hard one. iPhone games were not developed with the iPad in mind before the existence of the latter. PS1 games were not created initially with the intention to be backwards compatible with a then unannounced PS2. In both cases games were not released for the new system, they just happened to be compatible because of how the new system was designed afterwards.

It's different for the PS Vita because three systems draw from the same PSN Store source now: PS3, PSP, Vita. Games prior to Vita's launch were not "released" for Vita, but once the device is available, a new PSN release is equal for the three systems. We could propose that only PSN games made available after Vita's launch (and per territory date) can have Vita as an additional platform. An older release that is updated (made available in full again after the launch date) would also apply. If Nintendo were to release an official N64 emulator for Windows, we wouldn't add Windows as a new platform for each N64 entry unless Nintendo "released" each game again.

We could also just add any PSN game as an additional platform, because we already broke this rule for the PS3. It took until system update 3.15 (source) on 10 December 2009 before Minis could be played on a PS3. Previously they only ran on PSP. Because of that, many Minis here on the site have the 10 December PS3 date. Not because they were released on that date, but because that was the day you could play them on the PS3.

The rule was broken in a different way for the iPad. They have the Universal App label (tailored for both iPhone and iPad) and iPad-only games, but technically you can run any iPhone-specific game on the iPad. Still not every iPhone game has the iPad platform listed, because it would be hard to see which games have optimized versions (would need to be a tech spec) and some of these were released before the iPad was even available, so some dates just would not make any sense. Still, we have stood by the "what you can buy" mantra in the past, and that would contradict that: yes you can buy a 2010 Mini to play on your PlayStation Vita, but you can't explain a 2010 release date for a 2011 system.

We should be careful anyway: "it appears Famitsu has gotten confirmation that the Game Archives, which allows you to play PSOne classics, will not be available at launch for the Japanese release date that is fast approaching. Sony has however stated that there are plans for it in the future, but no exact date was given (source).

This is not an official guideline. Corn Popper/GameFly defines them.

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Lain Crowley (6630) on 12/17/2011 11:20 PM · Permalink · Report

Well, how are we handling DSi Ware releases? It's the same situation, isn't it?

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Sciere (927124) on 12/17/2011 11:28 PM · Permalink · Report

All additional platforms, with the release date as the system's launch date...

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vedder (70685) on 12/22/2011 5:34 PM · Permalink · Report

There's a game in the queue for both DSiWare and 3DSWare. From your comment I understand I should approve both platforms?

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Sciere (927124) on 12/22/2011 5:38 PM · Permalink · Report

I'd like Rob to weigh in, he's the one who makes the policies.

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Corn Popper (69030) on 12/22/2011 9:14 PM · Permalink · Report

Not sure why they wouldn't be ok...

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vedder (70685) on 12/22/2011 9:33 PM · Permalink · Report

I was under the impression that all DSiWare is automatically also available on the 3DSWare store. Although I'm not 100% certain about that.

Cause if that's the case it's more of an iPhone/iPad situation with only games using specific functions of the 3DS requiring listing as a 3DS game.

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Corn Popper (69030) on 12/23/2011 4:50 AM · Permalink · Report

yeah I would not assume they are under both unless you have both platforms to verify

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Lain Crowley (6630) on 12/23/2011 8:04 AM · Permalink · Report

On the subject of backwards compatibility, Vita approvers should be aware that PSP game backwards compatibility is not 100%. NIS has said that Criminal Girls will not play on the Vita.

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j.raido 【雷堂嬢太朗】 (93195) on 12/23/2011 8:29 AM · Permalink · Report

In that particular case, it's not much of a loss.

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Starbuck the Third (22608) on 12/18/2011 4:12 PM · Permalink · Report

Well my personal thinking is that if it can be played on console X,Y, and Z, the games rap sheet should list it as being released on consoles X,Y and Z, assuming it was officially released for it, mind you.