Sony adds classic PS2 titles to PSN, hopes we’ll forget a backwards-incompatible past

In a reversal of its trend towards squashing PlayStation 2 backwards compatibility, Sony has (quietly) added some memorable PS2 classics to PlayStation Network for the first time, including Odin Sphere, Maximo: Ghosts to Glory, GrimGrimoire, Ring of Red, and God Hand, all of which are available today for $9.99 each. This update is a boon for many PlayStation 3 owners who have long been wandering in the labyrinth of inconsistent PS2 compatibility — Sony has released thirteen PS3 models since its debut in 2006, and they all have different sensibilities when it comes to playing classic titles. While the addition of these classic games won't magically make your PS3 play PS2 discs, it does give PS3 owners hope that more classics will be ported over in the future. There's no word yet about whether the oldies will be updated with trophies or other PS3 features, but if they are, we might see an uptick in retroactive bragging rights.