Ever since the release of the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, PlayStation fans have been hoping for true backwards compatibility on their consoles. Although players are still unable to experience the full catalogue of PS1 to PS3 games in contemporary consoles, the PlayStation community has taken one small stride towards backwards compatibility with the release of 8BitDo’s Retro Receiver, allowing modern-day controllers to be used for PS1 and PS2 consoles.
This is not the first time this year 8BitDo has released something nostalgic, with its most recent outing being a mechanical keyboard inspired by Nintendo’s classic consoles. Nevertheless, the 8BitDo Retro Receiver’s design evokes the same retrograde feel, rocking an iconic PS1 grey for its casing along with the special 9-pin Sony Playstation connector port. The receiver is compatible with most modern video game controllers including the PlayStation 5 DualSense and PlayStation 4 DualShock controllers, controllers for Xbox One and Xbox One Series S/X consoles, and Nintendo Switch Pro controller.
Pairing your favourite controllers to play retro PS1 and PS2 games is as easy as plug-and-play too. The 8BitDo Retro Receiver supports Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) and also comes with a USB cable for wired connections.
The 8BitDo Retro Receiver is priced at US$24.99 / S$33.65, and can be purchased through 8BitDo’s official website and on Amazon. The receiver is more than just a retro enthusiast’s dream come true. It can very well symbolise the desire of PlayStation fans to be able to play games from a bygone era natively in contemporary consoles. Maybe — just maybe — our shiny new PlayStation consoles can finally read our dusty PS1, PS2, and PS3 game discs one day.Â
Crack open a cold one with Joey, because the moment you approach him, he will start talking about film and video games for days. He spends his waking moments during the weekends meditating on how the latest movie he’s watched or game he’s played has impacted his worldview.
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