https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DvTymeroPU

Despite Sony Interactive Entertainment’s refusal to include backwards compatibility for PlayStation 2 games on PlayStation 4 (and their sidestep offering paid re-releases of select PS2 games), fans still want to play older PlayStation games natively on the latest hardware. Now, fans have reportedly gotten PS2 games to run on PS4 hardware.

The news comes via popular Spanish gaming site Elotrolado, who reported on a new tool, PS2 Pub Gen, created by cfwprophet that allows users to back up their PS2 games from a disc and subsequently run them on PlayStation 4. The exploit is based on the work from another modder, flatz, who used the exploit to play backed up PS4 games.

The exploit was then tested on PS2 games like Klonoa 2 running on PS4 and it worked. The interesting tidbit is that this exploit wouldn’t allow for Klonoa 2 to run on PlayStation 3, meaning the PS4 hardware and or its PS2 emulator are either superior or better optimized compared to the PS3’s built-in PS2 emulator.

This has all been made possible with the PS4HEN homebrew code enabling method, which ultimately let users load backup copies of games. Featured above, you can view a recording of Klonoa 2 running on the PS4.

It’s worth mentioning these exploits are regularly blocked by Sony with new firmware updates, meaning you’ll need a PlayStation 4 that is running firmware 4.05 or older for it to work.

How do you feel about users being able to run PS2 games on PS4 natively via homebrew code? Should Sony finally offer native backwards compatibility on the console? Sound off in the comments below!