The news that Sony is being sued after removing support for Linux from the PlayStation 3 serves as a reminder that the console has changed quite a bit since its release. While we have a new, slimmer version of the PS3, many of these changes have come as a result of Sony removing features that were once heralded as selling points for the console. Sony doesn't seem to be able to make up its mind about what is important and what can go. Here's a look at how the company's stance has changed as features have been dropped.

Rumble

When Sony originally unveiled the Sixaxis—the original PS3 controller, which supported motion support but not rumble—Phil Harrison, former head of SCE worldwide studios dismissed the importance of rumble, saying:

"I believe that the Sixaxis controller offers game designers and developers far more opportunity for future innovation than rumble ever did. Now, rumble I think was the last generation feature; it's not the next-generation feature. I think motion sensitivity is. And we don't see the need to do that. Having said that, there will be specific game function controllers, potentially like steering wheels that do include vibration or feedback function—not from us but from third parties."

But when Sony settled its lawsuit with Immersion and released the Dual Shock 3, its stance on rumble was much different, as the company released a statement saying "The new controller will also benefit PS3 content creators, by giving them the ability to further expand their creative imagination."

This flip-flop was even acknowledged by Sony. Phil Harrison played politics to try to downplay Sony's old stance about rumble. "As to previous statements that I made; we were in a lawsuit—what do you expect me to say? We were in a lawsuit. We were in litigation. Of course I have to defend our view. And actually, I still truly believe that having the Sixaxis controller the way it is is the best way to control games. And I think that we're looking forward to working with Immersion going forward, and who knows where that is leading us."

Backwards compatibility

The PS3's predecessor was an enormous success, and it boasted one of the largest libraries of any game console. So the ability to play all those games on the new PS3 was a big selling point. "PSone runs on the PlayStation 2 through emulation rather than actual hardware. PlayStation 3 will offer the same compatibility for PS2 software and the format will continue forever," Ken Kutaragi said back in 2003. Backwards compatibility has long been touted as a major selling point of PlayStation hardware, allowing gamers to enjoy their existing catalog of games.

"Backwards compatibility, as you know from PlayStation One and PlayStation 2, is a core value of what we believe we should offer," Phil Harrison said in 2006. "And access to the library of content people have created, bought for themselves, and accumulated over the years is necessary to create a format. PlayStation is a format, meaning that it transcends many devices—PSOne, PS2, and now PS3."

When the feature was dropped from new models starting in 2007, SCEA president Jack Tretton said "backward compatibility is a nice secondary consideration, but it's far from the number-one priority."

And there appears to be little possibility that it will return, as Sony's John Koller told Ars. "It's not coming back, so let me put that on the table. But it's all people ever talk about! It's not as big as a purchase intent driver as you may be hearing. We've got such a substantial lineup of titles on the PS3; most people are buying the PS3 for PS3 games. They've buying it for PS3 games and Blu-ray movies. That won't be returning."

Linux

Which brings us to the removal of Linux. While not necessarily a huge selling point, on several occasions Sony did boast about the feature. In 2006, Harrison said that combining Linux support with the PS3's other features essentially made the PC obsolete.

"We believe that the PS3 will be the place where our users play games, watch films, browse the Web, and use other computer functions. The PlayStation 3 is a computer. We do not need the PC."

That stance was repeated multiple times. Phil Harrison stated "One of the most powerful things about the PS3 is the 'Install Other OS' option." Sony engineer Geoffrey Levand wrote to a PS3 mailing list in August 2009, "Please be assured that SCE is committed to continue to support for previously sold models that have the 'Install Other OS' feature and that this feature will not be disabled in future firmware releases."

But once the PS3 was subject to "security concerns," presumably related to the console being hacked, Sony wasted no time in removing the feature.

"This feature enabled users to install an operating system, but due to security concerns, Sony Computer Entertainment will remove the functionality through the 3.21 system software update," the company stated. "In addition, disabling the 'Other OS' feature will help ensure that PS3 owners will continue to have access to the broad range of gaming and entertainment content from SCE and its content partners on a more secure system."

What's next?

What is most concerning about Sony's constantly changing stance is that it could be setting a dangerous precedent: features that once may have sold you on a console could no longer be available once you actually purchase it. Sony's history of making flat, declarative statements only to directly contradict themselves is troubling, and should be remembered. The PlayStation 3 has gained and lost many features, but the take-away is that all statements made by the company should be looked at critically, with the past flip-flops kept in the front of your mind.