They CAN, but there are SERIOUS REASONS why they probably won't. And the reasons are financial.
Here is the C/P of my post f
rom the other thread about this situation:
It was last week when we all finally learned what it seems to be the most crucial information regarding PS4 architecture and USB-access. In the thread
"Why did Sony go backwards on USB/hid compatibility?!" it was Androwsky who shared the final piece of the puzzle:
So, on the PS4, the USB/HID compatibility is 100% supported, but it has been moved from the first onto the second layer API. So, basically, every device has to be authenticated by the OS and granted the USB/HID access.
I am absolutely certain it was done because of the piracy (infamous PS3 USB dongles), but it also gave Sony something similar - thus not the same - as Microsoft is doing for the past 3 generation of Xbox consoles - and that is direct control over USB slave-devices.
In addition, here is the quote from the CTlance form the same thread:
Now, to continue.
Xbox consoles are the one that
also have security chip. It is called "Infineon Chip" and it is part of the every single Xbox-compatible device, from the foist Xbox, Xbox360 and XboxOne. For instance, all Fanatec Xbox360 compatible wheels - PWTS, GT2, CSR, CSRE - have it soldered on their motherboards. Without "Infineon Chip" no hardware is recognized by the Xbox.
I will quote MrBasher from the GTPlanet for this - he is the guy who is basically producing majority of cross-compatibility wheel/pedals equipment and he is 100% reliable source:
Logitech have the experience and knowledge about the "chip" however, they were licensing the Driving FX X360 wheel for the short period of time, but they stopped the further developments in the early 2008. I still have many quotes from the official Logitech forum from that time, but they are not so relevant for this discussion. However, you can find more info about that here, in
this 2009 topic.
And as I said before, I see why they could go that far to make that claim. But before that, few more things.
If the "chip" was real and behaving as "gate keeper", there is no way on Earth that T500RS could be supported - but it not just T500RS in the picture. As we learned a month ago from the
officially published list of supported wheels for the PS4 for the pCARS, there are two more "older/legacy" wheels then upcoming new T300RS - which is the only wheel that could have "security chip", if the one ever existed:
T80 - which is not a force feedback wheels, it basically emulated controller, and
T100 - which is a proper force feedback wheel
But it is actually a
T100 where it really gets interesting today.
Why?
Because T100 is different than all other Thrustmaster wheels. And what is different? Well, its own API/SDK. Which is not Thrustmaster's HEART,
but the one that is licensed by the infamous Immersion Company, called TouchSense, and used by all Logitech wheels in the past decade.
So, if Thrustmaster's own PR people were wrong and they simply let SMS to publish such list without noticing their own mistake, we can pretty much conclude how PS4 will actually support a TouchSense powered FFB wheel - as long as it is Thrustmasters'.
Nifty, yes?
So, finally to make my comment.
There are only 2 possible explanations for such PR move by Logitech.
First possible explanation:
They do not want to become the party that will suffer the negativity once the information about non-compatibility of Logitech devices on the PS4 start to enter the mainstream channels. This is simply a spin in order to "wash hands", but in the same time to save the Immersion Corporation -
which is still a Logitech's partner - from the same negativity. By doing this "chip talk" they want to divert everything at Sony, because they do not see the logic in paying additional royalties to both Immersion and Sony to have their old (legacy) wheels supported on the new platform (we learned from the legendary 2005-2007 case how Immersion grants its patents on the platform-base - PS4 is a new "platform/console", so no automatically transfer of licenses apply).
To quote paragraph 1.7. from the "
settlement":
And most important, paragraphs that describes the validity of the settlement:
Key words - "does not include PSP, PS1, PS3 or PS2 or any other gaming platform".
PS4 was not part of the 2007 "settlement", which was never described by settlement by either Sony or Immersion, because it would violate the terms of the prior settlement between Microsoft and Immersion, but that is another story (although not less interesting).
Second possible explanation:
Logitech is indeed making its new wheel, despite all official news.
We heard about it here on NeoGaf but there was not new info. However, if that one is true, making such "security chip" comment has all the sense in the world. Why? Because you have to explain somehow to the legacy-users army why your new wheel works with the PS4, but old ones does not. And from the previous experience - as well as from the aforementioned fact how Logitech is still an Immersion Corporation technological partner - it can be presumed how new wheel would probably continue to use TouchSense as its API/SDK.
It all makes too much sense.
Of course, time will tell, but all above are the reasons why I personally think how "security chip" reasoning is 100% hoax.
Everything we learned in past months - most notably from pCARS PS4 wheel-list and information about moving USB/HID at the second layer in PS4 - points that even Sony was no so transparent about the complete issue because they said how
support relies on developer...
From the official PS4 FAQ:
..while it is clearly in the hands of Sony to enable/disable particular device support on their console.
And it also gives full logical afterthought on comment from Thomas from Fanatec when I was
discussing this very situation on GTPlanet few weeks ago, before I learned new details:
To conclude, I can today almost completely understand why Sony does not want to magically enable all legacy wheels, from many reasons.
First, they have new hardware partner - Thrustmaster - who probably paid reasonable sum of money to be the
Official hardware partner of SCE.
Second, they have no intention to pay additional amount of money to Immersion company to enable compatibility for the legacy devices - because they would be forced to pay vast amount of money - simply because the 2007 settlement says the following for the very
devices:
..and
games..
And we learned from
2008 counter-suit of Microsoft against Immersion over Sony agreement (settlement) how Sony would need to pay "... another $10 million, plus a royalty of 25 cents for each game sold".
Now compute.
Major congratulations to all of those who read all this.