Sony Waves Goodbye to PlayStation 3 As the Console Drops PlayStation Store Support

[AleksandarK]

According to the latest information coming from The Gamer, Sony is in the process of permanently closing the PlayStation Store support for its older consoles. That includes the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, and PlayStation Portable. According to the source, "PSP's and PS3's [PSN] stores are to be closed on July 2, while the PS Vita store will stay open until August 27. After those dates, you will no longer be able to purchase digital copies of games or DLC for any of the Sony consoles mentioned above". This is marking an end of an era, as those are the consoles that sold in millions and are very well known in the gaming community.

The official announcement is expected to follow after this, however, we still don't know when Sony will address this officially. It shows that the company is now focusing on more modern consoles and that the 9-year-old PS Vita, 13-year-old PS3, and 16-year-old PSP are considered legacy now. The remaining consoles are the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 4 Pro, and the latest PlayStation 5, which are all going to be supported by the PlayStation Store for a while.


View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[BSim500]

Understandable from a business sense, but this is ultimately why I own (and always will own) a PC instead of a console and can buy and install PC games going all the way back to the late 70's (plus emulators of a multitude of defunct consoles) and have them function and be treated no differently to games bought last week without any artificial "lifespan" restrictions...

 

[Ruru]

Damn, I need to grab everything I need before that. I suppose that I still can re-download everything I've bought already?

 

[Chomiq]

Understandable from a business sense, but this is ultimately why I own (and always will own) a PC instead of a console and can buy and install PC games going all the way back to the late 70's (plus emulators of a multitude of defunct consoles) and have them function and be treated no differently to games bought last week without any artificial "lifespan" restrictions...

Unless that PC game uses some stupid copy protection or online service that no longer works in 202x.

 

[_JP_]

This would be the last console that had fully disk-focused games, hopefully the updates will remain available otherwise this becomes hardcore abadonware before it reaches 20 years of existance.
They could enable linux support for this again by now. Just protect your damn security keys for once, Sony!

 

[GeorgeMan]

It's understandable for PS3/PSP that are far more than a decade old, but no so much for PS Vita, because many games for PS4 are still also sold for Vita or as a bundle for both.

If someone wants to always have their digital games, they can download them now and clone the disk/storage medium.

 

[ratirt]

Damn, I need to grab everything I need before that. I suppose that I still can re-download everything I've bought already?

Same here. Grab whatever is there to grab and maybe some sales are in order as a consolation prize.

 

[BSim500]

Unless that PC game uses some stupid copy protection or online service that no longer works in 202x.

Unlike consoles though most of that can be "handled" one way or another. A lot of old games also officially remove it via patches / dirt cheap versions get re-released on GOG. Source-ports for older games exist that both sidestep it and extend the life of a game more than ever. I have over 2,000 games stretching back 35 years, and hardly any have become unplayable for artificial DRM reasons that couldn't be "worked around". Console's "walled gardens" + lack of modding are much more out of your control for long-term game preservation.

 

[Chomiq]

Unlike consoles though most of that can be "handled" one way or another. A lot of old games also officially remove it via patches / dirt cheap versions get re-released on GOG. Source-ports for older games exist that both sidestep it and extend the life of a game more than ever. I have over 2,000 games stretching back 35 years, and hardly any have become unplayable for artificial DRM reasons that couldn't be "worked around". Console's "walled gardens" + lack of modding are much more out of your control for long-term game preservation.

Oh I get it, you can't mod a PS3 and Vita to run "backup" copies. Right...

 

[BSim500]

Oh I get it, you can't mod a PS3 and Vita to run "backup" copies. Right...

It's more like being able to play a 2021 game one minute, then maybe GZDoom the next, then Prey the next, then Baldur's Gate the next really shouldn't be any different or "special" vs listening to / reading a 2021 CD / book one minute, then a centuries old classical composition / novel the next, or perhaps watching a new 2021 movie one minute then a classic like Die Hard, The Matrix or Casablanca the next. For some reason, this basic level of functionality accepted for every other form of entertainment (movies, music, books, etc) massively triggers some people when applied to video games due to being reminded that "walled gardens" are not that consumer friendly over the long-run..

 

[sepheronx]

It was funny cause recently (I think it was about a couple months ago or so), Sony released an update for the PS3 that was to pretty much stop all the jailbreaking that was going on with PS3. That was bypassed anyway. Maybe they are giving up now?

 

[R00kie]

This is basically why people keep physical copies still, shit like this is why I never trust these online markets.

 

[ShurikN]

From eurogamer:

There's no indication of how the move might affect games purchased prior to the store closures as yet - presumably players will still be able to re-download their purchases as required - but more should be revealed in Sony's official announcement, due at the end of March.

 

[1d10t]

Hasn't the PS3 store already dead since 2011 in the hand of Lord KMeaw?

 

[AsRock]

Damn, I need to grab everything I need before that. I suppose that I still can re-download everything I've bought already?

I bet they are counting on it too, Ching Ching.

Unless that PC game uses some stupid copy protection or online service that no longer works in 202x.

HAHA, No. plenty a .exe hacks out there.

 

[Camm]

Backups are currently ticket authed by the PS3/Vita/PSP store. Backups are essentially useless.

 

[neatfeatguy]

Only thing I use my PS3 for any more these days is the few dozen times the kids want to stream something on the upstairs TV from Netflix. I could honestly just bypass the that need and pickup a Roku for the TV.

I didn't even know that the Playstation store was still active for the PS3. I haven't played a game on the PS3 for nearly a decade.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

If there was ever a good excuse for homebrew -- now is definitely good one (if possible)

 

[lexluthermiester]

I suppose that I still can re-download everything I've bought already?

Do not make that assumption. Look at the Wii Shop. Not only can you not buy anymore titles, but you can't redownload anything either. Anything you paid for is gone unless you softmod your Wii and install games by "other" means. This is why I will not buy digital on consoles, you don't really own anything and when the store operator decides to shutdown, you're boned. To me it's legalized theft.

So, you're likely going need to unlock/jailbreak/mod your PS3 going forward.

If there was ever a good excuse for homebrew -- now is definitely good one (if possible)

Couldn't agree more!

 

[The Quim Reaper]

It really was a steaming POS, the PS3....

 

[MIRTAZAPINE]

This is sad. I wish those online games and dlc are archieved. I played the ps3 but I never used PSN before. There have been supporting the store for more than 10 years and I have to give it to them for that. This sucks though as PS3 is also the console where backward compatibility was removed too leaving you with PSN to play your old games. As convenient as online download service is, their bad at the end of the day as you are at the mercy of the service if they decided to pull the plug out.

They have to pry cd from my cold dead hands. Also long-live preservation backups and game archievist! I just hope the ps3 exlcusive games don't die out with the end of PS3. The psp/ps3 era is the one I have the most fond memories off. Ps3 was a machine ahead of its time with its streaming service and bluray.

 

[lexluthermiester]

It really was a steaming POS, the PS3....

As opposed to what, XB360? Good grief...

 

[sam_86314]

This is sad. I wish those online games and dlc are archieved. I played the ps3 but I never used PSN before. There have been supporting the store for more than 10 years and I have to give it to them for that. This sucks though as PS3 is also the console where backward compatibility was removed too leaving you with PSN to play your old games. As convenient as online download service is, their bad at the end of the day as you are at the mercy of the service if they decided to pull the plug out.

They have to pry cd from my cold dead hands. Also long-live preservation backups and game archievist! I just hope the ps3 exlcusive games don't die out with the end of PS3. The psp/ps3 era is the one I have the most fond memories off. Ps3 was a machine ahead of its time with its streaming service and bluray.

Don't worry, people are really good at archiving things despite copyright law's best efforts.

Hell, there are several projects archiving PlayStation Home, which was abandoned and shut down in 2015. DestinationHome is the one I mess with sometimes, and it runs really well in RPCS3.

I would say this would be the end of my PSPgo after nearly eleven years of service, but I'm sure I can find a way to keep using it.

 

[hat]

I've been using a modded PS3 to run an NES emulator to play a patched version of a NES version of a PS1 game. The PS3 store being closed has no effect on this. In fact, I don't allow my console to connect to the network unless I need FTP access or something, least an update be pushed that breaks everything.

 

[skizzo]

I bet they are counting on it too, Ching Ching.





HAHA, No. plenty a .exe hacks out there.

that does not consider the online requirement stuff.....think of the modern Hitman games....you actually need to be connected to the internet to even get 99% (if not all) of the progression items. should those servers ever go down for good, lets hope the game got a patch removing said internet connectivity requirement or you will not be able to even play the game as intended because you cannot earn anything like weapons, disguises, starting locations, etc.

I know what you're trying to do with the holier than thou PCMR attitude, and do agree in the sense I game on my PC because I believe it is better in comparison. Last console I bought was an xbox 360 in like '05/06......but there are there are still concerns with PC gaming too and not owning physical copies and requiring online connections.



On the flip side, funny how no one talks about the POSITIVES of online stuff in games these days. you can have your console or PC burn up in friggin fire, buy/build a new game system, and then once you link up your user account redownload all your games with their progress saves and its like the fire never even happened. It really isn't all negative, its a double edged sword really.