While preservationists lucked out when PlayStation decided to not shut down the digital storefronts for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita, it seems like Sony is still keen on reminding players that these two systems are definitely on their way out, eventually. Starting on October 27th, credit and debit card payments as well as PayPal will no longer be accepted as valid options on either the PS3 or Vita. You'll still be able to make purchases, but it'll require you to specifically buy PlayStation Store gift cards to add to your account balance, through the web PSN Store or on PS4 or PS5, after which you can then use to buy games.

From 27th October, 2021, you will no longer be able to use a credit or debit card or a payment method such as PayPal to buy digital content or add funds to your wallet when visiting PlayStation™Store on your PS3™ console or PS Vita system.

To buy digital content for your PS3 console or PS Vita system, you must first add sufficient funds to your wallet on PlayStation Store. You can add funds by redeeming a PlayStation Store gift card, or using a credit or debit card, PayPal, or other available payment method via a desktop computer, mobile device, PS4 console or PS5 console.

How will this affect games with an in-game store? Can I purchase DLC in an in-game store?
You will still be able to purchase content (including DLC) via in-game stores, but you will need to use wallet funds to pay for the content on PlayStation Store. You will not be able to use a credit or debit card or other payment method such as PayPal to complete the purchase.

Can I still use PlayStation Store gift cards on my PS3 console or PS Vita system?
Yes, PlayStation Store gift cards can be used on both PS3 consoles and PS Vita systems. Product vouchers and subscription vouchers can also be used.

Source

 

[RichardTheKing]

Yep, juuuust like the 3DS eShop here in Australia - it's been like this there (and here) for a few years now.
Quite annoying, since I have to inject funds through a secondary Switch profile.

Nintendo claimed it was for "security reasons", which in my opinion is boosh - why can I directly add funds to my Wii U and Switch eShops, but not the 3DS? How's the 3DS eShop any less secure than those other two consoles, especially since freeShop's been dead for years too?

 

[Flame]

how am i going to buy my blackjack and hookers in GTA 5 now tho?

in fact forget GTA 5


*waits for GTA 5 on PS6*

 

[NeoGranzon]

I received the email with this message just this morning.

 

[FAST6191]

To be fair I can imagine compliance costs (see PCI if you are bored, or indeed want to be scared as you gave your credit card to a local restaurant the other night, and want a search term) for credit cards both in general and code maintenance probably look like they are outweighing the funds brought in. Shift the burden onto other retailers and just go with cards makes some sense.

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

From 27th October, 2021, you will no longer be able to use a credit or debit card or a payment method such as PayPal to buy digital content or add funds to your wallet when visiting PlayStation™Store on your PS3™ console or PS Vita system.

To buy digital content for your PS3 console or PS Vita system, you must first add sufficient funds to your wallet on PlayStation Store. You can add funds by redeeming a PlayStation Store gift card, or using a credit or debit card, PayPal, or other available payment method via a desktop computer, mobile device, PS4 console or PS5 console.

HUH!?

So we have to go use a web browser to add money to the psn account. Then go to the console to purchase what we want? (Because ps3 and psvita games aren't on the web browser after they removed it for ps4 and ps5 games only)

Why are you making things so complicated?

 

[Osakasan]

Yep, juuuust like the 3DS eShop here in Australia - it's been like this there (and here) for a few years now.
Quite annoying, since I have to inject funds through a secondary Switch profile.

Nintendo claimed it was for "security reasons", which in my opinion is boosh - why can I directly add funds to my Wii U and Switch eShops, but not the 3DS? How's the 3DS eShop any less secure than those other two consoles, especially since freeShop's been dead for years too?

The 3DS eShop doesn't store the card data on the server, but on the console afaik, that doesn't comply with the current security standards and it's insecure, wich is why Nintendo disabled it.

 

[The Catboy]

This just feels like they are the big mad about not being able to shutdown them stores and are now trying to find some means of accomplishing that without alerting people.

 

[FAST6191]

HUH!?

So we have to go use a web browser to add money to the psn account. Then go to the console to purchase what we want? (Because ps3 and psvita games aren't on the web browser after they removed it for ps4 and ps5 games only)

Why are you making things so complicated?

Look up PCI compliance.
To ensure your devices/browsers/websites/services are secure enough that the credit card company can't just turn around and say "your problem, not mine" when some nice fraud happens or not charge them a bigger cut such that it makes up for the losses then it is actually a fair bit of work.
If fewer and fewer people are using the PS3 directly (both to add and to buy), and Sony don't want to have to task their engineers (these tend not to be someone that is sweeping the floor when not doing this either, and can be far more valuable doing other things) to keep it all current for the modern world (new exploits being discovered every day after all, and that says nothing of presumably having to audit the systems for them as well) then it can be easier to just stop taking it and direct people to other methods that they are keeping secure because they are still earners.

 

[iialaq01]

It’s upsetting that you cannot download PS3 or PS vita games to play on PS5. I bought a lot of PS3 games from PS store but I can’t access them because I don’t have PS3 anymore!

 

[Hayato213]

With how Sony network security is, I would rather stick to PSN gift card if I was buying something.

 

[CrossOut]

I wonder if a lot of key sites will not do as many PSN gift card discounts. I must admit that on the Playstation 3 most of my purchases where done via gift card and not the card itself.

 

[pwjpssdfvqyuhweuxx]

It’s upsetting that you cannot download PS3 or PS vita games to play on PS5. I bought a lot of PS3 games from PS store but I can’t access them because I don’t have PS3 anymore!

well, I guess you have to wait for your favorite game (that you already own for your "old" system) to receive a remaster and pay 60 dollars for it!
the gaming industry in its current state is a joke

 

[Plazorn]

Noooo! So many only digital PS3 I have not ever played…

 

[chrisrlink]

NPS better get off their asses and dump psn at an alarming rate

 

[Deleted member 534570]

I still have a few more DLCs to buy. Damn. Can't Sony wait until I have enough cash?

 

[Moon164]

What's the point of doing this? Doesn't that just make it difficult for the few people who still buy games/dlcs on these consoles to actually buy something?

 

[diggeloid]

Since people got pissed when they tried to shut down the stores, this is the alternative. They just had to wait until all the noise died down. Another wave of backlash for this is unlikely.

What's the point of doing this? Doesn't that just make it difficult for the few people who still buy games/dlcs on these consoles to actually buy something?

CC companies and Paypal charge merchant fees, but I guess maybe they could also be paying them an additional like annual fee for support or something like that.

But I think the real reason is just that Sony wants to kill these stores ASAP, and doing this makes people less likely to buy anything from it, hastening its death.

 

[godreborn]

yep, got the email to two of my fake accounts that I use for the ps3 and the vita. I had major issues with the ps3 store last time I tried it.

 

[FAST6191]

What's the point of doing this? Doesn't that just make it difficult for the few people who still buy games/dlcs on these consoles to actually buy something?

Some ideas were speculated upon above.
Taking credit card payments requires a whole compliance structure ( https://rubygarage.org/blog/pci-compliance-cost ), and possibly fees that vary depending upon what is there/how many services (I have only really ever seen small-medium enterprise and costings there, I would be absolutely stunned if Sony don't have a very nice deal with the CC companies at far nicer rates than any of those enjoy). This means accountants, tasking engineers (which don't grow on trees, and said accountants will tell you paying them to do effectively nothing is bad when they could be making you money instead) with maintaining both the backend and the system level stuff (how many Vita firmware update coders do you think there are if some bug gets found?), auditing the system, insuring against loss and probably a bunch of other things besides.
If the money for doing that (plus the accounting thing*) exceeds what they care to pay, and their risk tolerances, whilst a viable workaround is present (PSN gift cards, other devices...) then stopping the aspect of the service makes sense.


*according to accountant logic if you made 1 million profit but could have used all the same people/machines/initial funds to make 20 million profit then you have actually just lost 19 million.