After rumors began brewing that Sony might finally put an end to PlayStation Store access on some of its older systems, the company has finally confirmed what some fans feared. Starting later this year, support for the PlayStation Store on the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, and PlayStation Portable will be ending. As of today, they’ve also shut down the old web store that allowed customers to purchase games for those platforms on their computer. This decision comes as a result of Sony wanting to unify and focus on their more modern and current systems: the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. The PSP and PS3’s store access will be the first to go, on July 2, 2021, with the Vita to follow shortly after on August 27th. Players will still be able to download their already purchased games even after those dates, but once July and August rolls around, any digital games for those platforms will become unavailable to buy.

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[RichardTheKing]

They could have done it but it would have been super expensive and people complained about the $599 PS3 price which is why they took away BC in the first place. It would be difficult to emulate all those games on PS4 or PS5 without the hefty price tag I still believe Sony should have made premium models that supported BC,

But then again when you buy a new system you are buying it for NEW GAMES not games that's over 10 years old.



Emulation is keeping retro alive without emulators we would be forced into buying the "gimmick" mini consoles. 20 years later and no Gameboy nor Gameboy advance anniversary from Nintendo I wouldn't hold my breath for a PS2 mini.

Well, not necessarily; I loved previous Nintendo consoles because they offered backwards-compatibility, alongside the promise of brand-new games. My 3DS systems could play DS games; DS Lite, GBA; Wii U, Wii (though eurgh motion controls); Wii, GameCube (again, just generally better to buy a GameCube in that instance).
Backwards-compatibility gives me a reason to buy a new system and be able to use it even when there's not a lot of new titles for it. Try doing that with the Switch, or PS4; that's partly why I got my Switch a year late, and got a PS4 Pro (because by then there were enough new games to justify the purchase).

Also, PlayStation emulation requires the appropriate BIOS dump, which isn't exactly straightforward.

 

[Zurdonx]

Do any of these platforms, PSP, PS3, Vita, need a shop download to hac?

Nope, you don't need the shop to hack them. You do need a PSN account to hack the Vita though (IIRC).

 

[HarveyHouston]

Players will still be able to download their already purchased games even after those dates...

This suggests to me that the games and other content will still exist on Sony's servers for a while, allowing for unofficial downloading of content. Just like the NUS.

 

[RichardTheKing]

This suggests to me that the games and other content will still exist on Sony's servers for a while, allowing for unofficial downloading of content. Just like the NUS.

"The NUS"? What's that, the North Ukrainian Seals?

 

[Jayro]

Well this feels like it's about a decade late... Better late than never I suppose. We better hope and pray that video game preservationists have all the DLCs and other trivial stuff downloaded and archived.

 

[felindamuliadi]

Once I read that Sony isn't going to produce anymore handheld console I immediately saved up to buy Switch. Was a loyal fan of PS series from PS 1-2-3-Portable-Vita but after they announced the death of Vita I just sold everything except PSP and Vita.

From now on I will only buy handheld consoles from Nintendo I guess. Would be funny imagining my family will still call every console they see me playing as 'Playstation'.

 

[Deleted User]

Finally I can play all my non-trophy-support games without feeling bad.

 

[pedro702]

i guess people wanted these consoles to be supported for another 50 years? like what the fuck old ass consoles lol ps vita failed, psp is 17 years old and the ps3 is 14 years old

Good consoles, though..

well the thing is ps3 is 14 years old but it was the main console until the end of 2013 when the ps4 released in november so just 8 years ago everyone was using it, it wasnt been that much time yeat to basically kill it completely, and since ps3 is not backwards compatible there are many many games stuck there where there is no chance to play anywhere else.

 

[Crazystato]

Im glad I can continue downloading my purchases. They would be mad not to have a sneaky sale before d-day.

 

[Silent_Gunner]

I just heard about this, it's really sad for all the playstation players but I never really fucked around with playstation I was always more of a PC kind of gal.

Why did they do this tho? Are they losing money from COVID-19 and having to cut costs? Maybe to drive up sales?

I imagine that Sony is feeling confident about their position in the industry atm after the 8th generation. IDK how they're doing right now for sure with the PS5 versus the Xbox Series Needs A Better Name.

Another thing to consider is that I've noticed that, two console generations out from another, Sony will stop production of the first generation console, while still producing the previous one as long as it's selling. This happened when the PS3 came out in 2006/2007, with the PS1's production being discontinued around 2006, but the PS2 still getting support all the way up 2014 as far as games go and up to 2017-2019 when it comes to FFXI's online servers!

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This is counter-intuitive. Digital gaming is good, you just have to use services that won't die because of costs, like torrenting for example. I use torrenting a lot and personally I think that DRMs in general are bullshit.

*knocks on door*

"OPEN UP! WE HAVE A WARRANT TO SEARCH YOUR PC FOR TORRENTED FILES!"

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

i hope you are joking.

PS3 is old

I mean, sure, but if one doesn't have a gaming PC, and wants to play a lot of games with just one system, either a hacked OG PS3 (and by OG PS3, I mean, like, in the first year or two model that has the Emotion Engine chip inside for full PS2 BC as opposed to the emulation that every model after used) or hacked Wii U would be the way to go!

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Be sure to grab that Japan-only Rival Schools game while you can. The rip floating around on the internet is bugged, and I haven’t seen a physical copy in about 15 years.

https://capcom.fandom.com/wiki/Nekketsu_Seisyun_Nikki_2

Eh, if I wanted to play an updated Rival Schools, I'd just play Project Justice on the DC or any modern SBC.

 

[HarveyHouston]

"The NUS"? What's that, the North Ukrainian Seals?

Nintendo Update Servers.

 

[duwen]

Dunno if anyone's already mentioned this (too lazy to read through 6 pages of comments), but Sony are still supplying Vita devkits to programmers still developing software they intend to publish for the Vita... with no physical carts being produced anymore, the digital store will be the only way of selling their games. Seems a bit rough that they've only got a few months to complete development, submit for approval, and accrue enough sales to pay for the games development... even if you added 12 months to that closure date for the Vita, it would still be a shitty way to treat the people that have/are publishing games this year.

 

[D34DL1N3R]

Meh. Every PSP, Vita and PS3 game anyone cares about, along with DLC, is already backed up and available in tons of different locations. Nothing to see or worry about here.

 

[duwen]

Meh. Every PSP, Vita and PS3 game anyone cares about, along with DLC, is already backed up and available in tons of different locations. Nothing to see or worry about here.

I wish that were true, but there have been a number of recent Eastasiasoft physical-only Vita releases/pre-orders that will never be available via pkgj/nps

 

[DS1]

I imagine that Sony is feeling confident about their position in the industry atm after the 8th generation. IDK how they're doing right now for sure with the PS5 versus the Xbox Series Needs A Better Name.

Another thing to consider is that I've noticed that, two console generations out from another, Sony will stop production of the first generation console, while still producing the previous one as long as it's selling. This happened when the PS3 came out in 2006/2007, with the PS1's production being discontinued around 2006, but the PS2 still getting support all the way up 2014 as far as games go and up to 2017-2019 when it comes to FFXI's online servers!

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------



*knocks on door*

"OPEN UP! WE HAVE A WARRANT TO SEARCH YOUR PC FOR TORRENTED FILES!"

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------



I mean, sure, but if one doesn't have a gaming PC, and wants to play a lot of games with just one system, either a hacked OG PS3 (and by OG PS3, I mean, like, in the first year or two model that has the Emotion Engine chip inside for full PS2 BC as opposed to the emulation that every model after used) or hacked Wii U would be the way to go!

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------



Eh, if I wanted to play an updated Rival Schools, I'd just play Project Justice on the DC or any modern SBC.

Project Justice is definitely my favorite! But there are still some excellent things about the first one - the create a character VN mode and the soundtrack, mini games, collectibles/artwork.

 

[Silent_Gunner]

Dunno if anyone's already mentioned this (too lazy to read through 6 pages of comments), but Sony are still supplying Vita devkits to programmers still developing software they intend to publish for the Vita... with no physical carts being produced anymore, the digital store will be the only way of selling their games. Seems a bit rough that they've only got a few months to complete development, submit for approval, and accrue enough sales to pay for the games development... even if you added 12 months to that closure date for the Vita, it would still be a shitty way to treat the people that have/are publishing games this year.

Especially if that game is about making the enemies cry like an anime fan on prom night! XD

 

[pedro702]

Dunno if anyone's already mentioned this (too lazy to read through 6 pages of comments), but Sony are still supplying Vita devkits to programmers still developing software they intend to publish for the Vita... with no physical carts being produced anymore, the digital store will be the only way of selling their games. Seems a bit rough that they've only got a few months to complete development, submit for approval, and accrue enough sales to pay for the games development... even if you added 12 months to that closure date for the Vita, it would still be a shitty way to treat the people that have/are publishing games this year.

lol so imo the devs need to rush it or just give up on the projects since they cant release it in any way in afew months.

 

[Lumstar]

lol so imo the devs need to rush it or just give up on the projects since they cant release it in any way in afew months.

Class of Heroes 3 for the PSP was never formally canceled.

 

[lafleche]

Looking into Cristal ball....

So expect ps4 store to go in 2025?
Just replying to those who don't care because psp and ps3 are 'old' systems and vita is a failed system and all CFW capable but ps4 is of course the next in the future to loose functionality.(No CFW for higher firmware versions so loading backups is not for everybody)
Sony is not in the game to have some archive function and maintain their history.. They are in for the $$$$$

 

[pedro702]

Looking into Cristal ball....

So expect ps4 store to go in 2025?
Just replying to those who don't care because psp and ps3 are 'old' systems and vita is a failed system and all CFW capable but ps4 is of course the next in the future to loose functionality.(No CFW for higher firmware versions so loading backups is not for everybody)
Sony is not in the game to have some archive function and maintain their history.. They are in for the $$$$$

sony and everyone else too...

nintendo closed wii and dsi shops
xbox closed original xbox shop
sony is now closing ps3,psp and psvita

so everyone already closed an online store on their consoles.

i can see nintendo closing wiiu in like 2 years and xbox closing the xbox360 ones too.

people forget how many servers are needed to hold entire console library's that rarely get any downloads, so they are just there being an expense for years and years.