Digital PlayStation Stores to Close for PS3, PS Vita and PSP – Thoughts

Beginning of the end for three eras...

Although it never reached the peak of its older brother, the PlayStation 2, the PlayStation 3 and its portable siblings, the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita really helped solidify Sony Interactive Entertainment’s direction in the future. Like Microsoft with the Xbox 360 and Nintendo with the Nintendo Wii, gaming on the PS3 may not have been perfect and had a costly initial buy-in, but delivered built-in internet connectivity and high-definition experiences, which were built upon with the more successful PlayStation 4.

One of the things that the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita incorporated was digital downloads – through the PlayStation Network Store – later simplified as the PlayStation Store. This meant that gamers no longer had to worry about going to the store and buying games, and instead could browse and download a catalog of games from the comfort of their couch. But as time has gone on… the question “what happens to my digital games when Sony Interactive Entertainment decide it isn’t worth maintaining services for these consoles?” has become more prominent.

Digital PlayStation Stores to Close for PS3, PS Vita and PSP - Thoughts 1

Signalling what could very well be the end for all three platforms, Sony Interactive Entertainment this week (after rumours spread around) that the PS3, PS Vita and PSP PlayStation Stores will be closed. The closures will commence on 2nd July 2021 for the PS3 and PS Vita, and 27th August 2021 on the PlayStation Vita. Fortunately, this does not appear to be a complete shut-down, as there are a number of features still available for console owners to access. Specifically:

  • You will still be able to re-download and play previously purchased game titles.
  • You will still be able to access previously purchased video/media content.
  • You will still be able to redeem game and PlayStation®Plus vouchers.
  • You will still be able to re-download and play claimed game titles through PlayStation®Plus as long as you remain a member of the service.

However, the limitations are also rather concerning:

  • You will no longer be able to purchase PS3, PS Vita and PSP digital content, including games and video content.
  • You will no longer be able to make in-game purchases through games on PS3, PS Vita and PSP.
  • You will no longer be able to redeem PSN wallet fund vouchers (e.g. gift cards) on PS3, PS Vita or PSP devices once PlayStation™Store and purchase functionality for these devices close.
  • Your PSN wallet funds will remain in your PSN account, but you will only be able to use your wallet funds to purchase PS4 and PS5 products on PlayStation™Store on the web, PlayStation®App or on PS4 and PS5 consoles.
Digital PlayStation Stores to Close for PS3, PS Vita and PSP - Thoughts 2

Not barring gamers access to games they have already purchased for all three consoles is a smart decision. I would hazard a guess that this is purely because of the old PlayStation Store infrastructure and app being made redundant. It does prompt the question around what would happen if, or more likely, when in the future SIE decides to discontinue all online services for the platforms. This is a question one should ask about any console when buying digital-only games, but this is especially true for the three in question, as each are closed systems.

Neither the PlayStation 4 nor PlayStation 5 are backwards compatible with them, so you cannot transfer games to a newer generation console and be safe. Furthermore, digital-exclusive games and DLC from the era risk becoming lost forever, and those who purchased a digital copy of the game will be left to find physical copies in an sometimes unforgiving pre-owned market.

The decision to put PS4 backwards compatibility on the PS5 is a step in the right direction. Hopefully from this point forward, Sony Interactive Entertainment follows in the steps of Xbox and encourages backwards compatibility for all generations going forward. However, without some emulation technology for the PS3 (or perhaps the PS1-PS3 era) made available in the future, we may start seeing some classics unable to be played on any form of unofficial hardware, or some great games lost.

Digital PlayStation Stores to Close for PS3, PS Vita and PSP - Thoughts 3

In the interim, boot up your PlayStation 3 and take a look at the PlayStation Store to see if there are any games you might wish to pick up before it is too late. Unfortunately, the store has not really been touched in ages, so discounts are far and few between. But here’s hoping a decision is made between Sony and publishers to offer most if not all their library at a significant “last chance to buy” discount. Make that $7.99 DLC that nobody has bought for a year $0.50, make that $69.99 game $5.00. It is the end of three eras, so go nuts to ensure that as many gamers as possible can enjoy as much as possible from them.

That is, of course, unless the rumoured development of backwards compatibility through recent patent filings hold weight.

Time will tell…

Header Image: An early preview screenshot for PlayStation Home, a short-lived underutilised social networking service for the PlayStation 3 which had such ambitious initial goals.

Sam
Sam
Founder of The Otaku's Study. I have been exploring this labyrinth of fandom these last fifteen years, and still nowhere close to the exit yet. Probably searching for a long time to come.

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