Sony confirms shutdown of PS3, PSP, and PS Vita stores later this year
Sony has put all the talk to rest and has finally confirmed that the stores for the PS3, PSP, and PS Vita will officially say goodbye later this year. Simply put, gamers won’t be able to purchase games for these consoles anymore.
This announcement can be seen on a FAQ from the official PlayStation website, which confirms that both the PS3 and PSP stores will close on July 2, and the PS Vita store on August 27. Here’s a short excerpt from the FAQ about what you can and can’t do once the stores close in a few months.
Features you will still be able to access:
- 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.
Features you will lose access to:
- 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.
Just this weekend, some users have reported that they’ve been unable to access the store, lending credence to the initial report about the shutdown.
Gamers are sure to be somewhat disappointed in this, especially for those who enjoy discovering and playing some old gems that they’ve never gotten to experience in the past. Does Sony have a plan for their back catalog eventually? Maybe integrate them into PS Now to strengthen the value of the service? For now, all we can do is speculate and hope for the best.
