While many gamers have moved on to the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, there are still those who are regularly playing their PS3, as well as their PSP and PS Vita handhelds. All three of the devices support digital game downloads, with the PS3 and PS Vita especially leaning into digital gaming, with some of their titles available exclusively through their digital stores. Sony has kept the PlayStation Store active on these platforms for 15 years, but it seems as though they will soon be shut down.
According to a report by TheGamer, sources close to the situation have indicated that Sony is shutting down the PlayStation Store for PS3, PSP, and PS Vita this summer. Apparently, the PSP and PS3 PlayStation Stores will be shut down on July 2, while the PS Vita store will still be accessible until August 27. Once the stores are shut down, PS3, PSP, and PS Vita games will no longer be able to purchase digital games or any DLC. It's unclear at this time if there will still be the option to re-download content that has already been purchased or not.
Fans should take this news with a grain of salt for now, as it has yet to be officially announced by Sony. However, TheGamer's sources believe that the official announcement will take place at some point later this month. If true, it will likely be upsetting news for some gamers, especially those who have been taking advantage of the PlayStation Classics that are not legally available in digital form on any other platforms.
Sony shutting down the PlayStation Stores for its legacy platforms is an expected move, and the writing has been on the wall for some time. Last year, Sony made major PlayStation Store changes so people could no longer purchase PS3, PSP, and PS Vita digital games through mobile devices. It has also made it so credit card payments don't work on the older consoles, and instead PlayStation Store shoppers have to purchase digital codes to use instead.
What makes the upcoming shut down of the PS3, PSP, and PS Vita PlayStation Stores especially disappointing is that it means that there are quite a few games that are going to be lost forever. Beyond that, it also means that it will be much more expensive for players to experience some of the classic PS1 and PSP games out there. Maybe Sony plans on bringing those titles to its newer digital storefronts, but again, nothing official has been announced.
Source: TheGamer