Reports are circulating that Sony plans on shutting down PlayStation Store support for legacy platforms, including the PlayStation Vita. The PS Vita is not even 10 years old yet, but since the handheld wasn't exactly a best-seller, it's not all that surprising that Sony is reportedly looking to completely case its support for its digital storefront. And while Sony itself has not confirmed its plans to shut down the PlayStation Stores on PS3, PSP, or PS Vita, one has to imagine that it will happen eventually.
When the PlayStation Store for PS Vita shuts down, it will suddenly become much more difficult for people to get their hands on certain games, if not outright impossible. There are some games that are completely exclusive to the PlayStation Vita, and so if the PlayStation Store shuts down, gamers will have to track down physical copies if they want to play them. The problem with that is physical copies of these PS Vita games can become extremely expensive, and so some may be interested in purchasing certain games digitally so that they can play them without breaking the bank.
Here are some of the PlayStation Vita games that fans may want to purchase digitally because the physical versions are rare and expensive - or in some cases, don't even exist at all.
Ar Nosurge Plus: Ode to an Unborn World
Ar Nosurge was originally released for the PlayStation 3, but with PS3 PlayStation Store reportedly shutting down as well, getting the game still won't be very easy. The PS Vita version, Ar Nosurge Plus: Ode to an Unborn World is the superior version of the game anyway, as it bakes all of the DLC in for a more comprehensive and fully-featured package. The game itself was well-received by critics, with praise given to how it combines traditional RPG gameplay with a visual novel-style narrative. The game is actually quite expensive on the PlayStation Vita store at $39.99, but the physical version is even more expensive, with the English language version going for around $200 regularly. So while this is still one of the more expensive examples of rare PS Vita games fans should buy, those that get it digitally while they can will still be saving themselves a decent chunk of change.
However, it should be noted that there is some hope that Ar Nosurge will be available for other modern platforms at some point. A PlayStation 4, PC, and Switch version exists, but it is exclusive to Japan at the time of this writing. It only recently came out on March 4, 2021, though, so there is still a chance that a western localization could come to fruition.
Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines
Oreshika is an obscure PlayStation 1 RPG that never saw release outside of Japan, so it's not all surprising that its sequel is rather obscure as well. Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines is a RPG built exclusively for the PlayStation Vita, and even uses some of the handheld's unique features, like its camera. The game was relatively well-received by critics, and is in the top 100 highest-rated Vita games ever made. Those who want to get it physical will have to buy the Asian version (though English language options are available), which regularly go for $60+ online. Comparatively, the version of the game on the PlayStation Store is only $19.99.
Soul Sacrifice Delta
Soul Sacrifice and the expanded version Soul Sacrifice Delta come from the mind of legendary game developer Keiji Inafune, known for his work on Capcom franchises like Dead Rising and Mega Man. A pure PlayStation Vita exclusive and arguably one of the best exclusive games on the handheld, Soul Sacrifice Delta especially is a game that fans should consider buying while the PS Vita PlayStation Store is still active. Buying a physical version can cost almost $100, but on the PlayStation Store, Soul Sacrifice Delta is available for just $17.99.
Surge Deluxe
Developer FuturLab has made a noticeable impact when it comes to PlayStation handhelds, with Velocity and Velocity 2X earning praise on the PSP and PS Vita, respectively. The studio may be best known for those games, but it also put out some other titles for the Vita in the form of Surge and Surge Deluxe. Both of the Surge games will be lost forever once the PlayStation Store for PS Vita is shut down, and so fans may want to grab Surge Deluxe while they still can. It's available for just $4.99, so it's not an expensive purchase in the slightest.
Tales of Hearts R
The Tales of... franchise may be more popular today than it once was, with many JRPG fans looking forward to Tales of Arise. However, there are many games in the series that are not readily available for modern platforms, and Tales of Hearts R is one such game. At the time of this writing, Tales of Hearts R can be picked up for $29.99 through the PlayStation Vita store, but otherwise fans can expect to spend around $100 buying the game off online sites like eBay.