Sony Is Removing Its Legacy Consoles Online Stores
If you’re mad about Nintendo removing Super Mario 3D All-Stars and Mario 35 from the eShop later this week, then prepare yourself as Sony intends on removing hundreds of games across the PlayStation store. Sony has confirmed that they will be removing the online storefronts for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, and PlayStation Vita this summer.
The PlayStation 3 store is set to close on July 2, 2021, alongside the remaining PSP purchase functionality –most of which has already been removed. Meanwhile, the PlayStation Vita store will close a little later on Aug. 27.
This update will only remove the ability to purchase these legacy titles, however, if you already own them you will still be able to re-download them to your heart’s content. If there’s anything you would like to get before the stores close for good, then we suggest you do so before the dates above. While a lot of games will still be available through purchasing used physical copies, digital-only titles or downloadable content will be extremely hard to come by when the stores close.
PS4 and PS5 games with the option for cross-buy with PS3, PSP, and PS Vita will still allow you the option to download the game to your older consoles, even if you purchase it after the legacy storefronts close.
To make things easy to understand, Sony issued a list of all of the features that will and will not be available following this change:
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.