After the launch of the next-gen PS5 console, Sony has announced the "retirement" for the historic PS3, PSP and PS Vita: you won't be able to download new titles or additional content
It's retirement time at Sony. The life cycle of three of the Japanese manufacturer's historic consoles is nearing its end and the company will soon be putting an end to the support and possibility of downloading new and old titles in digital format. These are PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita and PSP.
A short time after the launch of the latest version of one of the most popular game consoles for gamers around the world, PlayStation 5, Sony has decided to abandon in the coming months three of the oldest models still in circulation, closing the doors of online stores through which you can still buy titles in digital format. However, the manufacturer has reassured gamers who still use these platforms for their entertainment, reassuring them of some important details relating to games already purchased and the credit available on the stores that, in any case, will not be lost.
PS3, PS Vita and PSP, what will happen?
For those who use an account on the stores of these three consoles, the days to mark on the calendar are two: July 2, 2021 for PS3 and PSP, August 27 for PS Vita. From these two dates, the two stores will be permanently closed and you will no longer be able to buy new titles or download additional content, even using PSN gift cards.
Don't worry about the games you bought previously: even after the closure will be possible to download them again, the same goes for the vouchers dedicated to downloadable content, which will continue to work. It will also be possible to re-download games purchased via PlayStation Plus, as long as the previously activated subscription is maintained. So if you're still planning on spending hours of entertainment on these consoles, it's time to get your money's worth before it's too late.
PS3, PS Vita and PSP, how to get your store credit back
If you have credit in your PlayStation account, you can request a refund. Alternatively, there is the possibility of using it to purchase titles for PS4 and PS5. It's important to pay attention to this point, as in the absence of a direct request Sony will not pay the amount available in the digital wallet, so it's better to carefully consider what to do before the fateful date.
PS Vita, what changes?
To suffer more from this change, however, will be PlayStation Vita. In fact, the console will lose backwards compatibility with PlayStation Portable titles, as until now it had been available exclusively for those games purchased through the dedicated digital store.