Get them while you can!
Widely rumoured for the last week, Sony has officially announced the closure of the PlayStation 3, PSP, and PS Vita digital stores. Players will no longer be able to digitally access an entire generation of content by summer 2021.
Announcing the closure via an Important Notice, Sony marked a cold end to the service. Not all content will be lost at once, and gamers still have some time to grab some hidden gems before they are gone for good. The PlayStation 3 and PSP stores will discontinue on July 2, 2021, with the Vita store closing its doors on August 27, 2021.
Players will still be able to redownload any previously purchased products, so digital collections remain intact. This also includes any free PS Plus games as long as a subscription remains valid. However, in-game purchases will also cease upon the store closure.
The only games landing in the PS3/PS Vita/PSP bracket that will remain purchasable are those that come with cross-buy support.
This will come as a crushing blow to many PlayStation fans, especially as Xbox has leaned further into backwards compatibility. It is a surprisingly confusing move from Sony, as removing these titles for newer gamers will come at the cost of their reputation. It does indicate, however, that the company has its eyes on the future.
Players still have a few months to scoop up any of the older titles across the PS Vita, PSP, and PS3 lineup. However, come July 2 and August 27, thousands of titles will be digitally inaccessible.
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