The end of an era is coming this summer. On their official Important Notices site, Sony announced the closing PlayStation Store for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable this year on July 2nd, and for the PlayStation Vita on August 27th.
This means players will no longer be able to purchase games, downloadable content for games, or any video or media content for their PS3, Vita, or PSP. Nor will players be able to use PSN wallet fund vouchers on these devices.
However, the good news is that players will still be able to access any previously purchased game titles, video and media content, and redeem game vouchers. This also includes all claimed game titles for PlayStation Plus members, provided that the player’s membership remains active. Previously purchased games can be downloaded by accessing the Download List on the device.
Trophy hunters and Completionists may want to consider what this means for your trophy percentages. If there is any DLC for your PS3 and Vita games that you’ve been putting off, now would be the time to make those purchases. Otherwise, you will risk having less than 100% trophy completion on those titles, forever.
The PlayStation Store first launched on the PS3 on November 11, 2006. It was a groundbreaking way for players to make digital purchases of games, rather than having to visit stores and buy physical copies. It also enabled the ability to acquire downloadable content, play game demos before deciding on a purchase, and download different themes to dress up their interface. It also brought the Indie game market to PlayStation Players, particularly on the Vita.
While many of us have since moved on from the PS3 and PSP, and the Vita never really became a popular gaming device, it is still sad to see the closing PlayStation Store – especially on the PS3 where it first premiered.