To avoid having to get up twice after abandoning discs: Sony will finally close PlayStation Store on PS3 and PS Vita

Earlier, a well-known blogger held a poll for the title of the best PlayStation executive, in which a stone won.

Sony has announced the phased closure of the PlayStation Store for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita consoles, ending nearly two decades of support for digital storefronts on these platforms.

According to the company's statement, PS3 and PS Vita owners will no longer be able to purchase new digital content after the stores close. However, users will retain the ability to download previously purchased games and other content "for the foreseeable future".

The closure will take place in several stages. As early as August 2026, the PlayStation Store for PS3 will cease operations in Mexico, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Later in 2026, it will be disabled in several other countries in Latin America and the Middle East. In all other regions of the world, the stores for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita will cease operations in July 2027.

Sony explained the decision by stating that the PlayStation Store infrastructure continues to evolve and transition to modern commercial systems, including new payment processing standards. The hardware capabilities of PS3 and PS Vita no longer allow these technologies to be supported at the required level.

The company acknowledged that the news would disappoint many fans of these consoles, which hold a special place in the history of the PlayStation brand. However, Sony noted that today most users play on more modern devices, so the company intends to focus resources on developing current platforms and creating new gaming opportunities.

It is worth noting that this is not Sony's first attempt to close digital stores for older consoles. In 2021, the company announced plans to discontinue the PlayStation Store on PS3 and PS Vita, as well as close the store for PSP. However, after a negative community reaction, Sony reconsidered its decision. Jim Ryan, then head of Sony Interactive Entertainment, admitted that the company "made the wrong decision", and the PS3 and PS Vita stores continued to operate. The exception was the PSP store, which was finally closed on July 2, 2021.