Tips For The Closing PlayStation Store Part 2: PS Vita and Vita TV

UPDATE (4/19/21): Sony has announced the PS3 and PS Vita stores will remain open for the foreseeable future.

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Sony has announced the closing of the PSP, and PS3 stores for July 2, 2021. Additionally, the PS Vita and Vita TV store will close on August 27. The content you own, as well as patches, will still be available to download. Yet new purchases will cease on the aforementioned dates. We here at LOGNET wanted to come up with a guide to help our readers develop an action plan if there is something here they need to take advantage of before these stores close for good. 

Digital retail access to 650 PS Vita Games and their DLC will be going away this summer. Plus physical copies of some Vita games have increased so much in value it makes no sense to buy them. If you remove games available on the PS4, PC, and Switch there is a small collection of great games that will be gone forever. For the foreseeable future, Vita games you own will still be downloadable. Although it might be time to sock up on those pricy Vita memory cards.

Understanding What Is Going Away

Let’s identify what is going to be lost entirely when these stores close. There is some overlap, there are many PS3 and PS Vita games on PS4. In addition to a number of popular Vita games that have been released on Switch and PC. Close to half of the PS Vita games were physically released and most of them are now between the $30 and $70 range. The best thing to do is to come up with a grocery list of games you need to have. Then identify what format and platform these games were released on. Make a plan for the games that are not on other platforms. These games are going away forever.

See More: Tips For The Closing PlayStation Store Part 1: PSP

Below is the list of the assortment of content that will be gone for good:

• All PSP, PS Vita, and PS3 retail games that did not release in a physical format. 
• 82 “PlayStation Minis” (Indie games from 2009-2012). These are a mix of PS3, PSP, and PS Vita titles. Over 130 of these games have already been removed due to licensing. 
• 71 PSOne Classics. A collection of original US PlayStation games as well as a hidden storefront to Japanese exclusive PS One games. These are playable on the PS Vita, PSP, and PS3. Over 100 of these tiles have already been pulled due to licensing. 
• PSP, PS Vita, and PS3 Games with physical versions that are either completely unattainable or out of your budget. Now that the digital stores are closing, physical versions of some games have ballooned hundreds of dollars in value. 
• In code redemptions, DLC, and in-game item purchases. 

Notable Digital Exclusive Content Going Away With The Vita Storefront

• PS One Classics.
• PS3, PS4, and PSP cross-buy games compatible with the Vita.
• All redeemable costumes and add-ons for games like Little Big Planet Vita, and PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale.
• DLC Expansion packs for Borderlands 2. Even if you own the physical copy of Borderlands 2, nearly half the game is free DLC. Unopened physical copies of the game are essentially invalid going forward.
• Digital Deluxe editions of games, even if they are released physically. For example Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate Deluxe Edition. Any extra content exclusive to the Digital Deluxe edition will no longer be available in any format. Even if you are able to obtain the standard physical version.
• Earth Defense Force 2017 Portable.
• Gravity Crash.
• Lumines: Electronic Symphony.
• Patapon 3.
• Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault.
• Roundabout.
• Sound Shapes.

Cost Prohibitive Physical Games

• 1001 Spikes.
• Habroxia and Habroxia 2. Physical copies are currently selling at around $100 each. You can get both for $7.99 and $9.99 respectively with PS4 cross-buy. 
• Awesome Pea 1 and Awesome Pea 2.
• Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc. Also on Steam where it has a user review of 10/10 perfect score. Pre-owned Vita copies are selling between $200 and $250.
• Hyperdimension Neptunia ReBirth1 and ReBirth2. Physical copies of each title rank among the most expensive PS Vita games to buy. Better to stick with the digital copies at $19.99.
• ScourgeBringer. The final Vita game to be approved by Sony for digital distribution. Additionally, 500 physical copies will be printed. The game is playable on Steam as well as PS4 but, the Vita version’s significance surpasses that.
• Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 2: Innocent Sin.
• Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable.
• Silent Hill: Book of Memories. While many retro stores have not caught onto the increasing values of Vita games due to the store closing. The PS Vita exclusive has now reached as much as $190 during the pandemic. You can pick up this Silent Hill spin-off digitally for $29.99. The games expansion pass is exclusive to the Vita storefront.
• Soul Sacrifice.
• Stenins;Gate 0.
• Touch My Katamari.
• Twin Breaker: A Sacred Symbols Adventure.
• Uncharted Golden Abyss. Similar to the situation with Silent Hill, this once discounted title has now reached $60 in physical format. likewise, you can pick up the digital copy for $14.99.

See More: Tips For The Closing PlayStation Store Part 3: PS3

Honorable Mentions

I believe it is against the law to talk about the PS Vita without mentioning games like Persona 4 Golden and Gravity Rush. Thankfully Persona 4 Golden has recently been ported and upgraded on Steam. As well as a beautiful modern remaster of Gravity Rush by BluePoint Games on the PS4. There are countless more titles like the Sly Collection, the Ratchet, and Clank Collection, as well as the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, which are must-own Vita titles. Although these games will not be gone forever when the old PlayStation store closes. As their physical counterparts are still readily accessible. As well as improved versions of these games that do exist on other platforms. If these are titles you do want for the Vita, you should make a move before the store closes and you are out of options. The physical versions are only going to increase in price over time.

PS One Classics*

*(Confirm Vita and Vita TV compatibility directly from the devices storefront before buying).