Tips For The Closing PlayStation Store Part 3: PS3

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 364 PS3 Games and their DLC will be going away this summer. Plus physical copies of some PS3 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, PS3 games you own will still be downloadable. Although it might be time to swap out the hard drive on your PS3 for a 1TB. Click here for information on PSP titles and click here for PS Vita titles to keep your eye on and scoop up. 

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 PS3 games that have been released on Switch and PC. 

Most PS3 games were physically released and many of them are now between the $10 and $30 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 games that are unavailable on other platforms. These are the games that could be gone forever.

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

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 PS One Classics. A collection of US original 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. 
• 98 PS2 Classics. Unfortunately, these titles are limited to just the PlayStation 3. Of the 336 digitally compatible PS2 games 98 can be purchased directly from the old PlayStation store today. 
• 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. Such as costumes, Rockband and Rocksmith DLC. 

Notable Digital Exclusive Content Going Away With The PS3 Storefront

A vast majority of the PS3 games you know and love have been released physically. Unfortunately, there are still many games that will be gone for good once the store closes. The good news is the PlayStation 3 has an internal hard drive that can be easily upgraded. Plus most of the PS3 models can play PS2 games. Some of them can even play physical PS One games. Giving you options here to expand your collection with just one box.

• Amplitude
• Beyond Good & Evil HD
• BloodRayne: Betrayal
• Castlevania Harmony of Despair
• Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Mirror of Fate HD
• Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
• Darkstalkers Resurrection
• Dead Space Extraction
• Ducktales Remastered
• Earthworm Jim HD
• Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage 2
• Gang Wars
• God of War Ascension: Ultimate Edition
• I Am Alive
• Jet Set Radio
• Jurassic Park: The Game
• Killzone HD
• LocoRoco Cocoreccho!
• Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Ultimate Edition
• Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
• Marvel vs. Capcom 2. Gamestop released a “physical copy” of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 for the PS3. Unfortunately, there was no disc included in the box. This is the only way to play Marvel vs. Capcom 2 on the PS3. The price of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 currently sits at around $100 for a copy in average condition on older consoles. If you are able to, I highly recommend keeping this downloaded. Once the store shuts down, codes will no longer redeem.
• Max Payne 3: The Complete Edition
• PlayStation Move Ape Escape
• Puppeteer
• Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty
• Ratchet: Deadlocked
• Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles
• Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles
• Sega Bass Fishing
• Siren: Blood Curse is the definitive version or “reimaging” of PS2 cult hit Siren. Originally developed by SIE Japan Studios Team Siren. The team included the original creators of Silent Hill. The same team that would go on to create Gravity Rush. A physical release was never published in the US. It was released episodically as a PlayStation Plus game back in 2008. 
• Sonic Adventure 2
• Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 and Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode 2
• Sound Shapes: Ultimate bundle
• Space Channel 5: Part 2
• Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo
• Tales of Graces f + Tales of Xillia – Combo Pack
• Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection
• The House of the Dead Bundle Pack. The $30 bundle includes The House of the Dead 3, The House of the Dead 4, and The House of the Dead Overkill. Due to the need for a light gun and CRT screen, this is the only modern way to play The House of the Dead games. Unfortunately, a PS3 camera and Move Controller set are required.
• Tokyo Jungle
• Twisted Metal Ultimate Bundle (The original Twisted Metal, Twisted Metal 2, Twisted Metal Black, Twisted Metal (PS3) in one bundle for $29.99).

Cost Prohibitive Physical Games

The used game market has not caught up to the PlayStation store closing yet. Many PS3 games can be found at mom-and-pop retro game shops for less than $10. It does not make sense to buy these games digitally. The PS3 is still in its divorce phase as consumers are trading in games in droves to get PS4 and PS5 hardware.

With the PS3 store closing what’s left of the physical used game market will be all that is left for consumers to add to their library. Some games like the Sly Cooper Collection, as well as the Ratchet and Clank Collection, have already tripled in price. Right now is a great time to get into collecting PS3 games, the prices can only go up.

• Ar Nosurge: Ode to an Unborn Star
• Best of PlayStation Network, Vol. 1 (A physical collection of Fat Princess, Tokyo Jungle, Sound Shapes and When Vikings Attack). Once the store closes this rare promotional disc will be priceless. As of writing this, the physical collection is trending at $140. This is prior to the store closing. When three of these games will be no longer available.
• Guitar Hero Live
• JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle
• King of Fighters XIII
• Lollipop Chainsaw
• Painkiller: Hell & Damnation
• Persona 4 Arena: Ultimax
• Ratchet and Clank Collection
• Rock Band 3
• Sly Cooper Collection
• Steins Gate
• Syberia: Complete Collection
• Tales Of Xillia 2
• Yakuza: Dead Souls

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

PS2 Classics

PS One Classics*

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