PS3 and PSVita’s new firmware updates disable account creation

The PlayStation 3 and the PlayStation Vita have both received updates that disable the ability to create PSN accounts on the systems.

PlayStation 3 version 4.89 and PlayStation Vita version 3.74 have also removed several account management settings and now require a third-party device such as a smartphone in order to recover a device password for log-in.

Players looking to create an account on these systems will now have to do so via a smartphone or computer.

This comes as Sony is in the process of slowing shuttering services for the legacy systems. Last year the company faced backlash for plans to close the PS3 and PS Vita digital stores, a decision it later reversed.

Last year Sony removed the ability to purchase games using credit or debit cards on both systems, instead forcing players to top up their digital wallets using a computer, PS4 or PS5 system.

It’s likely that this is the next step in what will ultimately be the full closure of the PlatStation Store on both systems. However, a timeframe for doing so isn’t currently clear, especially following the backlash to the previous announcement.

Further reading

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PlayStation ‘has set up a new game preservation team’

An employee revealed that he's joined the new department

While Sony appears to be putting more consideration on game preservation than it typically has in the past, the PlayStation Vita faces a unique issue. Due to the touch screen nature of the device, and the touch features on the back of the system, emulating and playing the games on other PlayStation platforms have proven awkward to port.

It’s telling that in the upcoming refresh of PlayStation Plus which will see games from the PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 added to a backwards-compatible library, the PlayStation Vita is entirely omitted.