Sony confirms it will close PlayStation Store on PS3, Vita and PSP this summer

Sony has announced plans to close the PlayStation Store on PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita and PlayStation Portable this summer.

Confirming a report from earlier this month, Sony said it will shut the PS3 and PSP online marketplaces on July 2, followed by the Vita store on August 27.

Following the store closures, users will still be able to re-download and play previously purchased games, as well as PS Plus titles as long as they remain a subscriber.

Players will also still be able to access previously purchased video and media content, and redeem game and PlayStation Plus vouchers.

And users will still be able to download owned content onto their PS3, Vita or PSP by accessing the Download List on the respective device.

Sony said players will lose access to the following features:

• You will no longer be able to purchase PS3, PS Vita and PSP digital content, including games and video content.
• You will no longer be able to make in-game purchases through games on PS3, PS Vita and PSP.
• You will no longer be able to redeem PSN wallet fund vouchers (e.g. gift cards) on PS3, PS Vita or PSP devices once PlayStation™Store and purchase functionality for these devices close. Your PSN wallet funds will remain in your PSN account, but you will only be able to use your wallet funds to purchase PS4 and PS5 products on PlayStation™Store on the web, PlayStation®App or on PS4 and PS5 consoles.

Sony has already closed an old web version of the PlayStation Store which allowed users to purchase PS3, PSP and Vita games online.

While players were previously able to browse lists of games and DLC for the platforms online and purchase content this way, over the weekend Resetera users noticed this was no longer the case.

It means users wanting to buy digital products for the systems can now only do so through the consoles themselves.

The PlayStation Store will stop offering TV and movie content for purchase or rental from August 31, 2021.

Announcing the move in early March, Sony Interactive Entertainment‘s head of video business, Vanessa Lee, said the decision was driven by the growth of streaming services on PS4 and PS5.

Sony recently started giving away nine additional free games as part of its Play at Home initiative.