Three weeks after announcing closure dates for the PlayStation Store for PS3, PS Vita, and PSP devices, Sony has performed a massive reverse ferret.
For PlayStation 3 and PS Vita consoles, the end is no longer nigh (although you can kiss goodnight to online store access for PSP devices).
In a statement, PlayStation honcho Jim Ryan said:
“Recently, we notified players that PlayStation Store for PS3 and PS Vita devices was planned to end this summer.
“Upon further reflection, however, it’s clear that we made the wrong decision here. So today I’m happy to say that we will be keeping the PlayStation Store operational for PS3 and PS Vita devices. PSP commerce functionality will retire on July 2, 2021 as planned.
“When we initially came to the decision to end purchasing support for PS3 and PS Vita, it was born out of a number of factors, including commerce support challenges for older devices and the ability for us to focus more of our resources on newer devices where a majority of our gamers are playing on. We see now that many of you are incredibly passionate about being able to continue purchasing classic games on PS3 and PS Vita for the foreseeable future, so I’m glad we were able to find a solution to continue operations.
“I’m glad that we can keep this piece of our history alive for gamers to enjoy, while we continue to create cutting-edge new game worlds for PS4, PS5, and the next generation of VR.
“Thank you for sharing your feedback with us – we’re always listening and appreciate the support from our PlayStation community.”
While welcome, it isn’t entirely clear whether the U-turn is down to the reaction, a mis-appreciation of retro hardware, or the CMOS issue. Whatever the case, this can be marked down as a win for retro gamers. If Sony can provide the most basic PlayStation Store access for classic hardware, so can everyone else.
As for the PlayStation Portable, though… <sigh>
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Christian Cawley is a writer and editor who covers consumer electronics, IT, and entertainment media. He has written for publications such as Computer Weekly, Linux Format, MakeUseOf.com, and Tech Radar.
He also produces podcasts, has a cigar box guitar, and of course, loves retro gaming.