Sony to keep stores for PlayStation 3 and Vita open after fan backlash

The gaming giant has backtracked on a previous decision made to close the legacy storefronts, instead keeping them open for the ‘foreseeable future’.

Sony to keep stores for PlayStation 3 and Vita open after fan backlash

Sony has announced in a blog post that it will keep the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita digital stores open. However the PlayStation Portable (PSP) store will be shut down on July 2 2021, as previously stated

The legacy console stores had originally been scheduled to close in the summer of 2021. However, Jim Ryan, CEO and President of Sony Interactive Entertainment, stated that ‘Upon further reflection, however, it’s clear that we made the wrong decision here. So [...] I’m happy to say that we will be keeping the PlayStation Store operational for PS3 and PS Vita devices’. 

b4f234d5ff19071f5498877b7862111d6476e4f2.jpegPlayStation 3
Copyright - Evan-Amos

Ryan went on to add that Sony’s original decision had been made with several factors in mind, ‘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’.

Closing the stores for these consoles would have left customers unable to purchase digital copies of games for the systems, but they would have been able to re-download or continue playing games they had already purchased.

Sony ceased production of the PSP in 2014, followed by the PlayStation 3 in 2017 and PlayStation Vita in 2019. 

d0ee55730a98c26bd69be444671c3003da7895f6.jpegPlayStation Portable
Copyright - Evan-Amos


You can read Sony’s blog post announcing the reversal of their decision in full here.

Header Image Credit: Nikita Kostrykin

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Ali Muzaffar

Ali Muzaffar Kickstart Team

Ali is a Trainee Journalist with Voice. He graduated from the University of Leeds in English Literature and maintains a strong interest in reading new books whenever possible. A self-professed film nut, Ali enjoys movies from a wide range of genres, although he can be counted on to gravitate towards thrillers or dramas!

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