PlayStation Vita
Hardware, storefront and ecosystem news for PlayStation Vita.
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With PS3 and Vita digital stores closing, I've unearthed the best physical games to add to your collection before…
Sony is closing the digital storefronts for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita on August 9, 2024, impacting the availability of digital-only games and DLC. This closure is expected to increase the value and scarcity of physical game releases for these platforms. The article highlights several key physical titles across PS3, PS Vita, and PS2 that players should consider acquiring before prices potentially rise significantly.
Last time PlayStation threatened to close PS3 and Vita digital stores, the players revolted: "As gamers and collectors this is a hard pill to swallow"
The potential closure of digital storefronts for PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, and PlayStation Vita has sparked concern among gamers and collectors. Experts note that this could significantly increase the value and scarcity of physical copies for many digital-only or hard-to-find titles. The discussion highlights the ongoing debate between digital convenience and the long-term accessibility and ownership provided by physical media.
Sony’s No More Discs Debacle Was Inevitable, But The Worst Is Yet To Come
Sony has announced the end of PlayStation disc production by 2028, implying the PlayStation 6 will be digital-only. This move, driven by market trends favoring digital sales, raises concerns about game preservation and long-term accessibility, especially with the upcoming closure of the PlayStation Store for PS Vita and PS3. The article draws parallels to Nintendo's digital storefront closures, highlighting the risks of relying solely on publishers for game access and questioning future consumer rights.
Beloved PlayStation 3, PS4 RPG Quietly Delisted From PS Store
The PlayStation 3, PS4, and PS Vita RPG Ar nosurge: Ode to an Unborn Star has been permanently delisted from the PlayStation Store worldwide. Developed by Gust and published by Koei Tecmo, the game's digital sales and any associated DLC have ceased. While online cross-save features will be discontinued later this year, players who already own the game can continue to access its campaigns.
Sony Tries To Change The Subject After Killing PlayStation Discs
Sony announced plans to end support for physical game discs on PlayStation platforms by early 2028, a move that has drawn significant backlash from gamers. The company's subsequent attempt to shift focus to a new wireless fight stick was met with continued anger and disappointment. Analysts suggest the decision aims to increase Sony's control over pricing and distribution, eliminating the used game market and pushing consumers towards digital purchases.
13 years after raising $1 million on Kickstarter, dev of infamous JRPG breaks silence to say work will continue through…
After 13 years and $1 million raised on Kickstarter, the developer of the JRPG Project Phoenix has broken their silence to explain the prolonged development. Game director Hiroaki Yura apologized for the lack of updates, citing personal issues and the departure of a key programmer as reasons for the delays. He stated that the project is still alive and being funded by other studios he has built, with a new Discord server planned for more frequent communication.
PS5 social media makes first post in six days and gets annihilated by angry fans
Sony's PlayStation social media accounts have resumed activity after a week of silence, only to be met with intense backlash from fans regarding the company's decision to cease physical game releases after 2027 and shut down PlayStation 3 and Vita digital stores. Despite the widespread anger and fan protests, Sony's posts have focused on promoting a new wireless fight stick, the FlexStrike, rather than addressing the concerns about physical media.
It sure feels like PlayStation underestimated the backlash to ending physical games: its first post in a week has been…
Sony's decision to end support for physical PlayStation games and shut down the PS3 and PS Vita storefronts has generated significant backlash. The company's first social media post since the announcement, discussing a fight stick controller, was met with widespread criticism and demands for physical media, indicating a potential underestimation of player sentiment.
List of PS3 Games on PlayStation Store With PS5, PS4 Cross-Buy
Sony is closing the PlayStation Store for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita in July 2027, impacting digital game purchases. Players can still buy games until then, with some PS1/PSP classics and digital PS3 titles offering cross-buy functionality on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.
"How much innovation can the end-user handle?" - Shawn Layden explains why he said Sony should have made PlayStation Portable 2 rather than PS Vita
Former PlayStation leader Shawn Layden argues that Sony's PlayStation Vita was over-innovated, leading to increased costs and lower sales compared to the successful PlayStation Portable. He suggests a simpler 'PSP2' with an added analog stick would have been more viable. Layden also discusses the broader industry challenge of game preservation across hardware generations and Sony's decision to close older digital storefronts.
The Gaming Industry Is Eating Itself Alive
Xbox is undergoing a massive restructuring, including 3,200 layoffs, impacting numerous studios and divisions like Activision, Bethesda, and Blizzard. While some studios regain independence and first-party projects remain safe for now, the article criticizes Xbox's overall strategy, citing Game Pass's performance and declining hardware revenue. The piece also touches on PlayStation's similar issues with digital ownership and preservation, painting a bleak picture for the future of gaming costs and ownership.
Save Physical Games petition passes 125,000 signatures and tells Sony “Don’t Kill the Disc”
A petition on Change.org urging Sony to continue producing physical game discs has surpassed 125,000 signatures. The petition, launched by PNP Games Inc. owner Jade Pearce, argues for the importance of physical ownership and the negative impact of a digital-only future on local economies and consumer choice. Despite Sony's shift towards digital distribution and changes in manufacturing, the article notes past instances where public pressure influenced Sony's business decisions.
Marvel Tokon on PC blocked from countries without PSN – even the pope can’t play
Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls will be unavailable in 132 countries on PC due to its reliance on PlayStation Network, which is not supported in those regions. This situation mirrors the earlier controversy surrounding Helldivers 2. The article also touches on Sony's recent decisions regarding physical disc production, the closure of PS3 and PS Vita stores, and the use of AI in game development.
If physical games are dying, we need better laws for our digital rights
Sony's decision to end disc production for PlayStation games and the impending removal of Studio Canal films from PlayStation Video highlight the precariousness of digital ownership. The article argues for stronger consumer rights and new laws to protect digital purchases, contrasting them with the freedoms offered by physical media. It notes ongoing efforts in the EU and France to address these issues, while also pointing to PC storefronts like GOG.com as alternatives offering true ownership.
Sony clarifies re-order support for existing PlayStation discs
Sony Interactive Entertainment has clarified its plans regarding the end of physical disc production, stating that publishers can still re-order existing PlayStation discs beyond the January 2028 end-of-production date. The company is shifting towards an all-digital future, which will also see the closure of the PlayStation Store on PS3 and PS Vita by July 2027. This move has drawn criticism from some companies concerned about game preservation and consumer choice.
Why do Xbox and PlayStation hate video games and their customers? - Reader’s Feature
A reader expresses concern over the current state of the video games industry, citing recent negative news from Sony and anticipated issues from Microsoft. The author criticizes both companies for perceived anti-consumer practices, such as going all-digital and shutting down older online stores, while questioning the passion of executives compared to Nintendo. The piece laments the shift from competition to a perceived lack of incentive to please fans, suggesting games have become solely a means to extract money.
PlayStation goes all-digital, lessons learned for Square Enix, and what happens when fantasy projects collide with the…
Sony PlayStation will discontinue physical game disc production for new games starting January 2028, coinciding with the closure of the PlayStation Store on PS3 and Vita. Meanwhile, Cyberpunk 2077 has surpassed 40 million players, and CD Projekt Red is consolidating its brand. IO Interactive's fantasy RPG Project Fantasy faces uncertainty as Xbox funding has been pulled.
Now is the winter of your discontent, console blaggards: the RPS team reflect on PlayStation going digital-only
Sony's decision to cease physical game sales on PlayStation in 2028 has sparked discussion about the implications for game preservation and digital distribution. While PC gamers have long adapted to digital-only, concerns are rising about the long-term accessibility of purchased digital titles and the control companies have over them.
Something for the Weekend – 04/07/26
This week's gaming news includes Sony phasing out physical disc production by 2028 and closing PlayStation Store access for PS3 and Vita again. Xbox is reportedly testing a disc-to-digital feature. Several games received release date changes or confirmations, including Onimusha: Warlords and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. Reviews were published for Rhythm Paradise Groove and WILL: Follow The Light, alongside previews for Fatekeeper, Witchspire, Dziady, Doom: The Dark Ages, and Splatoon Raiders.
End of an era — the historic PlayStation factory that manufactured 24 billion gaming discs is already being turned into a micro-optics lab, just days after Sony announced its digital push
Sony is repurposing its last remaining physical media factory in Austria, which previously manufactured billions of PlayStation discs, into a micro-optics lab. This move follows Sony's announcement to stop releasing PlayStation games on physical discs by 2028, leading to concerns among gamers about digital ownership.
