The Sony PSP Store will officially close today, rendering users unable to buy games directly on the PSP, but PSP games will still be available on PS3 and Vita.
The Sony PSP Store will now end in its entirety. The entire store will lose its functionality, which includes buying games and in-game purchases. DLC also won’t be available anymore, but the PS3 and Vita will still have access to its titles.
Sony planned the closure since April
The PSP store notes that they will discontinue their services in its entirety. The store has been supported since firmware 5.00 and operated since 2008, 2 years after the PS3. While the storefront itself closed in 2016, players are still able to search and do in-game purchases.
Back in April, Sony announced that the PSP section will officially close off today. Even then, PS3 and PS Vita stores will continue operation even after its closure.
“Upon further reflection, however, it’s clear that we made the wrong decision here,” said Playstation president Jim Ryan. “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.”
As he notes, there is still a big population of players who are on older platforms. With that said, the time has come for the PSP store to close off.
PSP content still available on other platforms
The Sony PSP store is closing today, but it’s not the last time players will see the games from the shop. As we know, the games will still be available for the PS3 and Vita. For those looking to get them all, these are the last places to go.
“When the PlayStation®Store for PlayStation®Portable (PSP) was previously closed in 2016, you were still able to perform searches and make in-game purchases,” said the FAQ. “Starting July 6th, 2021, you’ll no longer be able to perform searches or make in-game purchases.
“You’ll still be able to download your previously purchased PSP content. You can download your previously purchased PSP content onto your PSP by accessing the Download List on the device.
“You’ll still be able to purchase and play PSP content that is available on the PS3 and PS Vita stores. However, you’ll no longer be able to make purchases via the in-game store for PSP content.”
Digital stores closing is a problem for digital archivists, but that’s a different problem in itself. With the closure of the Sony PSP store, it’s a clear mark of the change of an era.
Featured image courtesy of Playstation/Youtube Screenshot