Sony sets shutdown dates for PS3 and PS Vita digital stores
Sony will start closing the PS3 store in some markets this year, with wider PS3 and PS Vita store shutdowns planned for July 2027.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
2 min read
Sony plans to shut down digital storefronts for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita, cutting off new purchases on two older consoles that still rely on the PlayStation Store. The move matters for players who want to buy legacy games before the store access ends.
In a PlayStation Blog update, Sony said the PS3 store will close first in selected markets later this year. The company named Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua as countries where the closure will begin in August, and said more countries in Latin America and the Middle East will be added later in 2026.
Sony said the broader shutdown for PS3 and PS Vita stores in all remaining countries is scheduled for July 2027. After that point, users will no longer be able to buy new digital content through those stores, according to the company.
Previously bought games will remain downloadable
Sony said customers who already own PS3 or PS Vita digital games will still be able to download those purchases after the cutoff. The company described that access as continuing for the foreseeable future, but did not give a firm end date.
That leaves a window for players who still use the consoles to buy games they want to keep tied to their accounts. The PS3 and PS Vita are aging platforms: The Verge reported that the PS3 turns 20 this year, while the PS Vita turns 15.
In its announcement, Sony said it understands that the change may disappoint players attached to the PS3 and PS Vita generation. The company said it is shifting more resources toward newer devices used by most PlayStation customers today.
A preservation issue for older games
The closure adds to concerns about access to older games that were sold through digital storefronts. Once stores close, players who did not already buy certain titles may lose an official way to purchase them on the original hardware.
The Verge also reported that Sony is preparing to stop producing physical PlayStation discs for games released after January 2028. Taken together, the store shutdowns and the planned end of newer disc production put more weight on digital access for PlayStation releases.
Sony did not announce any replacement store option for PS3 or PS Vita games in the PlayStation Blog update. For now, the company’s guidance is that new purchases will end on the stated schedule, while existing downloads remain available after the deadline.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.