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Sony Will Close PS3, PS Vita, PSP Stores This Summer

The PlayStation stores on PS3 and PSP shut down in July, while the PS Vita store closes in August.

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Update: In a more positive turn of events, Sony has decided to reverse its decision to shut down the PS3 and PS Vita stores almost a month after announcing its plans. The PSP will retire as planned on July 2.

Original story follows...

Sony has confirmed that the PlayStation stores for its older consoles--the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, and PlayStation Vita--will close later this year. This means features like buying games will no longer be possible on those platforms, likely signaling the end to their lifecycles though you will still be able to download the games you own.

According to an FAQ on the official PlayStation website, the PS3 and PSP stores shut down on July 2. The PS Vita store, meanwhile, closes up on August 27. As a result of the stores shuttering, several functions will stop working, including purchasing digital content, making in-game purchases, and redeeming gift cards. Gift cards redeemed on those platforms will remain in the PSN wallet and can only be used for PS4 or PS5 content.

Some functions on PS3, PSP, and PS Vita can still be accessed even after all three stores close up. Users will still be able to redownload previously purchased games, access previously purchased digital content, redeem games and PS Plus vouchers, and redownload free titles from PS Plus as long as a subscription is active.

To access any previously downloaded content, users can go to the Download List on their respective device.

The FAQ on PlayStation's website answers several questions about how the closure of the PS3, PSP, and PS Vita stores affect users. Sony says PlayStation players will see no discernible difference once these stores close, with the company claiming there will be "no impact" on things like "users' existing PlayStation Plus membership or PlayStation Now subscription." Even if users don't currently have a PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5, any funds redeemed and cross-buy titles downloaded can be accessed from their PSN account.

This official confirmation comes after reports began circulating earlier this month that Sony was planning to close up the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, and PlayStation Vita stores later this year. Sony has also silently killed off the old web store that let PlayStation players buy PS3, PSP, and PS Vita digital games.

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