Sony confirms PS3 and PS Vita PlayStation store shutdown starting August 2026

Sony has announced it will close the PlayStation Store on PS3 and PS Vita. The shutdown begins in select markets in August 2026, with a global closure for both stores in July 2027. Once closed, new digital purchases will no longer be possible.

Why Sony Is Closing the Stores

In a July 1, 2026 PlayStation Blog post, Sid Shuman, Senior Director of SIE Content Communications, said the platforms can no longer support modern commerce and payment standards.

“After nearly two decades of supporting the PS3 console generation… this was not an easy decision for us to make.”

Sony first tried to close the stores in 2021 but reversed course after backlash. The PSP store closed in 2011.

Sony is rolling out the PS3 and PS Vita store closures in phases rather than shutting everything down at once. The PS3 store will close first in Mexico, Honduras, and Nicaragua starting August 2026, followed by other Latin American and Middle Eastern countries later that year. For all other countries worldwide, both the PS3 and PS Vita stores will close together in July 2027.

Note: Only the PS3 store closes in the first wave. PS Vita owners worldwide have until July 2027. For the US, UK, Europe and most regions, both stores close July 2027.

What Happens to Your Games?

New purchases end: You won’t be able to buy new games or DLC on-device once the store closes. PS3/Vita games aren’t on PS5 Store

Redownloads remain: Sony says you can still download previously purchased content “for the foreseeable future”

Digital exclusives at risk: Titles like Ratchet: Deadlocked HD, Rain, Echochrome 2, Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars will no longer be available to new buyers

What Sony Says

“This generation represents an important era in our PlayStation history… We need to focus more resources on delivering the best gaming experiences on newer devices”.

Can I still play my PS3/PS Vita digital games after the store closes? Yes. You can redownload titles you already own, but you can’t buy new ones.

When does the PS Vita store close? Globally in July 2027. The PS3 store closes earlier in some regions starting August 2026.