Future of PS3 Online Service?

[RadiantFlamberge]

What Sony ought to do is emulate the PS3 (digital and Blu-ray) on PS5, with 4K resolution if possible. Same for the Vita, just digital only.

 

PlayStation Classic was one missed opportunity. Sony should've made it PSVitaTV hardware and not included any games, so you could buy digital PS1 (and Vita/PSP) titles from PSN. A PlayStation Classics starter pack could then be sold as a separate Vita game card.

[MidnightDragon]

They can close it as soon as I finish my PS3 games! In all seriousness, dunno when.

Edited January 17, 2023 by MidnightDragon

[mcpetrus]

7 hours ago, MD_91 said:

They announced the store would be closing in 2021, not the entire service

Sorry I expressed myself wrong or misunderstood.

[Lance_87]

9 hours ago, Desavenencia said:

Hmm… I don’t think anything similar is going to happen, at least in the short term… especially considering that new titles are still coming out for PS3, being one of the last examples Another World -launched November 27, 2022-.

 

The what? I've bought it several years ago, and it was cross-buy.

 

Anyway i wouldn't worry about a closure, since even the network on the PSP (not the Store, but who cares) is still online.

Edited January 17, 2023 by Lance_87

[Terra]

Eventually it will cease operations, as all online services do. However, third party software may make it operational again. 

[Bya-Kuchiki]

As long as they have to rely on PS3 Hardware for PS+ Premium PS3 Streaming the Online Infrastructure will be safe.

[Xillynoc]

20 hours ago, Taliesin_2943 said:

They should put out something like a legacy PS3 have a disc drive but maybe put in some more updated tech and possibly a drive for vita games and that would probably make them a pretty penny especially from people who live the PS3 still but their consoles are dying I'd give them money for that and I'd use the PS3 store more and everythung

I don't know how feasible it would be, but I've figured for a bit now that a nice solution (if it's even possible) to reconcile demands of PS3 fans and the aging architecture/security of the system itself would be to release a sort of attachable add-on for the PS5 that had a PS3 disc drive and cell architecture, allowing you to play physical and digital PS3 titles on your PS5 through it since the latter is so powerful. Again, completely possible that this is a pie in the sky fantasy from someone who's not really versed in hardware/game coding, but that's how I'd like to see it done if the PS3 itself eventually going down forever is inevitable.

 

...to think, this could've been avoided if they had just used and kept using a more common architecture instead of cell, huh?

[Vampirehunter145]

17 hours ago, Jounochi said:

I feel like trophy support will never go away.  Trophies are programmed to pop on their respective systems, and that system then links with profile data on Sony's servers.  This is tied to all systems with profile support, so I don't believe there is much upkeep when it comes to trophies.

 

As for downloads, I don't know if they can legally cut off people from redownloading old content that they purchased.  Content on PS3 shows an expiration date if inspected, but for purchased games, I think it is blank.

Hopefully, it will be like that. I can live without active online servers for PS3 games, but not without trophy syncing.

[shipper321]

The only reference we have to any console online service ending was the Wii and DS, which ran on GameSpy. Even then, certain games like CoD that didn't use Nintendo's servers are still operational. I wouldn't worry too much about the entire service going offline, just certain games.

 

Edit: Also forgot Xbox Live 1.0.

Edited January 18, 2023 by shipper321

[Remilia Scarlet]

On 1/16/2023 at 7:30 PM, mcpetrus said:

 

They had planned to completely close the online service for ps3 and vita in 2021 before they moved away from it after criticism.

 

 

 

No they didn't. They were going to shut down the store.

 

PSN is a unified network. 

 

This same damn question gets asked every week. Mods please stop allowing this shit.

[GUDGER666]

1 hour ago, Remilia Scarlet said:

This same damn question gets asked every week. Mods please stop allowing this shit.

Just gone through the forum and it was last asked September 2021... It hardly ever gets asked. 

[Criso_93]

On 1/16/2023 at 8:41 PM, Jounochi said:

I feel like trophy support will never go away.  Trophies are programmed to pop on their respective systems, and that system then links with profile data on Sony's servers.  This is tied to all systems with profile support, so I don't believe there is much upkeep when it comes to trophies.

 

As for downloads, I don't know if they can legally cut off people from redownloading old content that they purchased.  Content on PS3 shows an expiration date if inspected, but for purchased games, I think it is blank.

They can definitely cut off redownloads for purchased content. Nintendo did it with the Wii (which was a PS3 gen console) and will soon axe the WiiU too (which is supposed to be PS4 gen LMAO). "Buying" digital goods simply is licensing them for as long the service (and your system) is alive. 

 

The expiration date for the content being blank simply means that the game itself has no expiration time limit set in the system. So if somehow your PS3 is still functional in 100 years from now, your great grandkids would still be able to hook it up to a TV and launch the games. But if that PS3 dies in 20 years you can kiss good bye to all those digital games.

[ViniMbapKyrgios]

Unless Sony decides to do some miracle which is impossible, there is no future. There will only be updates that is going to slowly remove all online features

[ScintillaWolf]

Wish they would close it all down, these damn server closures and my need to finish these games before their respective closure dates is dragging me away from playing new games! ?

 

Jokes aside I don't ever see them disabling the ability to sync your games etc, I just see the store closing one day and it continuing to be phased out through the closure of game servers. 

 

Despite how I started this post, I've actually been glad of some of the closure announcements, because it's forced me to address games that have been sitting in my backlog for an eternity!

[Lance_87]

1 hour ago, Criso_93 said:

They can definitely cut off redownloads for purchased content. Nintendo did it with the Wii (which was a PS3 gen console) and will soon axe the WiiU too (which is supposed to be PS4 gen LMAO). "Buying" digital goods simply is licensing them for as long the service (and your system) is alive. 

 

Except Nintendo didn't believe in shared cross-generation networks at the time.

 

They didn't even have games tied to accounts until the Switch, everything was tied to the hardware.

 

Also, most Wii games were games that the average gamers don't even remember.

Edited January 18, 2023 by Lance_87

[squaresoft4ever7]

1 hour ago, Criso_93 said:

They can definitely cut off redownloads for purchased content. Nintendo did it with the Wii (which was a PS3 gen console) and will soon axe the WiiU too (which is supposed to be PS4 gen LMAO). "Buying" digital goods simply is licensing them for as long the service (and your system) is alive. 

 

The expiration date for the content being blank simply means that the game itself has no expiration time limit set in the system. So if somehow your PS3 is still functional in 100 years from now, your great grandkids would still be able to hook it up to a TV and launch the games. But if that PS3 dies in 20 years you can kiss good bye to all those digital games.

 

IIRC in the case of redownloading on the Nintendo Wii you need the original console only because Nintendo ID wasn't a thing until the 3DS/Wii U.  A friend of mine has their original Wii and was recently able to redownload a title they bought in 2009. 

[TurtlePM]

Unless Sony has some sort of backwards compatibility with recent hardware, fully functional with all the content they have on the store, I don't think they will close online services on PS3 soon.

People bought PS3 games via digital store, if they close any online connection with the console, the download list of games you bought will become unaccessible, meaning you can't re-download any content you previously bought. A full refund like Google Stadia must be done for all affected players... Just imagine the numbers! It's better for them to just keep the simple online connection active, for the minority of people who still have access to the PS3, even if the choose to delist all their games from the store. 

[Ich1994-1994]

On 17/01/2023 at 2:26 AM, the1andonly654 said:

I wonder how many people are playing that...

 

I'd guess they will try to limit PS3 online features this or next year. They have no reason to keep the PS3 alive. No money, no interest. 

 

I kinda wonder, because I see people talking about PS3 games, about them not being on sale etc, I wonder how does it look on Sony's side, with all things considered - is it not worth it because it would still generate a financial loss or would it be profitable to keep the system alive and still have sales, etc, but just not profitable enough for them to bother with it. 

Trust in long term ownership of your digital purchases can be a good motivation to keep it online. On switch I strongly limit my digital purchases due to the shutdowns of wii, wiiu and soon 3ds stores

[Desavenencia]

On 17/1/2023 at 3:02 AM, Xylobe said:

Not sure where you heard this, but Another World's PS3 port came out in 2014. The last PS3 game was Shakedown Hawaii in August 2020.

On 17/1/2023 at 5:58 AM, ExHaseo said:

The PS App doesn't list PS3 games. You can only access the PS3 store on a PS3. It also clearly says on the PS App that it came out 2014, and even then, it specifically says PS4. No where does it say anything about 2022.

 

On 17/1/2023 at 11:29 AM, Lance_87 said:

The what? I've bought it several years ago, and it was cross-buy.

 

Anyway i wouldn't worry about a closure, since even the network on the PSP (not the Store, but who cares) is still online.

 

I guess you misunderstood what I said.

 

What I have said is that games for PS3 are still coming out and Another World is one of the most recent games (November 27, 2022) for PS3, at least of all those I have seen lately in the store.

 

Where I imagine that you have made a mistake is by interpreting that I am saying that the game has been released expressly for PS3. Obviously, that’s not what I mean. What I mean is that there’re still games that include PS3 compatibility and I put Another World as an example.

 

The point is the cross-play between PS3, PSV and PS4/PS5 that Another World has (having been released on November 27, 2022), while other games that in the past had their cross-play version with PS3, now they come out without including PS3 but keeping PSV, even if it’s the same version of the game.

 

Here are my screenshots of what I said about the store. It’s the store in Spain and I have the app in Spanish, but it’s understandable enough.

 

[SHADOW-KILLER-S2]

Its inevitable that ps3 store and all remaining online services go down one day. Thats why i suggest making a list of games you absolutely want to play (multiplayer and singleplayer games) and start working on getting all the trophies you want. Wouldnt surprise me if they announce the end of ps3 this year.

[GUDGER666]

1 hour ago, Desavenencia said:

I guess you misunderstood what I said.

 

What I have said is that games for PS3 are still coming out and Another World is one of the most recent games (November 27, 2022) for PS3, at least of all those I have seen lately in the store.

Nobody is misunderstanding you.. I think you're just talking absolute nonsense tbh lol. A description been edited is not a PS3 game coming out. 

Edited January 18, 2023 by GUDGER666

[Xylobe]

@Desavenencia You're right: it looks like the current version of Another World listed in Europe (or at least Spain and the UK) has that November 2022 release date. PlatPrices has records of the original 2014 release and a February 2021 release as well, but the PSN store pages are removed.

 

2014: https://platprices.com/game/64956-another-world-20th-anniversary-edition?userregion=ES

 

2021: https://platprices.com/game/65411-another-world-20th-anniversary-edition?userregion=ES

 

2022: https://platprices.com/game/98924-another-world-20th-anniversary-edition?userregion=ES

 

The only visible difference between any of them is the game icon changing slightly between the 2014 and the 2021 versions. Publisher, Game ID, etc. are all the same across all versions. No idea what caused it to be relisted twice. In any case, the game came to PS3 in 2014, and no version of the game is available on the PS3 store itself in Europe. I imagine I could access it from my download list if I purchased the 2022 version from the web store, but I don't plan to go that far.

[Desavenencia]

1 hour ago, GUDGER666 said:

Nobody is misunderstanding you.. I think you're just talking absolute nonsense tbh lol. A description been edited is not a PS3 game coming out. 

Do you think that what I said doesn’t make sense? Just below the piece of my comment that you have cut out to quote me, that’s where I explained it. Well, I’m sorry. I can’t make you understand, that’s totally up to you. My bad, I guess.

 

 

54 minutes ago, Xylobe said:

@Desavenencia You're right: it looks like the current version of Another World listed in Europe (or at least Spain and the UK) has that November 2022 release date. PlatPrices has records of the original 2014 release and a February 2021 release as well, but the PSN store pages are removed.

 

2014: https://platprices.com/game/64956-another-world-20th-anniversary-edition?userregion=ES

 

2021: https://platprices.com/game/65411-another-world-20th-anniversary-edition?userregion=ES

 

2022: https://platprices.com/game/98924-another-world-20th-anniversary-edition?userregion=ES

 

The only visible difference between any of them is the game icon changing slightly between the 2014 and the 2021 versions. Publisher, Game ID, etc. are all the same across all versions. No idea what caused it to be relisted twice. In any case, the game came to PS3 in 2014, and no version of the game is available on the PS3 store itself in Europe. I imagine I could access it from my download list if I purchased the 2022 version from the web store, but I don't plan to go that far.

Yeah, that’s what I was saying before.

 

In any case, I didn’t expect to have to extend myself so much to explain something that I had given as a simple example.

 

My main intention was to highlight the fact that they still take the PlayStation 3 system into consideration when they publish new games. That’s all.

[GUDGER666]

9 minutes ago, Desavenencia said:

Do you think that what I said doesn’t make sense? Just below the piece of my comment that you have cut out to quote me, that’s where I explained it. Well, I’m sorry. I can’t make you understand, that’s totally up to you. My bad, I guess.

Imo no, you say PS3 games are still coming out when they aren't. You're saying one thing but meaning an other as you've said. 

[ExHaseo]

2 hours ago, Desavenencia said:

 

I guess you misunderstood what I said.

 

What I have said is that games for PS3 are still coming out and Another World is one of the most recent games (November 27, 2022) for PS3, at least of all those I have seen lately in the store.

 

Where I imagine that you have made a mistake is by interpreting that I am saying that the game has been released expressly for PS3. Obviously, that’s not what I mean. What I mean is that there’re still games that include PS3 compatibility and I put Another World as an example.

 

The point is the cross-play between PS3, PSV and PS4/PS5 that Another World has (having been released on November 27, 2022), while other games that in the past had their cross-play version with PS3, now they come out without including PS3 but keeping PSV, even if it’s the same version of the game.

 

Here are my screenshots of what I said about the store. It’s the store in Spain and I have the app in Spanish, but it’s understandable enough.

 

That literally says PS4, it just mentions that it's cross buy. Plenty of PS3 games became cross buy when their PS4 versions were released. At best, you could say the PS4 version was just released. But even then, there's so much proof otherwise.

 

It's okay to be wrong, as long as you accept that you were wrong and learn from it. Being stubborn about being wrong and refusing to take any and all proof to the contrary doesn't change anything or help anyone.