Topic: PS3 - finding things that can't be found in PSN store

So I stupidly rebuilt my HDD database and restore my file system - not system restore, file restore - which wound up turning into a system restore b/c after several hours of trying everything I could find on the internet - short of HDD Regenerator - I just restored the system. So 5 years of downloads gone. I did back up most of my save files (some games I just din't care enough about to be bothered) and I thought everything I had previously DL'd I'd be able to DL again. But some stuff I just can't find, not even using searching in the store. Swords & Soldiers for 1, and seemingly everything ever DL via the 2 years I had PS+ is not in my download list.

So, anybody have any good hints and tricks for finding things I can't find? Is the SEN website any better maybe? thanks, rjejr

Try going to the game's page. If it wants you you to buy it again (unless you got it with plus and it expired) you should probably contact Sony. It doesn't take too long to get their text chat support up.
Edit: You already tried searching the store. You're best would probably just be to contact Sony at this point.

Thanks I will contact Sony, but i've downloaded a lot of stuff over the past 5 years or so and I'm making a list of things I can't find before doing so. My kids and wife each also have their own account so we are going to take some time this weekend to see what we can't find.

I think part of the problem is that PS+ stuff just doesn't seem to show up on the Download list, so I have to decide if some of what I am missing was PS+. And w/ 4 accounts in the house i have to check each list to see who purchased the item as there doesn't seem to be 1 master list for the console. And the "transaction list" is only prices, so you have to click each 1 to see what you bought.

I found one more thing you could try though. Download the demos of games you can't find and see of you can get anywhere with that. I looked S&S for in the online store, and could only find it's demo. Maybe that's do soemthing.

Yeah, I actually got Hamster Ball that way. I don't have much use for it but my kids like messing around w/ the multiplayer. When I tried it for Sword & Soldiers though - use the demo and click on "Buy Game" in the demo - the store gave me a "nothing to see here, move along" type message. MAybe Sony droped i tb/c Nintendo has dibs on the upcoming sequel?

Thanks for all the help though, it's going to be a long and laborious process. Took about 4 hours to re-download just the "updates" for LBP2 and my pre-purchases and then LBP3 updates and install LBP3 from disc. A whole date shot and I havent even played anything yet. Such is life.

Ah, I think I know a way to help. You have to go to the online store, and go into your "Download History". That should help you find the games you were looking for.

Earlier I had the same problem with two different games. One was Retro City Rampage, that was given out free for plus members, and the other was Infamous, that I got for the three months PSN was down. For Infamous, every time I went to the store page (on the PS3) to download, I kept getting the message "Not Available to Purchase", and when I clicked for information it only told me that I had already purchased it. Looking for it on the PS3 store only brought up Infamous 2, which I could download, and the Infamous Collection. And looking for it on PS3's download history brought up nothing.

The same thing, somewhat, happened with Retro City Rampage. The only difference was that RCR was completely removed from the store when Retro City Rampage: DX came out. There was no page to see a "Not Available" text, nor anything. It was just... gone. I was pretty bummed about it too, cause I had thought PlayStation went back on their word and took them off, even though I owned Infamous and I didn't have Plus at the time.

So, yeah. You have to go to the online store (Sony Entertainment Network store), but don't try to search for it with the search function, cause your gonna get the same problem you had looking for it on the PS3 store. You have to go through your download history manually, and search for it. Which is kind of nice, for me, cause I can look at all the games I ever owned and reminiscence on them, maybe even find a bunch you haven't even played yet cause I didn't have the space or time.

I also notice that sometimes that the store with randomly put up a game, sometimes a PS+ game, and set the price to free, but they won't say anything. You can purchase the game again, even if you already own it from PS+, and you will have it forever. Even if your PS+ runs out, you can still play the game. I thought that was pretty nice of them, even if it was probably an accident.

I have a few games that are not on the store anymore. At first I thought it was just the 360 that takes things off of their store, until I got a bigger hard drive for my PS3, redownloaded everything (by way of the store) and couldn't find my Q-Bert game (if anyone remembers when that was released). The thing that I find weird is Entwined for the PS4. I bought it, have it downloaded onto my system, but when I go into the store, it shows that I have not bought it yet. Now, I'm getting a bigger hard drive for the PS4, and won't be able to download it due to this.

Thanks @RagingMonkey and @JLPick guess I'll just keep plugging along, get what I get and not get upset.