It’s hardly earth-shattering news, but the PlayStation 3 is old – like, really old. The console launched all the way back in 2006, so it’s perhaps no surprise Sony is pulling the plug on support for the system and its peripherals – in Japan, at least. Writing on its official Twitter account, the organisation “sincerely apologised” to gamers still using the device, but explained that it simply doesn’t have the required inventory of parts to provide a comprehensive after-sales service anymore.
“After-sales service will be discontinued on Saturday, 30th April, 2022 for the PS3 and all PS3 peripherals due to the exhaustion of parts inventory,” a statement explained. “Customers who wish to have after-sales service for the relevant model should apply for after-sales service through the online repair reception service or PlayStation Customer Support by Saturday, April 30, 2022.”
Of course, Sony no longer sells the PS3, so none of this should come as a surprise. We reckon over 15 years of support is pretty decent for the platform overall, and it has committed to keeping the console’s PS Store online for the foreseeable future. All in all, if you’re still playing on the last-last-gen system, you can’t complain – especially if you played all the titles on our Best PS3 Games list.
[source twitter.com, via videogameschronicle.com]
Comments 48
The PS2 is still the most recent generation to me dammit! 😭
Jokes aside, 16 years support for a single console is long enough for a newborn to leave school and head into the world of work. To compare it to other consoles, a number of generations fizzled out after only two or three years, and while many of these were made by big electronics companies, it almost seems like they faded into obscurity. And perhaps for those that did stick around, the PS3 has been supported for longer than the gap between the release of Sega's first ever home console (the SG-1000) in 1983, and their final console (the Dreamcast) in 1998. That's an incredibly long time in gaming.
Still can't believe that there are those that are playing on the PS3, 16 years later. What is everyone's recommendation on getting past consoles?
New or used?
Removed - current gen piracy/emulation
@CrashLanded RPSC3?
Long as I can't still sync my trophies you won't hear any complaints from me.
How long ago did they stop support in the US? They refused to fix my original one (bought Release Week 2006) the second time that it had issues in 2010, even if I paid for it.
Thankfully, the one that I bought to replace it is still working just fine 12 years later and has never had trouble. Too bad it can't play PS2 games like the original, but my kids have enjoyed games like Little Big Planet and the Lego series for years. They grew up with the PS3 as their first console, even though it was older than them.
We still have the PS3 hooked up and it gets used every now and again. Not so much now we have the PS5, but it does still get used!
@Unlucky13 lol, yep, those are the games that my kids return to as well!
The PS3 era had three of my favorite series as new IPs...
Fantastic gen. I feel old.
@KnightRider1982 That other guy is telling you to pirate games.
At least as far as used v refurbished goes, I've heard used is better. If it's been refurbished then it was broken at some point. Used at least shouldn't have been broken in the past.
Enjoy your retirement PS3. You've certainly earned it.
The original PS3 Fat 60GB version is still quite useful, as it's the only SKU that has an Emotion Engine, i.e., hardware backwards compatibility with PS2 and PS1 games. I still have my PS3 plugged in in my entertainment center for that reason plus as a BluRay player. I have replaced the original HD for a larger one, though.
i'm sure there are unoffical places that can still fix ps3's though
It's a great system to play despite it's age! Some games are still damn impressive and don't at all look outdated. To think this thing launched at $599 initially and there was a time I thought I'd never afford one. Now you can probably pick one up for what 70 dollars or less?
Just imagine, one day PS5's will be dirt cheap. Of course we'll all be old geezers by then but what a glorious day that will be!
Just get backwards compatibility working on PS5 and everyone will be happy
@KnightRider1982 I recently bought the backwards compatible PS3, it can play ps1 and PS2 games. When I get the ps5, I can pack up my other consoles and store them, as I can handle the entire console library physically through the two of them...
I do wonder how they do have the parts to support their PlayStation Now streaming servers….
16 years of support...well minus the infamous outage. Started the indie boom as well on console. It also was supported well with classic titles from older generations. Especially ps1 imo.
Hopefully this means PS5 will eventually have PS3 compatibility added to it.
Cannot wait for Destination Home.
I remember playing Resistance Fall of Man on launch day and was blown away by the visuals. I still play it today but when you look at how far gaming has come since then it really is incredible.
Ps3 is a legendary PlayStation console.resistance fall of man was and still is amazing.word up son
I bought my ps3 with killzone 2 and i loved it..my xbox 360 only ever seemed to like playing the red ring of death game so i got rid of it and returned to playstation where i have remained ever since..wicked machine..
@KidBoruto I doubt it due the the cell archetype of the PS3.
Mine is still in the front room hooked up. Its a rock band and guitar hero machine tho 🎸😂😂
Ill miss you old friend we had tons of fun you brought me jems like Heavenly Sword and Valkyria Chronicles, Infamous, Killzone 3. 👋😢
I still play mine. It's still connected next to my PS5, Switch and WiiU. Was playing Mercenaries 2 on it not long ago.
I would have thought support for it ended long ago since production and warranties would have expired. I'm sure there are people out there that are going to make this into a bigger deal than it is, because... Sony.
I sold mine to Airbus because they needed some new engines for their planes.
Managed to bring a few ps3 back to life and earn some ££ on the side, those were some great machines
I still keep playing my PS3 games.
I started to play PS3 very late, from 29 December 2019.
Within 2 years I have accumulated 40 PS3 games.
Of course, I only play PS3 games for kids with very few Teen games.
I'm still keeping my PS3 Slim around, all hooked up to my TV with my PS4 Slim, Switch, Wii etc.
Kind of using it just for PS Move games. House of the Dead with the two Sharpshooter peripherals is super fun. 😊
Still got the PS3 Slim (2503 model) next to the TV in the living room plugged into HDMI 4 - it's our go to CD, DVD & Blu-ray player. I've even got the original (Spiderman logo) Sony remote control.
Bought the slim after the 60Gb fatty decided to die after 5.5 years of fairly intense service. I did briefly have a super slim but that was a truly horrid example of cost cutting going too far.
Still gets used today for my son creating Mod-nation Racers tracks and racing on various F1 games, including the Mario Kart style F1 Race Stars. Usage dropped off once the PS4 arrived though.
Finally time to upgrade then...
How many other consoles have been supported for almost 16 years, that's insane.
The 60GB PS3 is still an extremely essential piece of hardware today because of Sony's reluctance to bring PS1-3 games to newer systems.
@KnightRider1982 I guess you didn't know that the PS3 had over 3008 games in its library
@sanderson72 I got service on my PS3 about 2 years ago,, it was originally a 60GB hd, sony upgraded and gave me a 256GB hD for FREE!! i was soo elated.. im currently playing "REMEMBER ME" i have games like "YAKUZA 4,5" "Syberia", "RDR", "DANTES INFERNO", "Bayonetta", "Prince Of Persia" and many other titles. The PS3 was, and still is my nostalgic console for game changing innovation!!
@Rural-Bandit Motorstorm is one of the key titles missing from the PS4 onwards. Pacific Rift is one of the all time best arcade racers on any Playstation platform.
Still, no chance of that coming back as Evolution are now Codemasters Evo.
I'm surprised they were still servicing them at all. Only in Japan, I assume.
I'm still working through my PS3 backlog on a Super Slim. It can get a bit loud, maybe I should invest in some thermal paste or something? I'm not an expert.
It's also weird how old and flimsy the controller feels compared to the PS4/5. Still a great machine, though.
The PS3 will always be my favourite games console! The memories I have with them things. GTAIV, Uncharted 2, Motorstorm, Metal Gear 4, happy happy days
I want a couple new damn controllers. Three PS3s and controllers crapping out left and right.
@Jango-Forest Might want to track down a Slim - so much quieter than the nasty Super Slim with its chocolate box insert lid.
I think the 25xx series was considered the quietest (reason I tracked one down post 60Gb death) - you can still hear the fan but it's not intrusive. Plus you get all the nice LED lights!
Does feel odd going back to the DS3 controllers; your hand almost feels cramped around it compared to the DS4.
I still have my ps3 and an impressive library of games. I bought it in 09, after 4 Xbox 360s died from the red ring of death. That ps3 is still rock solid, like you, I had amazing experiences on it. I love my 5, but the 3 still has a special place in my heart.
@KnightRider1982 In all honesty I still use my PS3 from time to time as there are still plenty of games that I missed out on around that time that probably won't ever get a release on any hardware or streaming service going forward because of either licencing issues or the publishers no longer being around. There are also a lot of people who are still earning trophies on a lot of those games so it is popular for that reason too.
On the subject of used and refurbished I am always slightly against refurbished unless you know the person or place you are buying it from and that they have a good track record of fixing things. since once a console has broken down once there is always a chance that the original under lying problem is still there.
@sanderson72 Thanks for the recommendation, I'll have to do some soul searching. I got the Super Slim since it was the newest and thought it would last longer, but it does whine a fair bit.
@Jango-Forest Apart from the fact that it fell over whenever I tried changing the disc when stood vertically, the worst thing I found was the noise from the disc drive.
Unlike the PS4, the PS3 just caches some of the data on the hard drive and still reads off the disc and the constant spin up/spin down noise was drowning out the sound/speech from the game!
it’s no Xbox360 but the PS3 was badass . still my favorite looking console , i’ll never get over that design 🔥
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