PSA: You Can Still Buy PSP Games on Sony Stores After All

A previous Sony Store warning stated that PSP commerce would be retired on July 2. Now, Sony has clarified that you'll still be able to buy PSP games on Sony Stores after all, despite the previously issued warning.

You Can Still Buy PSP Games

It turns out that you'll still be able to buy PSP games through Sony Stores after all. A warning message stating that "PSP commerce functionality will retire on July 2, 2021" was previously displayed, after Sony went back on its decision to discontinue the PS3 and the PS Vita storefronts back in April.

It seems that most people interpreted the warning as Sony stopping all PSP downloads, but it seems that Sony has clarified this. As first reported by Kotaku, both the US and UK PlayStation websites display a new message providing further clarification.

Screenshot of the notice about the PSP games on the PlayStation website.

Image Credit: PlayStation

On the website under the Important Notices page, a new notice has appeared clarifying what happens to PSP games. The notice reads "You’ll still be able to purchase and play PSP content that is available on the PS3 and PS Vita stores", but "you’ll no longer be able to make purchases via the in-game store for PSP content". So it turns out, you'll still be able to buy PSP games after all.

How Can I Buy PSP Games?

As we were reminded in the notice, the PSP game store was shut down in 2016, which is certainly a while ago. However, the notice clarifies that you can still get games for the PSP through both the PS3 and the PS Vita stores.

Neither of those storefronts are shutting down, as per the April decision reversal, so you'll still be able to download PSP games through them. It's worth bearing in mind that there will be some limitations going forward. From July 6, you'll no longer be able to search for games on the PSP itself, and you also won't be able to make any in-game purchases.

As for the games you already own, Sony's notice explained that you'll still be able to download all of your previously purchased PSP content. You can do this through the Download List that's already on your PSP.

Sony Keeps Saves the PSP From Extinction

If Sony went ahead with its initial plans to stop commerce for the PSP, the console would have inevitably gone extinct. With those still owning a PSP unable to download any new or previously purchased games, the device would have become useless.

However, as Sony has clarified that this decision is not going ahead, the PSP has been saved and lives for another day. For those that still own one anyway.