Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. News

Sony shutting down PSP's digital storefront in 2016

By

sony ending psp store support in 2016 pspclose header
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Sony is ending support for the PlayStation Portable’s digital storefront in Japan next year, rendering the PlayStation Store permanently inaccessible via the company’s legacy portable console.

PSP games and apps will still be available for purchase from the PlayStation Network, but users will no longer be able to buy and download digital titles using the PlayStation Portable’s built-in connectivity features.

Recommended Videos

Sony will close the PSP’s storefront in March of 2016, officially ceasing the sale of digital games via its first-ever portable games console. The shutdown will also end the company’s Japan-exclusive UMD Passport program.

Related

The UMD Passport service allowed PSP owners to download digital versions of previously purchased UMD titles and transfer them to PS Vita and PlayStation TV platforms for a nominal fee. The program was never available outside of Japan, due to cost concerns and the PSP’s comparative lack of popularity in other regions.

Following next year’s shutdown, PSP users will still be able to download and install compatible games from the PlayStation Network via a Sony-proposed workaround. Players will first need to download PSP games to a PS Vita, PlayStation 3, or PC before transferring them to a connected PSP. The process ensures that all user purchases will remain accessible even after the PSP’s online functionality ceases.

Originally released in Japan in 2004, the PlayStation Portable was Sony’s first portable video games console. The platform supported games and movies available at retail via the proprietary UMD format, and later added support for digitally distributed apps.

The PSP sold more than 82 million units worldwide during its decade-long lifespan, with the final units shipping to retail in 2014. New games continue to trickle out for the legacy platform in its twilight years via niche publishers, including upcoming localizations of Summon Night 5 and Class of Heroes 3.

Sony will end PlayStation Store support for the PSP in Japan on March 31, 2015. Shutdown dates for other regions were not announced.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Danny Cowan
Danny Cowan
Contributor
Danny’s passion for video games was ignited upon his first encounter with Nintendo’s Duck Hunt, and years later, he still…
Helldivers 2 just showed the highs and lows of live service in one chaotic weekend
A soldier in silhouette in Helldivers 2.

Helldivers 2 was on top of the world. Released in February to surprise acclaim, PlayStation and Arrowhead's co-op shooter quickly became the kind of success story that any gaming company would want to emulate. In a world of live service risks, this one was paying off thanks to a dedicated community whose commitment to democracy showed no signs of slowing down.

Then it all came crashing down in an instant.

Read more
The wait is over: Hades 2 is out now in early access on Steam
Hades 2 key art from its first trailer.

Hades 2 -- the highly anticipated sequel to a roguelike that Digital Trends considers to be one of the best games of all time -- is out now.

Developer Supergiant Games surprise released the game at 10 a.m. PT on Monday following a positively received Technical Test in April. It costs $30, a price that Supergiant Games says it "may raise" in the future depending on the scope of content added between now and Hades 2's full launch. As for how long that will take, the Steam page says that thegame will "be in Early Access development at least through the end of 2024." Supergiant Games isn't committing to a specific 1.0 launch date at this time.

Read more
Do you need a PSN account to play Helldivers 2?
A scene from Helldiver 2's opening cutscene.

Helldivers 2 has been a huge hit this yea,r with a consistent player base since its launch in February and a peak of over 450,000 players. Fighting for Super Earth, players have been waging war against monstrous insects and deadly robots and laying down their lives for democracy. But the game's reputation took a hit recently when it was announced that PC players would have to register for a PlayStation Network account to continue playing the game — a move that would have left players in parts of the world with no PSN support high and dry.

In  response, there was a major outcry (and review bombing of the game on Steam) in response, which led Sony and Arrowhead Game Studios to swiftly alter their policies to appease the player base. The entire ordeal has been a bit of a whirlwind, so it's OK if you're a little lost. Here's what you need to know.
Do you need a PSN account to play Helldivers 2?
No, you don't need a PSN account to play Helldivers 2 right now.

Read more