Several owners of a PlayStation 3 claim that updates for some games are no longer available. This removal appears to be linked to the announced shutdown of the PSP, PSVita and PS3 versions from PlayStation Store. However, Sony did not notify gamers of a prior removal of patches and updates.
Imagine this situation. You are the proud owner of a PlayStation 3. Despite all the finery offered by the PlayStation 4 and taking into account the unavailability of the PlayStation 5, you still play on this good old PS3. It must be said that the game library of this console is extremely rich and remains, even with respect to current standards, very qualitative. Yakuza 5. Dark Soul's 2. GTA 5. Ni no Kuni. Etc.
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You've probably also noticed that games often get updates. The productions have become very complex. And the studios are committed to improving the experience. Like on PC. We're not talking about DLC or expansions here, but bug fixes. These corrections are downloadable directly from the interface of the PlayStation. However, it seems that Sony has already started cleaning up these files.
A growing list of games with deleted updates
Indeed, according to several users of the ResetEra forum, the fixes for certain games on PlayStation 3 are no longer accessible online. This means that if you delete and then reinstall the game on your console, you will not be able to apply the update. Which not only poses a problem in the gameplay, but also a possible incompatibility with your save.
It is not yet possible to confirm whether this deletion is temporary, or whether it is permanent. Some players report that they have started a provisional list of games whose updates and fixes are no longer accessible. You will find there Gran Turismo 5, Dungeon Siege III, Dante’s Inferno, 007 Legends, Lego Star Wars The Complete Saga, Soul Calibur IV, Payday 2, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2, Hitman Absolution, Battlefield 4, etc. This list is obviously growing every day. Find the full list by following the source.
A taste of removing PlayStation Store from PS3
If it is only temporary, this deletion is not really a problem. The players will have to take their troubles patiently before they can play a "clean" game. If it is definitive, the inaccessibility of these updates obviously poses a big problem: the follow-up of the players is not assured, whereas the latter have paid for the game. In absolute terms, even if they decide not to not purchase additional content in the form of DLC, they retain the right to be able to play their games with the best possible experience.
Obviously, we can't help but think that this deletion is related to the scheduled shutdown of the PSP, PS3 and PSVita versions from PlayStation Store. We have already published articles on this subject. You know the date of this closure: July 2, 2021 (except for the PS Vita which benefits from a period of two additional months). And you also know the list of 138 games that will be phased out for good. These games have not been ported to PlayStation 4 and do not benefit from backward compatibility.
What future for respect for consumer rights in the era of dematerialized gaming?
The PlayStation 3 is Sony's first console whose games can be patched and whose content is downloadable from an online store. Its gradual abandonment therefore poses real problems as regards the maintenance of the associated services and as regards the customer service to be provided. Problems that are raised here because it concerns millions of players (87 million consoles sold in 11 years) and which will become more and more common as the video game continues to dematerialize
Indeed, even if the support of the game is virtual, the acquisition of the game is it very real. It is governed by consumer law. A right which protects the consumer (who is no longer considered here as a player, but as a customer). We do not know if removing game updates fully meets this right. We do know, however, that some platform managers have had to reverse certain decisions because they went against consumer law. Steam was notably forced to allow players to be able to resell their virtual games. It would not be impossible for these laws to force Sony to keep game updates online, even when stores are closed. Case to follow.
