Rising prices for physical games mean more than just the imminent PlayStation Store shutdown, but it doesn’t help
PlayStation 3 games have gotten expensive lately – like many other old games that are either rare, really desirable as something an adult would play and enjoy in 2021, or heaven forbid, both
I’m not about to sell anything, but it’s gotten to the point where I found myself rechecking all of my collections in amazement after seeing the prices that games are currently picking up are revisiting. In some cases, especially my DS library, these are titles that I haven’t touched (let alone thought about touching) in years. I know myself well enough to know that running away would end in regret, but it’s tempting.
It’s a similar story on other consoles, including my bestie, the GameCube, and while it’s not necessarily a new trend – the pandemic has put some on retro game prices – the PS3 is worth checking out.
In the wake of Sony announcing its plan to ditch the ability to purchase PS3, Vita, and PSP digital games later this year, I’ve gone through an insane way to catalog my existing purchases, my already identify long-standing gaps and start buying. digital copies (mainly PS1 Classics so far) before the store closed in July. I was so fixated on this original goal that I hadn’t looked so much at stocking up on physical copies of PS3 games. In retrospect, that was a mistake. It’s probably too late for me.
As highlighted by ResetEra, certain PS3 games have become pricey – even some that are readily available on other platforms and can be purchased digitally for a reasonable price from the PlayStation Store. This isn’t an exhaustive list or anything, but here are some recent awards that caught my eye:
It’s times like this that remind me “Oh shit! The PS3 is coming at 15 years old. I’m just dust.”
Personally, my YouTube feed is filled with lists of hidden gems worth taking from the PlayStation Store, as well as popular games that are shockingly expensive on disc, but dirt cheap digitally. With all this information swirling around, I’ve been thinking more about my PlayStation 3 over the past few weeks than since I bought the system late in its lifecycle – no kidding. I finally have a second DualShock 3.
I’m not the only one with a renewed focus on the PS3 at the moment, and it shows in the rising prices in the second-hand market. The recent drama about certain games not being able to download patches is certainly an asset to the fire. Many of us are looking to situate our libraries, and in this console generation that means more than just buying a game, putting it on a shelf, and starting a day with it.
If you’re a motivated buyer, start researching and do what you need to do before you feel even more pressure as we head to the close of the store. If you’re open to parting with some of your less loved games for the right (inflated) price, it might be time to rethink your library.
That goes double for complete copies of PS1 games such as Suikoden II Tron Good, and Klonoa
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