On 7 July, Sony announced it will shut down the PlayStation Store on the PS3 and Vita, with closures beginning in some regions in August and concluding worldwide in July 2027. The article frames this as a closing window in which players can still buy digital editions of classic PlayStation 1 and PlayStation 2 titles cheaply, before the option disappears for good. Buying digitally is pitched as far cheaper than tracking down physical copies, which can command steep prices on the second-hand market.

The list prioritises games that are expensive to buy physically, with complete copies fetching anywhere from $50 to $700 on eBay, Amazon and used-game shops, whereas the digital editions typically cost around $6 to $10 each. Save files also mimic the original memory cards, giving an experience close to the original hardware. Highlighted titles include Treasure's shooter Gradius 5, the JRPG Growlanser: Heritage of War, survival-horror classic Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly, Clover Studio's brawler God Hand, two Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner (Raidou Kuzunoha) entries, and the PS1 platformer Castlevania Chronicles.