PlayStation 3 officially slips into its twilight years as Sony Japan ships last PS3 console

[Cal Jeffrey]

Sony has just shipped its final PlayStation 3 in Japan. According to Engadget, it is still being produced in other countries. However, the halt of production in Japan and the elimination of remaining stock has started winding down the 11-year-old console’s life. It comes as no surprise since Sony had indicated that it was ceasing production back in March of this year.

Historically, the production life of Sony’s consoles is about 11 years give or take a few years. The original PlayStation released December 1994 and ceased production in the spring of 2006, only months before the launch of PlayStation 3.

The PS2 began shipping in 2000 and stopped production in 2013, again, months before the release of the PS4. At the time, Sony announced that they would cease production in Japan in December 2012, and it was thought that they would slowly phase out production in other countries as well. However, only days later, on January 7, 2013, Sony announced that the console was being discontinued worldwide. If PS3 follows the same pattern, Sony will soon be announcing that the console has seen its last circuit board. However, with the introduction of the PlayStation Pro, it is hard to say if we will be seeing a PS5 anytime soon.

PS3 "Super Slim"

While it seems to be game over for the aging console, unlike the first two PlayStations, the PS3 did not launch in India until just five years ago, so perhaps Sony will continue producing in India and other countries that were late in getting the hardware.

According to Sony, the PS3 sold over 80 million units, which is nowhere close to the PlayStation’s 102 million or PS2’s record-breaking 150 million, due to the console’s rough initial reception. However, it has seen its days, and we are on the cusp of a new generation of hardware, so the PlayStation 3 is right on schedule for retirement.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/69508-playstation-3-officially-slips-twilight-years-sony-japan.html

 

[Uncle Al]

RIP

 

[amstech]

Great console!
Set the standard for fair online gaming with the option to purchase, not obligation.
PS4 is the leader because in large part, to this awesome freedom. (and its bada$s)

 

[Adhmuz]

If only my launch PS3 still functioned, that fat bastard was the ****.

 

[J spot]

I remember when I first read about the PS3. Actually it was the PS2. Per Sony, they were insinuating that it was gong to be like 6 times faster than a PC. That kind of hype works though. It was the first reading, and the exaggeration was extreme, but a great way to position the system. PS2 though. That fake exaggeration killed the Dreamcast. My cousin played my Dreamcast, was like "WOW," had never seen such graphics, coming from PS1, but that Dreamcast experienced sold another PS2, because "Imagine how the PS2 is going to look." Considering that it's a "super computer."

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

That reminds me that I have one of the original PS3 consoles wasting space which I won in some competition, or raffle, can't remember which one, that I very likely begrudgingly entered. I would have sold it immediately without second thought if it wasn't for my grandkids who got hours of entertainment from it. It came in handy and saved me a lot of effort from being the main source of entertainment for them. As for me using it? Apart from setting it up for them, I never touched it.

 

[Burty117]

That reminds me that I have one of the original PS3 consoles wasting space which I won in some competition, or raffle, can't remember which one, that I very likely begrudgingly entered. I would have sold it immediately without second thought if it wasn't for my grandkids who got hours of entertainment from it. It came in handy and saved me a lot of effort from being the main source of entertainment for them. As for me using it? Apart from setting it up for them, I never touched it.

Is it an original launch version you have? As in, can it play PS2 games?

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Is it an original launch version you have? As in, can it play PS2 games?

Yeah, it's an original launch PS3, the 1st iteration. Whether it works with PS2 games? I dunno but I'd assume it was backward compatible with some PS2 games but I never bought any games for it. Like I said, I had no interest in it, I only held onto it for my grandkids and their parents bought the games them, now it sits around collecting dust. I chuck it away sometime soon... the console and games that is, not my beloved grandkids

 

[Burty117]

Yeah, it's an original launch PS3, the 1st iteration. Whether it works with PS2 games? I dunno but I'd assume it was backward compatible with some PS2 games but I never bought any games for it. Like I said, I had no interest in it, I only held onto it for my grandkids and their parents bought the games them, now it sits around collecting dust. I chuck it away sometime soon... the console and games that is, not my beloved grandkids

Are you prepared to sell it?

 

[Camikazi]

Is it an original launch version you have? As in, can it play PS2 games?

Yeah, it's an original launch PS3, the 1st iteration. Whether it works with PS2 games? I dunno but I'd assume it was backward compatible with some PS2 games but I never bought any games for it. Like I said, I had no interest in it, I only held onto it for my grandkids and their parents bought the games them, now it sits around collecting dust. I chuck it away sometime soon... the console and games that is, not my beloved grandkids

The original PS3 (20GB and 60GB) are hardware based backwards compatible because it basically had a PS2 built in to play the games. This was taken away in the following versions so they tend to sell for more since they are more rare and more useful.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

The original PS3 (20GB and 60GB) are hardware based backwards compatible because it basically had a PS2 built in to play the games. This was taken away in the following versions so they tend to sell for more since they are more rare and more useful.

Thanks. I know mine is one of those fat original consoles because I got it about two months after it's release. I don't know what size the HDD is, I've never bothered to find out about the specs, they just don't interest me and neither do any other consoles.

 

[Camikazi]

Thanks. I know mine is one of those fat original consoles because I got it about two months after it's release. I don't know what size the HDD is, I've never bothered to find out about the specs, they just don't interest me and neither do any other consoles.

If it was that close to release then you have an original one. A quick way to check is HDMI, the 20GB PS3 did not have HDMI only the 60GB one did at the time.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

If it was that close to release then you have an original one. A quick way to check is HDMI, the 20GB PS3 did not have HDMI only the 60GB one did at the time.

Yes, it has HDMI. That I do know because I stopped using DVI/VGA before the PS3 was released. I don't have any monitors/TV's that don't use HDMI.

 

[Burty117]

Yes, it has HDMI. That I do know because I stopped using DVI/VGA before the PS3 was released. I don't have any monitors/TV's that don't use HDMI.

Soo eerrmm, if you do want to sell it, I'm all ears

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Soo eerrmm, if you do want to sell it, I'm all ears

Nah. I suppose I'll chuck it away eventually but first I'll advertise it locally, like in my region. If someone comes to my house and greases my palm, great, it's theirs, if not, it's not worth my time and money shipping it to the UK. Sorry 'bout that bro.