The biggest issue, according to a lot of people, has been the discontinuation of sales for a lot of this legacy software. This is a valid concern – there are quite literally almost ten thousand games spread across these three storefronts, spanning the PS1, PS3, PS3, PSP, and PS Vita. A lot of incredible classics were released digitally only (particularly for the Vita, the market failure of which made retail releases untenable very early on). Multiple PS1 and PS2 classics were sold for affordable and cheap prices on these stores, rather than the literally hundreds of dollars physical copies of them command on auction sites such as eBay. There are great PlayStation exclusives, and titles that were defining for the platform and its legacy, such as Metal Gear Solid 4, Suikoden, Xenogears, Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal, Resistance 3, inFamous 2, Persona 3, and many, many, more, that are now going to be lost in the ether. Your option is either to splurge obscene amounts of money on getting physical copies of these, or just never play these games. They will be lost.

Contrast this approach, for a second, to the competition’s. Xbox’s legacy with games is not even a fraction of PlayStation’s, and yet Microsoft is more respectful of it by literally magnitudes upon magnitudes. Microsoft has made a concerted effort to not only maintain compatibility across now four generations of Xbox consoles, but to honor your purchases across all of them (so the user never has to rebuy their games), and most impressively, give these games enhancements and boosts when played on new systems – free of charge. Where Sony is unwilling to let you even play Persona 3 on your PS5, Microsoft will not just let you play Fallout 3 on your Series X, they will also give it enhanced performance, so that it looks and runs substantially better than it did originally – and this is done without charging the user a dime. Can you imagine Sony, the company that made you buy PS2 classics on PS4 again even after you had already purchased them on PS3, charging a premium for minor “enhancements” such as Trophy support, doing something like that? The contrast in the two approaches is severe and stark, and Sony’s efforts look particularly disdainful of their legacy, and of their users’ investment, in light of how Microsoft has been handling compatibility.

Sony has claimed it approaches video games as a medium for storytelling, a legitimate avenue for human creation and expression. Art like that is not meant to be ephemeral and disposable, it’s not something that is made obsolete because something newer came along, it’s something that is meant to be treated with respect and made accessible to as many people as possible. Can you imagine if Steven Spielberg had never allowed any distribution of Schindler’s List after 1994 because Jurassic Park was here, and it was newer and shinier? Can you imagine J.R.R. Tolkein and his publishers deciding to never give any reprint runs to The Hobbit because The Lord of the Rings was now out, and it was newer and better anyway? If games are actually art, then why are they not being treated as such?

The issue with Sony’s announcement goes even further than just the loss of these games (which is in and of itself an intangible profound loss) too. The PS3 and PSP are extremely old – they are 15 and 17 years old respectively, and honestly, their stores being shut down makes at least some sense. It still hurts, because Sony has made no attempts to ensure compatibility with or access for those games on newer platforms, which is what makes the situation spectacularly terrible – but you can at least understand that decision, even if you don’t like it. But then there’s the Vita.

The Vita is less than ten years old right now from its original release (less than nine for western territories). Shutting down the store for a platform not even ten years old is horrific, and sets an awful precedent for the rest of the industry. Yes, the Vita didn’t do too well in terms of hardware sales, but it has a dedicated community of owners and developers (we’ll get to this one in a bit), and software routinely overperformed on the platform. In spite of Sony’s best efforts to bury the Vita alive, the platform continued to chug along. It continues to get routine releases every month even into 2021 (which makes sense, given that the Vita is less than ten years old). Shutting down the store for a system that isn’t even that old is unacceptable. It’s unacceptable for a bunch of reasons.

One part of that is the notice given. The PS3, PSP, and Vita stores are not the first console online stores to be shut down – the DSi and Wii stores were. However, in spite of how legendarily bad Nintendo tends to be with online services, they had the foresight and the consideration to make the announcement quite literally years ahead of time, giving everyone involved plenty of time to get prepared for when it happened. Nintendo also made the process a phased one – they announced the stores would be shutting down a couple of years down the line, but that balance purchases for the stores would be suspended a year down the line. Again, this approach, while not ideal – those games are still lost to time, and they’re not compatible with Nintendo’s newest platform either – at least exhibited a level of consideration for those ecosystems, and the users and developers who may still be invested in them, however few they may be. Sony’s notice period is… four months for the PS3 and PSP, five months for the PS Vita. That’s all we get. And rather than do everything in properly laid out staggered phases, Sony has taken the webstore that users used to make purchases for these systems (because the stores on the consoles themselves are, let’s face it, terrible) down without any notice or warning at all. This reveals how little they care for not just the PS3, PSP, and PS Vita, and the legacy associated with those systems and the games they had, but also for the users who may still be invested in those platforms, and the developers who may still be invested in those platforms.

Yes, developers. As it turns out, Sony’s spectacularly bad communication and lack of transparency isn’t just for their users, it’s also for their developers. Multiple developers who were still working on Vita games that were due to release this year did not know that Sony would be pulling support for that platform’s store (because, I remind you, the Vita is less than a decade old). In fact, Sony was selling dev kits – presumably worth thousands of dollars, judging by how much dev kits are typically known to cost – to developers as recently as a few months ago with no warning associated. Meaning Sony was willing to take developers’ money for games that they were just going to be starting development on for the Vita, without letting them know that they would soon have no way whatsoever  of actually selling those Vita games, because the Store was about to close soon, and Sony had stopped manufacturing cartridges for the Vita years ago anyway (plus as mentioned already, physical Vita releases haven’t been tenable for a long time).

This basically throws these developers – and these developers are typically smaller indie outfits, not the big developers (whom, reportedly, Sony did give notice to) – under the bus. They are out of the money they used on the dev kits, and they have no way to recoup those games they spent time, money, and resources on unless they can get them out in the next five months and hope to recoup all costs in that truncated period. How will they get the games out by then? They may have to crunch, they may have to enlist help they can’t afford, or they’re just going to be losing a lot of money.

PlayStation became as huge as it did on the back of amazing developer relations. Before the PlayStation came along, the market was dominated by Nintendo and Sega, and both platform holders were known to be, to put it bluntly, bullies to third party developers for their consoles. Sony managed to make the PlayStation such a rousing success because developers of all kinds – the big blockbuster publishing houses, and western ones, yes, but also smaller ones with few credentials, and Japanese ones working on niche titles not guaranteed to be blockbusters – felt welcome in the fold. Sony took decades to build this reputation for developer relations, and it’s why, for so long, the PlayStation was almost a default platform for console developers. 

In the last few years, Sony has done its best to destroy this confidence and longstanding relationship with developers. Sony still rolls out the red carpet for you if you’re a western publisher, or if you’re a Japanese one who puts out huge blockbuster hits like Final Fantasy and Resident Evil – but otherwise, as we have seen, Japanese developers are increasingly being marginalized and alienated by PlayStation, and smaller indie developers from across the world have felt jilted by the console too – no wonder, by the way, if Sony will do things like take their money and then discontinue the store they could have sold their games on without warning or notice just weeks later.

This slow erosion of developer relations is not something they should expect to get away with forever. PlayStation is doing great right now, off the back of well earned and deserved goodwill from audiences and developers alike accrued over decades. But if Sony continues to be hostile to smaller pockets of developers it deems as being so small that they won’t have a choice but to support PlayStation, then it may soon start losing out on their support (among indie developers, PlayStation is already now taking a backseat to Steam and Switch, and several huge indie hits either come to PlayStation late (such as Hollow Knight), or don’t come to PlayStation at all (such as, as of right now, the award winning Hades). Among Japanese developers, we are already seeing multiple smaller developers and games going to the Switch exclusively (such as Shin Megami Tensei V), or coming to PlayStation later, or not at all.

And that kind of loss of support from smaller developers will matter. None of those games may sell millions of software copies or hardware units by themselves, but collectively, they add depth and dimension to the console’s library, which has helped PlayStation stand out and have a more exhaustive and comprehensive library than the competition for 20 years now. Losing those games, and only getting the big Japanese blockbusters and western multiplats, gives the PlayStation the kind of library that Xbox consoles were known to have until very recently – and that kind of library is sorely lacking in the character and texture that helps consoles appeal to all demographics.

This only exacerbates the broader problems that Sony’s discontinuation of these stores, and utter lack of compatibility and continuity efforts, will have. Yes, PS5 is selling great right now, and it’s well deserved – but customers who are burned repeatedly on their purchases by Sony will eventually learn not to trust the company. The fact that probably hundreds of dollars’ worth of digital purchases will now be lost to the ether will probably give a lot of pause to many before they spend money on Sony’s digital stores again (and this company has the audacity to sell a digital only console right now). This kind of loss of confidence is already something Nintendo struggled with with the Switch for years, and digital adoption for their consoles only started to pick up recently, after almost a decade of Nintendo trying. 

Yes, one might make the argument that the broader public doesn’t care – which in and of itself is a stupid and unfalsifiable statement, since there is no way to actually prove that – but the enthusiasts and engaged fans of PlayStation do, and they’re the ones who will be most jilted by this move, and will be the loudest in expressing their displeasure. And as we have seen previously, the enthusiasts making noise about something does leak into the broader public and color perception, affecting sales. The enthusiasts were the ones most opposed to the Xbox One when it was revealed – and that ended up influencing that console’s fortunes for the rest of its life cycle, as well as the brand’s up to now. If Sony continues to burn bridges with its development partners, and its most engaged fans, then the goodwill and success PlayStation enjoys right now could find itself be punctured severely – and they would do well to remember that. It feels like they take their success for granted right now.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Dan Adelman headed Nintendo’s indie third party relations arm for a very long time. he is the reason that Nintendo changed its stance from its draconian policies of the WiiWare and DSiWare era, and why they became so indie friendly. He is the reason that Nintendo platforms continue to score so many sweet indie games now, including Retro City Rampage, Shovel Knight, SteamWorld Dig, and the upcoming Stealth Inc. 2.

But he left, earlier this year. And what is he doing now, that he has finally left Nintendo? Well… he’s working on an indie game that will be hitting the PC and PlayStation. He’s teaming up with the creator of Axiom Verge to work on a Metroidvania platformer game that is due to launch in 2015 PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and PC.

Of course, this doesn’t mean anything as when Adelman quit Nintendo, he did state that he was on good terms with them, and that he would be working on multiple projects with indie game studios as their ‘business guy.’ And sure enough, he still is maintaining that there is more to come.

“Aside from the complete lack of any income, these two past months since I left my job have been amazing,” he said. “I’ve had lots of discussions with many developers about all kinds of interesting, quirky, wonderful stuff. These conversations are all in varying stages, and I’m sure I’ll be making some future announcements soon.”

Well, let’s hope the new game is great, and that together, they can make it a success. (Also, while you’re at it, Adelman, could you also pitch it to Nintendo? kthnxbai)

In what must be the most baffling move (and revision) by Nintendo yet, the gaming giant has announced today the Nintendo 2DS, the latest revision for the Nintendo 3DS line of systems which currently includes the original model as well as the XL.

The Nintendo 2DS is a version of the hardware that is shaped like the tablet and includes full feature parity with the other 3DS systems, except for the absence of stereoscopic 3D output, getting rid of the handheld’s signature feature; it also does not have a power saver mode.

The Nintendo 2DS retails for $129, which makes it $40 cheaper than the cheapest 3DS model, and $70 cheaper than the 3DS XL as well as the PS Vita, which just recently got a price cut. It hits stores on October 12, alongside Pokemon X and Y. Currently, only a release in North America and Europe has been announced- no Japanese release has been announced yet.

The Nintendo 2DS is aimed at the lower end of the market (effectively eliminating competition from Nintendo’s own DSi), as well as young kids, whose parents would not otherwise buy the handheld because of the health risks associated with 3D.

No news on a tablet-less Wii U Minus U yet.

[Gamespot]

What does “refurbished” mean? It essentially refers to handhelds that are pre-owned and returned to the manufacturer for various reasons. However, they have been tested and certified as fully functioning. Aside from some dings here and there, they conform to the “VERY high” standards of Nintendo.

As of now, consumers can pick up the 3DS Aqua Blue and Midnight Purple for $120, the Midnight Blue DSi XL at $100 and the Blue/Black and Red/Black 3DS XL at $170. SD memory cards for the 3DS XL are also available with the Red/Black 3DS XL 16GB memory card retailing for $180. The products come with a one year warranty, so you won’t need to worry about them breaking down any time soon.

This week’s Nintendo Download includes the following:

Nintendo eShop:
Lock’N Chase – This classic arcade game invites you to play as a thief who’s trying to score big by collecting his weight in gold. Duck in and out of alleys while scooping up coins along the way. (For Nintendo 3DS)

WiiWare:
Stonekeep: Bones of the Ancestors –  The legend of Stonekeep requires a new hero: you. Explore creepy dungeons, defeat monsters and take their loot in this fantasy RPG. (For Wii)

Nintendo eShop and Nintendo DSiWare
Gaia’s Moon –  Something strange is causing changes to the balance of energy in Gaia. Use your skills to discover who’s behind these changes and return harmony to the Gaia system. (For Nintendo 3DS / Nintendo DSi)

Nintendo eShop:
Resident Evil: Revelations (demo version) – An abandoned cruise ship holds the secret to a global bio-terrorism conspiracy in Resident Evil Revelations. A demo version is now available in the Nintendo eShop. (For Nintendo 3DS)

Also new this week:

•  Anne’s Doll Studio: Gothic Collection (Nintendo eShop / Nintendo DSiWare)

Thanks to Siliconera for the info.

This week’s EU update for the Nintendo DSi and 3DS eShop has landed.

Here’s the full list.

• 3D Classics Xevious – Nintendo 3DS, €3
• 99Bullets – Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DSi, €5 (500 Nintendo Points)
• AfterZoom – Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DSi, €5 (500 Nintendo Points)
• Jagged Alliance – Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DSi, €5 (500 Nintendo Points)

Seeing Xevious in 3D sounds pretty sweet, so get downloading if you want some retro arcade shooter action with a modern graphical twist.

Thanks to CVG for the info.

WiiWare:
Just JAM – Pick up that Wii Remote controller and get ready to mix, match and lay down your own tunes. Just JAM offers a live music experience featuring your favorite genres and cool artists. (For Wii)

Nintendo eShop + Nintendo DSiWare:
Jewel Keepers: Easter Island – With mind-blowing visuals and an engaging storyline, this game will keep you entertained for hours as you travel across Easter Island and help to unravel its mysteries. (For Nintendo 3DS / Nintendo DSi)

Dragon’s Lair II: Time Warp is a fully animated classic arcade game from legendary animator Don Bluth. You’ll make your way through time by using your Nintendo DSi to move and wield your sword.  Beware of your foes, as they are numerous!

Thanks to CVG for the info

At E3 it was announced that the, often unsung, Zelda multi-player game ‘Four Swords’ would be heading to DSiWare for free later this year. Alas, Zelda nuts may be sad to hear this will be a port of the original GBA version of the game which was included as a bonus feature on the GBA port of ‘Link To The Past’, as opposed to the more polished and much bigger Gamecube version of the game. Still, can’t complain if its free right?

Thanks to CVG for the info.