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Sony Ships Its Last Ever PlayStation 3 In Japan (engadget.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the end-of-the-line dept.

After 11 years, Sony has stopped shipping the PlayStation 3 to retailers in Japan. The country stopped production on the 500GB model in December last year, but now a recent update on PlayStation Japan's website suggests that the other lingering units have all been shipped as well. It's only a matter of time before the console stops being produced altogether in other parts of the world. Engadget reports: Selling over 70 million units in just seven years, the PlayStation 3 was certainly a console to be reckoned with. Yet, for all its achievements, the long-surviving gaming machine initially made a name for itself for all the wrong reasons. With Sony riding high on the PlayStation 2's market-leading sales numbers, its successor launched at the eye-watering price of $499 -- and consumers weren't too happy about it. Luckily for Sony, publishers stuck with the pricey console, and exclusive games like Uncharted, Heavy Rain, The Last Of Us and Metal Gear Solid 4 helped to right the course of Sony's initially water-riddled ship. With the sun-setting on the aging console in the East, the news doesn't bode well for the future of the PlayStation 3 across the rest of the world. Sony has previously announced that PS Now will soon move exclusively to PS4 and PC. While few players will be mourning the loss of the pricey service, there are many PS3 owners still benefitting from free games on PlayStation Plus and downloading new content from the PS Store. As Sony slowly begins to start winding the console down, it's unlikely that gamers will be able to continue to use these services for much longer on the aging gaming system.

4 of 64 comments (clear)

  1. As a former PS3 developer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Good riddance.

  2. Re:I dont get it. by JJJJust · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I've just bought a PS4 and I've noticed that, at least among the titles I want to play, split-screen local multiplayer is no more. Figured one of the shooters I had would have it, nope. Went looking for it in Need for Speed, gone. I currently have no PS4 method where I can cathartically shoot my bf in the face or run him off the road. Couples who stay together apparently don't game together... or they have two TVs and two PS4s.

  3. PS3 Linux by DrYak · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Speaking of which, it would be nice if their last patch before ditching the console did re-enable the "other os" option, this time with the hyper visor officially giving access to all resources.

    --
    "Sufficiently advanced satire is indistinguishable from reality." - [Tips: 1DrYakQDKCQ6y52z6QbnkxHXAocMZJE61o ]
  4. Re: I dont get it. GAY NIGGERS LOVE PS3 UP ASS! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Interesting

    Is there no way to block this idiot once and for all? I'm getting so tired of the crap like this, the village idiot host files crap, etc. I'm about ready to stop visiting Slashdot after coming here since this site started.

    There are just starting to be too many ignorant posters even for me. Tired of all the anti this or that politics. I just want to enjoy coming here and reading tech and science discussions like the old days. Yes I have a bit of grey in my short trimmed / royal styled beard but 49 isn't that old. The worst part is that it seems like there are few websites and forums anymore where idiots aren't posts crap like this. No I don't long for the good old days but people were at least a lot more civil to each other back then. I already stopped watched cable and regular tv for the most part.