Topic: How long will Sony Support the PS3?

Even Well into the PS3's life cycle, the PS2 still received a lot of support especially in Japan. And Sony not only continued to release games for it, but also kept many Online PS2 servers open all the way through 2012. So this brings the question, how long will the PS3 be supported?

Until the PS4 is successful enough that it can stand on its own.
Part of the reason PS2 was supported as long as it was was because there was only so many people willing to pay the PS3's original asking price of $600.

(although the PSP is dead aside from maybe a rare PSN release and there's still not a whole lot I'd buy on PS Vita)

Sony says they aim for a 10-year lifespan on their consoles, and they just about made it with PS1 and PS2. I'd guess a few more years on PS3.

Sony will not support it with first party but third parties will... it'll -probably still get Japanese 'character' games (Dragonball, Gundam and the like) for at least 3 more years..... On the Western Side, support will probably stop after Holiday 2015, with only Fifa keeping up coming for 10 years or so.

As far as servers I'm not sure about multiplayer, but I think they'll keep the PSN store and the online infrastructure for trophies and stuff for at least 5 more years

The PS4, PS3,Vita and soon to be released PS TV (Vita TV) all use the same online infrastructure (PSN) now take into account PS Now I dont see support for the online services stopping anytime soon as they have mentioned the PS3 games you play using the PS Now streaming service has full multiplayer support so I see the servers staying up longer than we would of seen in the past if the PS Now streaming service is successful that is.

I don't see any more first party games being released after 2015 and I would expect to see third party support to dwindle towards the end of 2016 but you will still get some releases for the next 2-4 years maybe longer its hard to tell as a developer could make a game for the PS3 platform and release it on PS Now as well doubling there install base without the cost of porting/devolopering for the PS4.

I think Sony's already stopped making games for it, but I doubt the 3rd parties are gonna leave the 80+ million PS3 units alone any time soon. Even recently they've announced some decent games that are at least also available for the PS3, due out sometime in 2015. I'd say you got at least 2 or 3 more years before the well dries up completely.

2016, at the earliest. A 10+ year life is a lock at this point. It's still getting current gen games and it's still the preferred console for the many Japanese developers. They now can manufacture the consoles at a profit and online services can stay open indefinitely, so there's really no reason for Sony to stop support for the console for the foreseeable future.

They might continue support with games that also come to PS4, but I don't buy those games anymore and will get them on PS4 once I get one.
So to me it'll probably be dead after KH 2.5 HD (assuming Tales Of Zestiria will get a PS4 port).

I feel the opposite way. Every game that comes out for both PS3 and PS4 is another game that I don't have to bother upgrading for. People went nuts over Persona 5 being announced for PS4, but... it's coming to PS3... and I already have one of those.

Same here. Unless the PS4 version is super-duper special or something, I'm not gonna spend $400 for a new console just to get a bunch of marginally upgraded games I can get on something I already have...

I'll be the third to agree to this. I'm not one to pay $400 for better graphics.

Not just for graphics, just a better experience in general. last gen games are often witheld from the polish and optimising the current gen versions do get. This is also due to them being outsourced a lot(which in rare cases can make it a better game than the current gen).

I'm not spending the 400 either, I'm just saving money by just not buying those games and when I do buy a PS4 in a few years I can pick 'em up for cheap.

I think they'll carry on supporting it until people stop buying Sony's games on it. With the success of PS4 being much more instant than that of PS3, Sony might actually start making current gen games for their current console rather than just tarting up PS3 games.

I guess they're just waiting for Nintendo to show them how to utilise additional power

I also agree and it's the huge reason why I have no interest in the Xbox One at the moment, for example sure the new Tomb Raider has timed exclusivity with Xbox but it's with both Xbox One and Xbox 360. The fact that it's on last gen systems means I have no reason to upgrade, the only console which hasn't got this problem is Wii U hence why I was quick to pick one up a year ago.

I don't think it will be discontinued until 2020, though releases will probably become nothing but sports games and licensed movie games around like 2017.

Sony with their systems commit to a minimum 10 year life span for the hardware to receive games. At a minimum I'd imagine 2 years maybe 5 max for the PS3 depending how much they want to throw at it and for however long. The jump in quality this gen over the last isn't a big leap like the valley they jumped from the PS2/GC/Wii type stuff to the HD gaming so it still looks and feels fresh enough.

PS3 is Sony's best bet right now, especially for japan, which supports it relentlessly. But the PS4 in general, while being very successful, still requires a more diverse audience (right now there's mostly dudebro support on it) before becoming the center of the Sonyverse. Especially japan still doesn't want the PS4, and until something better than FFXV shows up, that won't change (yes, reception of FFXV wasn't really good in japan). I guess KH3 might change the tides, though.

Dude, even the Wii U has been outselling the PS3 week after week. Unless you just mean they still make PS3 games for it, which is definitely true. Then again, they still made quite a few PSP games until fairly recently, so take that for what you will.

I really wasn't aware that the WiiU is currently stronger than PS3, but that's no wonder to me. There aren't many people left to buy a PS3, so the numbers had to dwindle eventually. But consider how many PS3 owners we currently have, and it's pretty clear that Sony would be suicidal to think the PS4 could just take the place. Not with the weak sales figures it showed after the hype died down..
Also, I think Sony is currently only developing for PS4 after abandoning the VITA, but I'm not entirely sure.

I bet knowing the content being released there. It'll be 3-5 years.

apparently 2016 will be the year that sony stops supporting the playstation fwooooaar.