5 reasons it’s worth dusting off your PlayStation 3

For all the excitement and curiosity surrounding next-gen gaming and the next-gen consoles that will come after them, there’s still plenty of value in those days gone by. The PlayStation 3 in particular is still making the rounds and providing a satisfying entertainment experience due to its versatility and robust hardware.

Sure, the PlayStation 5 offers impressive graphics and a fast processor, but the console and the games come with a high price tag. Plenty of players, too, have had problems with the DualSense controller: when it’s working, it’s fantastic — but drift and battery issues make for a frustrating gaming session. And while it offers a chance to enjoy other media, so too does the PS3, while also letting players enjoy a slew of retro titles.

Here’s why you should think about bringing back your PS3.

1 Many great titles to play

Popular games and classic stories available

Sony

To start, there are plenty of popular titles you can still enjoy on the PlayStation 3, many of which still look and feel great despite years of technological advancements. You can enjoy Demon’s Souls, Last of Us, Final Fantasy XIII, as well as some less somber, more chaotic God of War titles. While many titles have been remastered for PS4 and PS5, there are still some that have been left untouched, including Metal Gear Solid 4.

The PlayStation 3 was also notable for being backwards compatible, which means it still allows you to play some PS1 titles. There are plenty of great ones from that generation still worth revisiting, mind you. In all, a PS3 allows for a vast range of titles for any retro gaming enthusiasts, especially if you want to enjoy some casual play instead of launching into a title that takes some 50 or 100 hours to get through. As much as I love the new God of War and FFVII Rebirth, sometimes I want to shut my mind off with something simple and easy.

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2 Enjoy online gaming with nostalgic players

Multiplayer titles come without a cost

If you want to enjoy some online gaming with friends and strangers on your PS5, you’ll need a PlayStation Plus subscription for accessing games. That’s not the case with the PS3. You can still enjoy access to some online games for free with your older-gen console, taking a journey back to simpler times when not everything was mined for as much money as possible.

Be mindful that some servers have been shutdown, however, so you won’t have access to everyone you previously did all those years ago. You’ll also need to make sure that there are enough other people out there that also want to play the same game. Still, there are plenty of active communities surrounding some titles, so there’s online excitement to be had if you have the right setup.

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Play, stream, and listen from your console

A PlayStation 3 also has worth as your entertainment hub as well, operating as a Blu-ray player if you enjoy physical media. It also plays DVDs if you want to throw it way back (and CDs if you want to go even more way back). The PS3 is also noteworthy for acting as media storage too. You can keep video files on the device (how many will depend on the storage size), as long as the drive is properly formatted. It essentially functions as a computer hard drive from which you can play movies or shows or any other titles you may have.

Streaming will be a bit more limited, since the PS3 predates a lot of services and many aren’t getting updated. Still, you may still be able to enjoy Netflix or YouTube directly from the console.

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4 Mod and customize your console

For the more ambitious player out there, the PS3 allows for emulators, modding, and homebrew apps for gamers to create a custom experience. With a PS3, you can run an emulator to play not just PS2, PS1, and PSP games, but also those from Sega and Nintendo systems, including Dreamcast and N64. You can also mod your PS3 to allow you to play games from a hard drive, unlock gaming that may be restricted to a region, or upload patches for certain titles.

Gamers can run homebrew software to further customize their PS3, which can alter both the gaming opportunities and media playback. You can even play around with the performance of the console. Tinkering with a PS3 is quite popular, and an active community is available to learn from and engage with if you choose to go down the modding route.

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5 Quality audio format support

Enjoy a surround sound experience

One feature of the PlayStaystation 3 that’s still advantageous to this day is its audio output options. With the proper HDMI cable, users can enjoy support for Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD Master Audio, two popular, high-end formats that allow lossless audio playback for a 7.1 sound system. The optical output of a PS3, meanwhile, supports Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1. While not as ideal as the other options, these common formats provide immersive sound for a 5.1-channel system.

With a PS3, you can hook up both an HDMI cable and an optical connection to your TV and use either as needed. While the PS3 doesn’t support 4K video, the audio options are still formidable for a modern entertainment setup.

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