ThePS3launched with a slew of problems, not the least of which was the extremely high price. A few years into its life, Sony was able to steer the ship in the right direction. Unfortunately, consoles with online capabilities run into problems after their production stops, because of games requiring a connection to the Internet.
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The console is over 15 years old, so many games are becoming impossible to play. The titles listed below are either multiplayer-only and their servers shut down, or they have been delisted and physical copies are hard to come by. At least there are still ways to play many of these titles on other platforms.
Updated June 13, 2025, by Jason Wojnar:The PlayStation store on the PS3 is still alive and kicking, but that does not help with delisted games or multiplayer titles lacking active servers. Who knows what will happen to all the games that the store does close down.Nintendo fans are cruelly finding out with the announced closure of the 3DS and Wii U shops next year.One only hopes that players got plenty of enjoyment out of the games below. Most of them are not only unavailable on the PS3, but they are not available anywhere, to the sorrow of their fans.
12SOCOM: Confrontation
The first PS3 entry in this once-popular Sony franchise ditched any single-player componentin favor of a multiplayer focus.SOCOM: Confrontationwas met with a mixed reception, and its launch was not helped by the reported technical issues and the scant number of maps that the game offered.
Official servers were shut down in 2014. At least the sequel,SOCOM 4, has a single-player campaign. There is a small workaround forSOCOM: Confrontation, though, since fans recently launched private servers for thePS3 exclusivetactical shooter.
11Noby Noby Boy
Noby Noby Boyhad a unique idea that brought every player together to complete a goal. They had to help the protagonist stretch across all the planets in the solar system and reach earth. The goal was finally reached years after release, prompting a note from the creator to show up.
The game was delisted from the PS Store in 2018, making it impossible to play for anyone who had not already bought it.Noby Noby Boywas designed by Keita Takahashi,who is known for atypical gaming ideassuch asKatamari Damacy.
10Most Telltale Games
Telltale Games is known for utilizing popular licenses to create adventure games. Unfortunately, the first incarnation of the studio closed down in 2018. Shortly afterward, many of the licenses lapsed and most of the games were pulled from digital storefronts.
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Some titles have physical releases that at least give people a chance to play them, but a couple never received such a luxury.Poker Night 2, for example, never received a physical PS3 release, nor was it ported to the PS4.
9MAG
MAGstands for Massive Action Game. At its largest, the game allowed for 256 players to battle it out on a single map. It all worked, and the game definitely had its fans,but it apparently was not enough to sustain the title for long.
MAGlaunched in 2010 and shut down only four years later in 2014. The PS4 was out by this point, but the PS3 was still in use by many, so it seems like the game was shut down prematurely. Sony seems to have a renewed interest in multiplayer and live service games, evidenced by their purchase of Bungie, so maybe fans will receive a spiritual sequel toMAGin the future.
8Metal Gear Online
Metal Gear Solidhas always been about the story, butMetal Gear Solid 3: Subsistenceintroduced an online competitive mode. This was expanded upon for the PS3 withMetal Gear Online,which came withMetal Gear Solid 4, but was also sold separately in certain territories.
These servers only lasted from 2008 to 2012. Fortunately, fans can still playMetal Gear Solidcompetitively throughMetal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.Metal Gear Solid 4at least has a physical release and does not require an online connection to play, but its exclusivity on PS3 makes it progressively harder to play as the years go by.
7Grand Theft Auto Online
Grand Theft Auto V’sonline component has become a major beast within the gaming industry. It didn’t start off that way, however.Grand Theft Auto Onlinewas rough in its early days. Players had trouble connecting and joining games, and it was filled with bugs.
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GTA Onlineeventually made its way to PS4 and Xbox One, where new improvements and updates made it a fun and engaging way to pass the time with friends.GTA Onlinefor the PS3 went offline on December 21st, 2021. PS3 owners can still enjoy the fantastic single-player campaign for as long as the system and copies of the game exist, however.
6Dynasty Warriors Online
Dynasty Warriorshas been chugging along since the debut entry on the PS1. The second game turned it into the series fans know and love today. It received an MMO for computers and consoles in 2010.
Unfortunately for anybody in the west interested in this game, the servers in North America have been down since 2015. At least there are no shortages of otherDynasty Warriorsgames to play. Additionally, developer Omega Force has made spin-offs of other franchises in the same style,most notablyHyrule Warriors.
5PlayStation Home
Maybe it is not right to callPlayStation Homea game, but it was a service PS3 owners could use to walk around and interact with a virtual world. However, that’s not the case anymore.
The service launched in 2008 and closed down in 2015. It was not the most warmly received application, but it definitely had a wealth of features. Plenty of developers made content for the service and there were often big tie-in events with upcoming PlayStation 3 games.
4Dust 514
Dust 514was a pretty ambitious idea. The first-person multiplayer shootertook place in theEVE Onlineuniverseand events in one would affect the other. It was also free for PS3 owners. Early impressions from the beta were promising, but the final release received mixed reviews.
It came out in May 2013, several months before the PS4’s release, and the servers shut down in 2016. A PS4 version never came out, which could be one reason for its demise. Why play an online PS3 shooter when the PS4 is pumping out games at a rapid pace?
3Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World: The Game
This beat ‘em up is based on the cult classic movieScott Pilgrim Vs. The World. It was well received, and the graphics are in the style of the original graphic novel series.
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The game came out in 2010 and was delisted just four years later, making it impossible to play unless players already bought the game. Fortunately, the retro-influenced cooperative fighter was re-released in 2021 for modern consoles. It was appropriate because the film recently had its tenth anniversary.
