The PlayStation 3 has always been a controversial console, for some it was a great system and for others it was rather disappointing, as of all SONY’s home consoles it was the least successful. Two generations later, we can see units under 100 $ in stores and with the high technical requirements of the emulator, many are considering buying said console. Is it worth buying a PS3 in 2022 or, on the contrary, is it a waste of time and money?
The retro market is special, where the most money is made through scarcity. Although the technologically older consoles are inferior and it seems that nothing can justify the high prices achieved by some games. In the case of the PS3 for quite some time now, speculators have been rampaging through thrift stores, taking the most interesting and unique titles with them so they can speculate on them when the time comes and earn many times what they have invested. However, if we are ordinary users, the big question is whether SONY’s third home console is worth it today, especially taking into account that it is 60 $.
Are there any reasons to buy a PS3 in 2022?
Well, from our point of view there isn’t, and we’re not saying this for free, but there are several reasons for this:
- If the game had online components, these can no longer be used, as the servers were shut down a long time ago.
- Many games have been ported to PS4 where they run at better quality and frame rate. Plus, your gaming PC is surely currently running a good chunk of these games at a higher quality than the third-gen PlayStation.
- You have access to part of the catalog through PlayStation Plus for PC, so if you’re interested in playing a specific game, you already know what the fix is.
- If you have a powerful enough PC, you can opt for RPSC3, the console emulator, which is improving by leaps and bounds recently.
However, it has its strengths, such as being a great Blu Ray player for movies at a very low price. As for its catalog of games, there are real nuggets at bargain prices that have not run out of steam. Although there are higher versions, you also have to consider the price.
If you also manage to install the Custom Firmware so that you can use what are euphemistically called “backup copies”, then you can have a good collection of games to waste your time with. Of course, buy a large capacity hard disk and not an SSD, the console will not benefit from it. And above all, make sure that the model of PS3 you are going to buy is fully compatible.
The Command Button Problem
Years ago, SONY pulled their PlayStation 3 from stores, so the only way to get it is through the second-hand market and that’s where the problems start. Since you’re going to need a replacement for the Dual Shock 3, since for things as simple as accessing the console menu, they need it. Although there is a solution to this if you use the 8bitdo skewer, which will allow you to use any controller with the console including Xbox and Switch.
Keep in mind that many console controllers have been out for several years now and getting one that works flawlessly is an impossible task. Hence the need for an adapter that plugs directly into one of the console’s USB ports and allows the use of a more modern controller.
