PS3 still boasts almost 2 million active monthly users

Despite being 17-years-old, the PlayStation 3 is still seeing plenty of monthly players. It’s no wonder really. The games have aged relatively well and many people will still be using it as a Blu-ray player.

As reported by ComicBook, this news comes from the recent Insomniac Games hack. While we condemn the hack and refuse to publish details concerning upcoming games unveiled during it, this is a smaller detail worth celebrating. The PlayStation 3 was a wonderful console that’s home to more classics than we can possibly remember. It also ushered in the now industry standard Blu-ray format, besting the HDDVD option that was touted by Microsoft.

You can play a selection of PS3 titles through PlayStation Plus Premium.

According to the details from Insomniac, up to February 2023, over 1.9 million players were still using a PS3. Of course, we don't know how this data will have evolved since February but it's still an impressive figure worth taking note of.

One other possible reason for this longevity is the console’s catalogue of games. Due to the lack of disc-based backward compatibility on PS4 and PS5, anyone with a library of games will still need to keep their PS3 handy. While Sony has been bringing some older games to the newer systems, to purchase or to play through PlayStation Plus, the selection is limited and still requires a form of payment, which is frustrating if you still have the disc to hand.

I personally still have my PS3 hooked up to my TV just in case I want to dip into older games, particularly Rock Band or Guitar Hero when friends come over. It’s a brilliant console and in the UK, secondhand shops carry a wealth of games for as little as a few pounds, meaning it's a great way to experience older titles if you missed them or can’t play them on newer hardware.