PlayStation Store

Following feedback from many PlayStation Network users, a redesigned version of PlayStation Store was launched on April 15, 2008, via a firmware update. The new design was OS based rather than the previous Store's web-based design enabling the Store to process information more quickly.

A minor update to the store was released during Sony's E3 2009 press conference. This update makes the top page rotate pictures (including their links) regularly, and changes the navigation sounds.

In September 2009, Sony made major games available to purchase on the store. These titles were later dubbed "PSN Day 1 Digital".

A major redesign of PlayStation Store was announced in September 2012, bringing a revised navigation structure and a new search system. The new store has been developed to bring game and video content together and make it easier for users to find what they are looking for. Content will be integrated into each game's listing, rather than separate categories for items like add-ons, themes, and other downloadable content. The latest design is much less text-focused and incorporates high-resolution artwork and smooth animations for featured content. The new redesign launched in Europe on October 22, 2012. Shortly after it was launched in the United Kingdom, the Store interface was reverted to the old design due to issues such as long load times and slow navigation, while other countries in Europe retained the new interface despite these issues. The redesign was released in North America on November 2, 2012. Another store redesign went live alongside the PlayStation 4's launch.

In May 2020, PlayStation Store was indefinitely suspended in China for security reasons. On March 2, 2021, Sony announced that it would discontinue offering movie and TV show purchases and rentals through PlayStation Store on August 31, 2021.

Later that month, Sony also announced that it would be closing down the storefronts for PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, and PlayStation Vita games in July and August 2021. Sony's decision to make many of its older games inaccessible for purchase drew criticism from many, with concerns highlighting the publisher's approach towards game preservation, as well as the limitations of digital-only media, and its potential anti-consumer implications. Several small developers who had been producing titles for the PS Vita were not forewarned by Sony of PlayStation Store's closure, requiring some to crunch to meet the deadline, while others whose games would not be ready made the decision to cancel them. As a result of the negative feedback, Sony announced on April 19, 2021, that they had reversed their decision to close the PS3 and Vita stores, leaving these available for the foreseeable future, though the PSP store still closed as originally planned on July 2, 2021. The day prior to the planned closure of the PSP store, Sony altered their plans again, and instead chose to simply disable the PlayStation Store app on the system, allowing PSP digital games to remain available for purchase on other systems.

On March 9, 2022, PlayStation announced that it suspended operations of PlayStation Store in Russia in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Players and outlets noticed that starting in March 2026, a 30-day timer appear for digitally purchased PS4 and PlayStation 5 games from the store that implied the user's system must connect to the PlayStation Network every 30 days to remain playable. Sony clarified that this is only a one-time check to validate the software, and no check is needed once validated.

Legal issues

Before 2019, Sony had allowed third-party vendors, such as Amazon and Walmart, to sell video game redemption codes for PlayStation Store. Sony removed this feature in April 2019, so third-party vendors can only sell virtual currency for PlayStation Store. In May 2021, a class-action lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California alleging that because Sony maintains a monopoly on PlayStation Store, the removal of third-party sales violated antitrust laws. A second class-action lawsuit was filed the same month alleging that Sony's decision to eliminate third-party sales has led to overcharging consumers by billions of dollars.

In April 2026, it was reported that Sony had implemented dynamic pricing in the PlayStation Store, resulting in different prices for identical content based on a user's account and login status. PlayStation Support officially confirmed this practice, stating that prices are adjusted server-side during the login process.