I want to start by saying that I believe 2025 has been an incredible year for gaming. So many great games have been released, including Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Clair Obscur Expedition 33, Donkey Kong Bananza, Hades 2, and Arc Raiders, among others. However, despite all these fantastic new releases, I've felt a strong nostalgic urge to play older games throughout the year, which has been hard to ignore.
That said, revisiting the PS3 era isn't exactly straightforward these days, especially if you don't have a PS3 collecting dust somewhere. But if you're like me and want to take a break from some of this year's new releases to enjoy the PS3 era of gaming again, there are several notable ways to do it, each with its own pros and cons.
PlayStation Plus Classics Catalog
Stream PS3 games on your PS4 or PS5
One of the simplest ways to play PS3 games in 2025, if you don't own a PS3, is through the PlayStation Plus Classics Catalog. This service offers a variety of PS3 games that you can stream on your PS5 or PS4. The catch is that these games are streamed rather than played natively, so the visuals might not be as sharp as you'd expect. However, based on my experience with games like The Sly Collection and Lego: Star Wars, the quality is perfectly playable, although Sony recommends having at least a 5 Mbps upload and download speed to play.
The collection of PS3 games available through this service has expanded significantly in recent years, including titles like Infamous, Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga, Ratchet & Clank: A Crack In Time, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, Fallout: New Vegas, Lost Planet, and The Devil May Cry HD Collection, among many others. The PlayStation Plus Classics Catalog also offers access to a selection of PS1 and PS2 games, allowing you to try out titles even older than the PS3. You can browse all the available games on PlayStation's website.
The main limitation of PlayStation's Classics Catalog is that you need a PlayStation Plus Premium subscription to stream these games, which is Sony's most expensive subscription tier. PlayStation Plus Premium is available in three options: a monthly plan costing $18, a three-month plan at $50, and an annual plan for $160.
Emulate PS3 games on PC or Android
You can emulate PS3 games you own
Another way to enjoy your favorite PS3 games again is through emulation. RPCS3 is one of the most reputable PS3 emulators available since it's an open-source, multi-platform emulator for Windows, Linux, and macOS. RPCS3 is considered legal because it uses its own code and debugger to emulate the PlayStation 3's operating system on your device.
However, to play games on it, you still need to own the PS3 games and dump the files onto your PC using a compatible Blu-ray disc drive, as explained on RPCS3's website. So, emulation is a way to play PS3 games, but remember that legally, you must own the games, as downloading pirated copies is illegal.
It's worth noting that PS3 emulation isn't just limited to laptops or desktop PCs either; there are also Android PS3 emulators available, which enable you to play your PS3 games on the go. However, your experience may vary greatly depending on the emulator and your device's hardware. One of the latest PS3 emulators for Android is aPS3e, which requires Android 10 or newer and 6GB of RAM on your device. Overall, if you have a collection of old PS3 games lying around, emulation is definitely worth trying to play them again.
Actually buy a PS3
You can find PS3 consoles for sale at affordable prices
I know this might seem obvious, but hear me out. If you genuinely want to relive the PS3 era, nearly 20 years after it began, one of the best ways is simply by playing an actual PS3 console itself, instead of relying on emulation or the PlayStation Plus Classic catalog. Although Sony no longer officially sells PS3 consoles, it's very easy to find an affordable one through third-party sellers like GameStop Retro, eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or even a local game store.
Chances are, after some searching, you can find a PS3 for less than the cost of a year of PlayStation Plus Premium, which is $160 annually. I bought a 320GB PS3 Slim earlier this year for under $150 from my local retro game store, and that price included a few games and a controller. If you have an old PS3 lying around but are missing things, such as a controller or AC adapter, you can also find them online at quite low prices.
If you've never owned a PS3 before, I highly recommend trying to find a cheap, working console so you can experience what it's like firsthand. That's what I did, and I have no regrets. I know this is a more costly route to take, but I believe the investment is worthwhile. For a more detailed explanation of buying a PS3 in 2025, I recommend checking out my other Pocket-lint story, which covers the topic in more depth.
Remakes and remasters of PS3 games
Many PS3 titles have been re-released on PS4 and PS5
Finally, if you're looking for an easy way to play PS3 games without buying a PS3, spending money on PlayStation Plus Premium each month, or using emulation, one option is to play the various remakes and remasters of PS3 games released over the past decade. The Last of Us is a prime example; it was originally a PS3 launch title that was re-released on the PS4 as The Last of Us Remastered, and again on the PS5 as The Last of Us Part One, a full remake designed to better match the gameplay of Part Two.
The Uncharted series is another great example. You can play the Uncharted Nathan Drake Collection on both PS4 and PS5, allowing you to experience the first three hit games that originally debuted on the PS3. Demon Souls is also a PS3 game that was remade for the PS5. Many of these games frequently go on sale, making it a good option if you want to save money. However, keep in mind that not every PS3 game has been remastered or remade for the PS4 and PS5; for example, Metal Gear Solid 4 has not been.