Why the 19-Year-Old PS3 Still Gets Surprise Updates

A console old enough to vote keeps downloading firmware — and fans are baffled. The charming real reason (it's about Blu-ray), and what the PS3's… Aliteq Tom Ashcroft · Retro & Preservation Editor

Yes, the PS3 still gets updates. Version 4.92 arrived in March 2025 — roughly 19 years after the console launched in late 2006 — following 4.91 the year before.

The official notes say little: just 'improves system performance,' needing about 200MB free. That vagueness is why fans are puzzled.

The real reason is Blu-ray. The PS3 is also a Blu-ray player, and these updates renew the disc encryption keys (AACS) so it can keep playing the newest Blu-ray movies.

It's maintenance, not revival. No new features or games — this is Sony keeping a core function (disc playback) alive on legacy hardware, a quiet obligation of having sold a Blu-ray player.

Why it matters: it's a neat window into DRM, hardware longevity, and why the PS3 — a famously long-lived, still-beloved console — refuses to fully retire.

These updates are a reminder of something the retro-gaming world knows well: a console is a bundle of functions, and keeping the non-game ones (disc playback, media) alive can outlast the games…

The takeaway for retro-hardware fans

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