A decade after it was popular, the PlayStation 3 (PS3) is still able to surprise us. PlayStation 3 fans were thrilled in 2025 when the console and a legitimate 2009 PS3 game were both upgraded. Even while announcing the 30th anniversary of the PlayStation brand, Sony appears to still be committed to continuing the legacy of the PS3.
A Classic Game Gets a Trophy Update
Even though the video game based on Pixar’s Up was launched in 2009, Heavy Iron Studios has now issued a rare update to it which is over 15 years later. With its recent release on PlayStation Plus Premium Classics, the title added a feature thousands had been waiting for: PlayStation Trophy awards.
Thanks to the new update, Up has 21 trophies for players, including a Platinum Trophy, motivating players to return. For both the PS4 and PS5 versions, this update includes new trophies and unlocking them must be done separately for each console. It creates another Platinum Trophy opportunity for any trophy hunter who wants both versions.
Though Up was not as highly praised as Uncharted 2, Modern Warfare 2, or Batman: Arkham Asylum in 2009, its fans remember it fondly. Most movie-based games received an average rating of 65 back then, but this latest update proves that titles like this can still be important for a platform even today.
PS3 Console Receives System Update 4.92
Along with the game update, Sony shared a surprise update to the PS3 console on March 5, 2025. With this update, System Software Version 4.92, the performance of the system is boosted and a new Blu-ray player encryption key is renewed.This is a crucial update for players who still use the console for physical disc playback, including Blu-ray movies and retail games.
Although there aren’t any big changes in this update, it still has an important technical goal. If you do not get a new Blu-ray encryption key, you might no longer be able to use key disc functions. The official patch notes from Sony point out that the update will need around 200 MB of open space.
We have received two major PS3 updates in only two years. The last release, issued in early 2024, concentrated on boosting performance and managed to support disc drives. The updates show that Sony is keeping an eye on how its older models work for dedicated fans.
Nostalgia Meets Preservation
Retro and preservationist communities are happy that Sony is still supporting the PS3 almost two decades after it was first released. This shows that the gaming industry, in general, is starting to appreciate the lasting importance of preserving both older games and hardware.
This release also matches up with PlayStation’s 30th anniversary and there are special PS5 features that bring back the graphics and sounds of PS1, PS2, PS3 and PS4. Sony suggests that its full range of gaming platforms is important to the company by updating both the software and the firmware for earlier consoles.
An Enduring Legacy
Sony has moved on from the PS3, but these new updates remind us of how much it meant back then. Hosting groundbreaking Blu-ray games, offering the PSN Store for digital downloads, and adding hits like The Last of Us, LittleBigPlanet, and Infamous, the PS3 has secured its place in video game history.
For fans still clinging to their classic consoles or diving into retro games through PS Plus, these surprise updates bring more than technical improvements—they offer a sense of continuity, appreciation, and renewed excitement for a platform that helped define a generation of gaming.
