PlayStation 3 Consoles Just Got a System Update That Soft Locks Disc Drives

The PlayStation 3 was launched way back in 2006. Let that sink in for a moment. Despite the platform’s age, Sony hasn’t stopped updating the rickety old console, and today, the company rolled out a minor system software update, dubbed 4.93.

It’s a small thing, but it’s indicative of Sony’s intention to support even the retro platforms with security patches designed to combat modders and jailbreakers, even 20 years after the console hit the market.

Gone But Not Forgotten

If you’ve still got a PlayStation 3 console gathering dust (or perhaps not) under your television set, you’ll notice there’s a system software update ready to go the next time you turn it on. Sony released the 4.93 update for PlayStation 3 consoles worldwide this morning, almost 20 years after the platform launched.

It was revealed in a short post that update 4.93 requires a mighty 200MB of free space, and that the update is centered around ‘additional features, improved usability, and enhanced security.’

It’s also written:

Please note, to play Blu-ray discs, your PS3 system needs a renewed Blu-ray player encryption key. Please update your PS3 system software to the latest version to renew the Blu-ray player encryption key.

(Thanks to PlayStation Lifestyle for the spot)

This means that you won’t be able to run discs in your PlayStation 3 until you’ve installed the 4.93 update.

In a recent update to the PlayStation 3 ecosystem, it was revealed that Netflix would be disappearing from the platform on March 2. It marked the end of a way to watch 4:3 content on the streaming service, which left retro fans in tatters.

Are you still playing PlayStation 3? Let us know why on the Insider Gaming Discord server.

For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that Subnautica 2 is entering early access in May