How to Download Disc Games to Your PS3

Whether it is by CD, DVD or Blu-Ray, video games have been supplied to the consumer masses on discs for years. The latest trend, which can be seen in Sony’s PlayStation 3, attempts to do away with some of these discs by making certain titles available for download. Games which were once available only on discs can now be purchased and downloaded instantly using your PlayStation 3 console and a high-speed Internet connection.

To download a disc-based game from the PlayStation Network, you must first log into your PlayStation account and access the PlayStation Store. This can be done by selecting “PlayStation Store” under the “PlayStation Network” tab on your PlayStation 3’s XMB.

Select “Games” from the column on the left. Here you can browse the different categories and select a game to purchase and download. Not all of the games you’ll see here are disc-based games, however. To narrow down the selection to show only games that were once available on disc, you’ll need to select “PS one Classics for PS3 / PSP.”

You’ll now be browsing the “PS one Classics for PS3 PSP” area of the PlayStation Store. All of the games featured in this section were, at one time or another, available on disc for the original PlayStation console.

Once you’ve found a title that you like, select it with the “X” button and choose “Buy Now.” If you want to continue shopping before making your purchase and downloading your game, choose “Add To Cart” to add the title to your shopping cart for a later checkout. Next you’ll need to choose a method of payment. These classic disc-based games can be purchased using either a prepaid PlayStation Network card or any major credit or debit card.

After purchasing your game you’ll need to download and install it. Your download will begin automatically after purchase; you can begin the installation process by selecting your new game from the “Game” tab on your PlayStation 3’s XMB. Once the installation is complete, you can play your game at any time simply by selecting it from the “Game” tab and pressing the “X” button to launch it.

To save your classic PS1 games you’ll need to make a virtual memory card on your PlayStation 3 console. This can be done by selecting “Memory Card Utility (PS/PS2)” under the “Game” tab on your PlayStation 3’s XMB and following the on-screen instructions to create a new internal memory card.