sony's playstation 3 More than 20 years after the console was first released, there remains one more semi-secret feature that most users have barely noticed. It's just printing. The seventh-generation behemoth, the PlayStation 3, faced a number of challenges throughout its life cycle, but the biggest of them all was how burdensome it was to develop games for it.
Considering the PlayStation 3's incredible list of games, it's no surprise that many people want to emulate the console from scratch. Projects like RPCS3 make CELL processor emulation a unique possibility even on very low-end hardware like the Steam Deck, but the PS3's diverse presence extends far beyond games and its questionable processing architecture. The printing function is proof enough of this.
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You can print photos and more from your PlayStation 3.
Reddit user geeelectronica posted about the PlayStation 3's “Printer Settings” feature on r/PS3, wondering if anyone had ever used it. Although it was initially possible (though not necessarily recommended) to install Linux on the PS3, the console's Game Mode used its own printer driver for that feature, allowing you to print game photos or documents found through the PS3's built-in web browser. This probably isn't one of the features Sony is trying to emulate in the PS5 through backwards compatibility with the PS3.
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The most interesting thing about geeelectronica's post is that some people mentioned using the PS3's printing feature. Some are printed grand theft auto Some used cheat codes while playing, while others used the PS3's SD card reader to print camera photos. While still niche, it speaks to the PlayStation 3's incredible flexibility as a comprehensive multimedia device rather than just a gaming console. In some ways the PS3 was more impressive than the PS5 in terms of sheer feature offering, but that's also why it was such an expensive device to begin with.
The possibility of being able to play PS3 games natively on PS5 is very exciting, but there's something to be said about the seventh generation of consoles and their experimental nature in general. It's not so much about the games themselves at the time, but about the widespread excitement around cutting-edge technology and the unexpected and wild use cases people could find in it.
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If you don't feel old yet, you might want to think again. That's because the PlayStation 3 is officially considered a retro console as of 2026. To be fair, that's GameStop's valuation, but the fact that the PS3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii are now actual retro devices might be a wake-up call to how much time has passed since their heyday. On that note, it's worth wondering how many PlayStation 3 consoles remain in working condition. As time goes on, there will be fewer and fewer amazing consoles available to retro gamers. Especially if you're after the coveted first-generation PS3.
