PS3 and PS Vita virtual games experiencing unplayable “expired” error

As reported by Kotaku, multiple classic PlayStation titles that players have purchased digitally across both consoles are currently not playable. According to reports, the issue has impacted Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, Final Fantasy 6, Rune Factory: Oceans, and even the entire downloaded game library of some players.

Some have also stated that Chrono Cross can no longer be found on the PS Vita store, but there are conflicting reports. It should also be noted that Chrono Cross is already unavailable in some regions on the Vita, including Europe.

Players are saying that when they try to boot up these games, they’re being met with a “the content has expired and is no longer available” message, with the expiration date being either December 31, 1969, or January 1 1970.

Here’s something shitty:

– The PSOne Classics version of Chrono Cross can’t be found on the PS Vita store anymore, only on your download list if you bought before. Runs fine though.

– It’s on the PS3 store, but trying to install and run it tells me it expired? In 1970?? wtf pic.twitter.com/o0xz96izmF

— Edmond Tran (@EdmondTran) April 4, 2022

This is likely an error tied to Unix time, which started on January 1 1970, as a way for computer engineers to give computers a set “start of time”. This could mean that some sort of error has reset some downloadable games’ expiry date to the start of Unix time, thus making them unplayable.

Managing editor at GamesHub Edmond Tran also shared their experience with the issue, showing that trying to run Chrono Cross met them with error code 8002951B, relating to expired software. It appears that problems with this error code have cropped up over the last ten years, with users complaining that they can’t play their games.

PlayStation has not made any public comments on the issue as of publication, so the actual cause of the error is currently unknown.

In other news, RimWorld’s “Refused Classification” ruling in Australia is going to be reviewed later this month, meaning the game could go back on sale.