© Malcolm Andrieshyn

Is this the beginning of the very end for Sony's PlayStation 3 console? It could be. The Japanese giant has announced that from 30th June, the PS3 will no longer possess the ability to send messages to other platforms such as the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita, nor will it be able to receive them. The last-gen platform can still trade messages between PS3 consoles, but its ability to connect with more advanced hardware is being taken away.

In the grand scheme of things, this is going to have minimal impact. The number of people actively using the PS3's online capabilities must surely register in the thousands at this point, and we doubt its messaging system is getting much attention. Still, what feature could be stripped from the console next? The removal of communication between other platforms joins the ranks of various PS3 titles whose multiplayer offerings have been taken offline. Let's hope Trophies aren't on the chopping block.

When was the last time you sent a message on a PS3? Try and remember in the comments below.