PlayStation 3 owners will be able to buy and play downloadable PlayStation games after Sony announced a new system update.

The firm revealed the new file - available from today - will update the technology that makes way for downloadable PlayStation games - which will become available from April 26.

Updated versions of original PlayStation games will be offered for download through the PS3 store, which will be playable either on the PS3 itself or copied onto a PSP Memory Stick and played on the go, though only a certain number of games will be PSP compatible.

Up to now, a range of PSP-compatible PS1 games has been made available for US and Japanese PS3 owners to download, but today's update suggests that the scheme will soon extend to the UK.

Sony's Portable PlayStation also has a new system update available, which owners will need to download if they want to continue buying and playing PS1 games after the newly PS3-compatible versions go live, thanks to a new security system.

The new updates also improve support for vibration functions in PS1 and PS2 peripherals, including the Logitech GT-Force Pro steering wheel, and it allows PS1 saves to work on the PSP handheld.