As you might expect, one of the most frequent questions we run into is where gamers can find these downloads for themselves. That's why we decided we'd put together a short guide on the best places to find this software online.

The first thing you need to do is know what kind of site to avoid. If you see a website claiming to offer free PS3 downloads, you need to steer clear. Many of them look good, but the majority will just cause you problems in the long run.

That's because sites like this are putting your computer at risk of spyware infections, adware, and viruses. Nothing is in place to monitor file uploads, and you'll never know what it is that you're downloading.

That's not the only problem, however. Download speeds on these files can be incredibly slow, and you may even discover that the game you've downloaded is corrupt and won't function. That's annoying if you've waited hours for your download. No one wants to waste that much time on something that doesn't do what it says.

The alternative is to get a membership for a specialized download website. This allows you to join up, log in, and get games whenever you please. Since these websites are monitored by people who want to make sure you get a high level of quality, spyware and viruses aren't a concern. In addition, you'll know the files always work and the downloads will run quickly.

These sites aren't free, of course. There's a relatively low membership fee - about fifty dollars for permanent access. Then, you can log in whenever you choose without concerns about being billed again. You'll get not just unlimited downloads of PS3 games, but also music, movies, and plenty of other files that are usable on your game console.

You want to steer clear of membership sites that charge a monthly fee or that charge per filed downloaded. This might seem like a good deal, but you'll actually save more with a site that offers a one time only fee for a lifetime membership. It's a lot less costly in the long run.

Expect a good download site to provide complete instructions on accessing the game files on your PS3. You should also be give access to decryption and burning software.

Once you've gotten your PS3 download membership, you'll be surprised by how much you love it. Trying out new games is easy and fast - just download the file and burn the game.

Copyright (c) 2009 Grant Dougan