Having trouble getting the most out of your internet-ready PlayStation 3 console lately? You're not alone: Sony's online entertainment portal, the PlayStation Network, remains out of service for a fifth straight day. The technical difficulties are affecting not only the PlayStation Network--which allows for the download of a variety of movies, TV shows and games, as well as online community and gameplay--but also Sony's recently launched Qriocity media streaming service, and both have been suspended indefinitely.
Just minutes ago, while swapping discs of the South Park Season 14 Blu-ray set (review posting shortly), I clicked over to the PlayStation Network on the console's Xross Media Bar and although my high-speed internet is working flawlessly, I received the following error message:
"PlayStation Network is currently undergoing maintenance." (See photo below.)
Sony did issue this statement, one of several following their decision, implemented on Wednesday, April 20:
"An external intrusion on our system has affected our PlayStation Network and Qriocity services. In order to conduct a thorough investigation and to verify the smooth and secure operation of our network services going forward, we turned off PlayStation Network & Qriocity services on the evening of Wednesday, April 20th. Providing quality entertainment services to our customers and partners is our utmost priority. We are doing all we can to resolve this situation quickly, and we once again thank you for your patience. We will continue to update you promptly as we have additional information to share."
This action affects all of the PlayStation Network's 70M+ customers. A detailed explanation for the outage is still proving elusive, although Sony add this footnote on Saturday, April 23:
"Our efforts to resolve this matter involve re-building our system to further strengthen our network infrastructure. Though this task is time-consuming, we decided it was worth the time necessary to provide the system with additional security."
Sony seems to be accepting the blame for the interruption, citing the "external intrusion" as the impetus for their voluntary shutdown, which is part of their process to not only address current issues but also ensure better service moving forward. As is common these days, customers are expressing their frustration an full-on outrage on the Internet, as well theories that Sony has once again fallen victim to hackers, which have taken their toll on the PlayStation Network in the past.
I personally received my regular PlayStation Network update email on Saturday as well, but ironically it was all "See What's New" sweetness and light, even though I would have been unable to take advantage of any of it. Blu-ray playback and access to my content previously stored on the PS3's internal hard disk drive, meanwhile, remains as enjoyable as ever. So there's still plenty to do with the ubiquitous multi-tasking console.
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