Tag: PlayStation Network

  • Sony Offers Free PSN Credits for Christmas Eve Code Issues

    Sony Offers Free PSN Credits for Christmas Eve Code Issues

    Key Takeaways

    1. Sony is offering free $10 redemption codes to users who experienced issues with vouchers on December 24th, regardless of financial loss.
    2. Many affected users are encouraged to contact PSN support if they haven’t received email notifications about the issue.
    3. Sony has not provided a clear explanation for the recent PlayStation Network outages and past operational issues.
    4. PlayStation Plus subscribers are promised five free days of service as compensation, but some users feel this is less valuable than the $10 voucher.
    5. Ongoing server problems are a growing concern for gamers, especially with upcoming game releases like Monster Hunter Wilds.

    The PlayStation Network outage on February 7th and 8th caught a lot of attention in the news. But this wasn’t the only problem gamers have dealt with regarding Sony’s online service. On December 24th, many customers encountered error messages when trying to use their vouchers. To address this, Sony is now giving out free $10 redemption codes to affected users, regardless of whether they lost any money on Christmas Eve.

    Email Notifications

    PlayStation LifeStyle reported about an email that was sent to a subscriber who had trouble entering a code. Although a $10 credit isn’t much nowadays, some players might still be able to redeem their original vouchers. Sony is aware of the accounts that were affected, but if someone hasn’t gotten a similar message, they should reach out to PSN support for assistance.

    Lack of Explanation

    Like the prolonged downtime of the PlayStation Network, Sony hasn’t given a clear reason for the issues during the holiday season. Gamers were only informed that there was an “operational issue” back in February. For over 18 hours, subscribers were unable to play multiplayer games or even single-player games that required an internet connection. This situation brought back memories of the notorious hacking event in 2011, which lasted an incredible 23 days.

    Compensation for Subscribers

    PlayStation Plus subscribers have been promised five free days of service as compensation for the inconvenience. However, customers are still waiting to see this credit reflected, and many feel this offer is less generous compared to the recent $10 voucher. Considering that the PS Plus Essential tier is priced at $9.99 monthly, a lot of gamers might actually prefer receiving a voucher instead.

    With both PlayStation and Xbox games depending heavily on online networks, server problems are becoming a bigger worry. Monster Hunter Wilds is set to launch on February 28th, and PS5 players are crossing their fingers that the network issues seen during the second open beta test won’t happen again.

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    Sony Offers Free PSN Credits for Christmas Eve Code Issues

     

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  • PlayStation Plus Compensation for PSN Outage; Monster Hunter Beta Next Week

    PlayStation Plus Compensation for PSN Outage; Monster Hunter Beta Next Week

    PlayStation users recently faced nearly a full day of downtime on the PS Network, impacting both multiplayer and many single-player games. As expected, Downdetector received a flood of complaints from frustrated players. However, there appears to be some positive news on the horizon for them.

    Compensation for Downtime

    To help make up for the disrupted weekends, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) has revealed that PlayStation Plus subscribers will receive an extra 5 days of service as compensation. The official announcement did not clarify the exact cause of the downtime, only stating it was due to an “operational issue.” Nevertheless, gamers are still calling for a clearer explanation regarding the incident.

    Concerns Over Security

    A lot of users are worried about a repeat of the 2011 incident when hackers compromised the PlayStation Network for over 20 days. Fortunately, this does not appear to be the case this time. While occasional DDoS attacks on major online services are quite common, there’s no confirmation available at the moment regarding this situation. In some good news, Capcom is reportedly thinking about reopening the Monster Hunter Wilds beta for about 24 hours next week, which would surely please fans who were impacted by the PSN downtime.

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  • Sony PlayStation Network Down for 18+ Hours, Impacting Games

    Sony PlayStation Network Down for 18+ Hours, Impacting Games

    Console users are reminded of their reliance on online systems for gaming. Right after 6 p.m. EST on Friday, the Sony PlayStation Network experienced a significant outage. Sony has confirmed that this issue affects both multiplayer games and certain single-player games. Although there have been some sporadic reports of service restoration, the majority of gamers are still experiencing problems more than 18 hours after the disruption started.

    Tracking the Outage

    Downdetector is a helpful tool for monitoring the offline status of websites and services. On Friday at 6:38 PM EST, the platform noted over 68,000 reports indicating that the PlayStation Network was down. This timing coincides with peak hours when numerous players explore the PS Store or engage in online games. While reports of outages decreased during the night, they surged again as players began to log on in the morning.

    Updates from Sony

    A few hours post-outage, Sony’s North American support Twitter account provided an update. However, it did not include many details and directed users to the PlayStation Network status page. On Reddit, players found more information, with the latest update indicating that some users could reconnect to the service. Yet, it seems that most gamers are still unable to access the network.

    Frustration Among Players

    The situation is aggravating for gamers, especially since many single-player games depend on the PlayStation Network. Titles like Gran Turismo 7 limit available modes when players are offline. This is particularly frustrating for fans of Monster Hunter Wilds, as its second open beta concludes on Sunday night.

    Social media is buzzing with unhappy players demanding partial refunds for their PlayStation Network subscriptions. Currently, gamers are uncertain about the situation, with many suspecting that the outage might be linked to a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack. In the end, just as in 2011 when the service was down for 23 days, Sony will likely need to provide some clarification.

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    Sony PlayStation Network Down for 18+ Hours, Impacting GamesSony PlayStation Network Down for 18+ Hours, Impacting Games

     

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  • Sony’s God of War Ragnarök Criticized for PSN Account Reset

    Sony’s God of War Ragnarök Criticized for PSN Account Reset

    After the God of War series was rebooted, it made its debut on PC in 2022, which raised excitement among fans for the PC version of God of War Ragnarök. Since September 19, PC players have been able to dive into the ongoing adventures of Kratos and Atreus as they face gods and monsters to avert the coming Ragnarök. This action RPG features a tactical combat system, intricate puzzles, and a rich narrative. However, the initial excitement has quickly turned sour.

    Mixed Reviews and Criticism

    Despite the well-received story and engaging gameplay, Ragnarök is facing significant backlash. Out of approximately 2,600 reviews on Steam, only 67 percent are positive. In contrast, the previous game (God of War 2018) boasts an "extremely positive" rating with 96 percent positive feedback from over 90,000 reviews. The primary criticism from players revolves around the need to create a PlayStation Network account for what is essentially a single-player experience. Many users on Reddit express their frustration, questioning the necessity of an online account for a game that lacks any online features. Additionally, there are concerns regarding security.

    Previous Trends and Future Prospects

    This requirement is not new for PlayStation. Games like Ghost of Tsushima and Helldivers 2 also forced PC players to create a PSN account. However, Sony recently reversed this policy with Helldivers 2, eliminating the account requirement. It remains uncertain whether a similar change will be made for God of War Ragnarök in light of the negative feedback. For now, Sony appears to be sticking with its current policy. However, with player numbers possibly falling short of expectations, there may be pressure on Sony to reconsider. According to Steam DB, Ragnarök has peaked at around 25,000 players, while its predecessor had peaks reaching 73,000 players.

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