PlayStation Network (PSN) has been experiencing a massive outage, and gamers are at their wit’s end not being able to access some essential services.
Account management, gaming and social features, PlayStation Video, PlayStation Store, and the PlayStation Direct website are all facing disruptions, according to Sony’s PSN status page as of Friday evening.
PSN Users Unable to Play Games or Access Digital Content
Indeed, Sony has confessed that users “may have a hard time launching games, apps, or network features.” According to The Verge, some gamers experience issues, including not being able to see their purchased digital games, view friends’ lists, and check trophies.
Others even struggle to display their online status with their PlayStation 5.
Sony assures players that they are working on a solution, promising to restore service “as soon as possible.” However, no official timeline has been provided, leaving many gamers in vain.
Read more: PlayStation 5 Guide: How to Remap Buttons on Your PS5 Controller
When Did PSN Servers Go Down?
Sony’s official status website reports the outage started at 7 p.m. ET, while user reports began spiking on Downdetector an hour earlier, around 6 p.m. ET.
According to Downdetector, at its peak, it reached almost 70,000 reports regarding PSN issues. There is also a thread on Reddit’s r/PlayStation dedicated to the outage that has reached over 1,600 comments.
Sony has not returned media requests for comment on the outage.
Not the First Time-PSN’s Recent History of Outages
PSN outages are becoming a more common occurrence than one would care to admit. The network faced an eight-hour outage in October and another partial outage in May. These recurrent outages raise questions about Sony’s online stability.
Sony released an official statement regarding the situation:
“At this time, the PlayStation™ Network (including PlayStation® Store) may be unavailable. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause and are currently working to correct the issue. Please bear with us during this time.”
Bad Timing: ‘Monster Hunter Wilds’ Beta Locked Out for PlayStation Players
The outage couldn’t have come at a worse time for PlayStation users. The Open Beta of “Monster Hunter Wilds” is presently live, with Xbox and PC users enjoying constant gameplay while Sony’s PlayStation plays the waiting game.
The weekend is the best time to play for most gamers, especially those who work all week and only get to play on their days off. With PSN down, many are waiting for an update, hoping Sony can resolve the issue quickly.
When Will PSN Be Back?
Until now, Sony has not been able to release an official estimation of when it will restore the PSN service. Players just have to sit and wait until Sony gets around to fixing it.
For now, PS5 owners will have to sit tight, hope for a speedy resolution, and find other ways to pass the time—perhaps by cleaning some physical game discs, catching up on Netflix, or simply watching enviously as Xbox and PC gamers enjoy their online experiences.
