The PlayStation Network (PSN), Sony's online gaming service for its PlayStation console owners, experienced a significant outage starting at midnight on Friday in the UK. The disruption has affected thousands of gamers worldwide, leaving them unable to access online gaming lobbies, the PlayStation Store, or their online accounts. This outage comes at a particularly inconvenient time, as many games host special weekend tournaments and events, including Electronic Arts' FC 25 Championship matches and Call of Duty's double XP weekend.
Sony's PSN operates on a subscription model, with users paying £13.49 monthly, £39.99 for three months, or £119.99 annually for its premium services. Gamers have voiced their frustration on social media, using memes, jokes, and rants to highlight their dissatisfaction. Many have pointed to the costs associated with PSN subscriptions and investments in Ultimate Team squads as reasons for their discontent. Approximately 71,000 gamers reported the outage on PlayStation's website, further emphasizing the widespread impact.
The outage has deprived Call of Duty fans of the opportunity to participate in promotional events during the weekend, including double experience points opportunities in Black Ops 6 and Warzone. For gamers who have spent hundreds of hours and pounds developing their Ultimate Team squads, this disruption is particularly disheartening. In response to the situation, Sony has confirmed the issues with its digital service and assured users through its support webpage that they are working to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.
Weekend events are a significant draw for online gamers, with many dedicating time to participate in special tournaments and online challenges. The inability to access these events due to the PSN outage has only added to gamer frustration. The timing of the outage has raised concerns among users who rely on these events for competitive play and community engagement.