Which PlayStation Network Outage is the worst? A Look Back at the Biggest Downtimes in PlayStation History

The PlayStation Network (PSN) is the lifeblood of the gaming world, providing a platform for millions of players to connect with each other, download games, and access a vast library of content. However, despite its importance, the PSN is not immune to outages, which can leave gamers frustrated and feeling disconnected from the world of gaming.

Over the years, the PSN has experienced its fair share of outages, some of which have lasted for hours, days, or even weeks. In this article, we’ll take a look back at the biggest and most notable PSN outages, and explore what caused them and how Sony addressed the issues.

1. The Great PSN Hack of 2011 (77 Days)

The most severe PSN outage in history began on April 20, 2011, and lasted for a staggering 77 days. The outage was caused by a massive cyber attack on the PSN database, which compromised the personal information of approximately 77 million users, including credit card numbers and passwords.

During the outage, Sony shut down the PSN and Qriocity services to prevent further hacking, and later revealed that the attack was carried out by an unspecified group of hackers. The company promised to reimburse customers for any losses incurred as a result of the hacking, and took steps to improve the security of the PSN.

2. PSN Outage in 2014 (12 Days)

In June 2014, the PSN experienced a 12-day outage that left gamers unable to access the service. The cause of the outage was attributed to a “network software issue,” which was later discovered to be the result of a botched update.

During the outage, Sony’s support team was bombarded with complaints and requests for help, and the company apologized for the inconvenience caused to its customers. The outage was eventually resolved, and the PSN was restored to working order.

3. PSN Outage in 2019 (24 Hours)

In August 2019, the PSN experienced a 24-hour outage that left gamers unable to access the service. The cause of the outage was attributed to a “planned maintenance” issue, which was later revealed to be a botched update that caused the PSN to go offline.

During the outage, Sony’s support team was criticized for providing unclear information about the cause and resolution of the issue, leaving many gamers frustrated and feeling disconnected from the gaming community.

4. PSN Outage in 2020 (4 Hours)

In May 2020, the PSN experienced a 4-hour outage that left gamers unable to access the service. The cause of the outage was attributed to a “technical issue,” which was later resolved and the PSN restored to working order.

During the outage, Sony’s support team was praised for providing timely updates and clear information about the cause and resolution of the issue, which helped to alleviate concerns and frustrations among the gaming community.

Conclusion

While PSN outages can be frustrating and inconvenient, it’s clear that Sony is working hard to resolve issues and prevent them from happening in the first place. By acknowledging the problems and providing clear updates and information, the company is doing its best to minimize the impact of outages and keep gamers connected.

In the meantime, gamers can take steps to minimize their own risk of disruption, such as signing up for the PSN’s notification service and keeping their systems and software up to date. By being prepared and staying informed, gamers can stay ahead of the curve and get back to enjoying the world of gaming as soon as possible.