Sony claims that its PlayStation Network online gaming service, which went down way back on April 20, may not be fully operational again until May 31. Sony had originally projected that some parts of the service would pop back online last week but had to delay that rollout due to further testing. With the network approaching its fourth week of downtime, several game developers have had to delay the release of downloadable game titles that rely on the online infrastructure for distribution.
The PSN was originally brought down by a data breach that exposed the information of tens of millions of account holders, requiring a complete rebuild of the network. A few days after the PSN was shuttered, Sony expanded the outage to include is computer-based MMO network, called Sony Online Entertainment, along with 24.6 million additional customers.
In order to minimize customer impact and calm the growing number of disgruntled gamers, Sony is offering free identity theft protection as well as a “Welcome Back” program that will offer free downloadable games and other perks. In the meantime, though, games like Mortal Kombat, Call of Duty: Black Ops, and Brink – a multiplayer-heavy shooter scheduled for release tomorrow – are unable to be played online.
[Via: Joystiq]
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