On the weekend of February 7-8, 2025, there was a worldwide outage of the PlayStation Network (PSN) that lasted about 24 hours. Millions of users worldwide were affected and unable to access Sony’s online services. This was particularly frustrating for gamers who rely on multiplayer modes, digital games or streaming services from PlayStation.
Affected services
During the PSN outage, several essential functions were not available:
- Account management: Users could not sign in or change their account settings.
- Gaming and social features: Online multiplayer gaming and social features, such as voice chat or messaging, were not available.
- PlayStation Store: Purchases, downloads and updates of games were not possible.
- PlayStation Video and PlayStation Direct: Streaming services and digital content could not be accessed.
Sony officially confirmed the incident, but did not provide any specific details about the cause of the problem. According to reports, some experts suspected that it was a server or software error, while others speculated that an external attack could have paralyzed the network.
As a form of compensation, Sony announced that it would grant all PlayStation Plus subscribers a free five-day extension of their subscription. This measure is intended to offer the affected players at least a small compensation for the inconvenience.
Problems with the Monster Hunter Wilds beta
The PSN outage hit players of the open beta of Monster Hunter Wilds, which took place this weekend, particularly hard. Since the beta relied on online functionality, many PlayStation 5 users were unable to test the game. The server connection regularly dropped or was not accessible at all, thus excluding numerous players from the beta.
There was a great deal of dissatisfaction in the community, especially since many had taken time out of their schedules to test the game. On social media, many players expressed disappointment at not being able to participate in the beta. Some called for an extension of the test phase to make up for the lost play time.
Capcom responded to these demands, stating that they are currently considering extending the beta by 24 hours. A final decision will be announced soon. The developers emphasized that they are aware of how important a smooth test run is for the gaming experience and that they are in close contact with Sony to find the best possible solution for the affected players.
PS5 hunters, thanks for your patience and understanding during this weekend’s PSN service issues. To account for reduced OBT2 play time due to the outage, we are considering running OBT2 for an additional 24 hours at a future date. Exact details and timing are TBD, so please stay…
— Monster Hunter (@monsterhunter) February 9, 2025
The sudden outage of the PlayStation Network was annoying for many users, as it disabled important online features and gaming options for an entire day. The Monster Hunter Wilds community was particularly affected, with the beta version significantly impacted by the outage. While Sony accommodated PSN users with a five-day PlayStation Plus extension, Capcom could extend the beta to give players a fair chance to test the game. Nevertheless, the question remains whether Sony will take measures in the future to prevent such widespread network outages.
