PlayStation Network Hit by Widespread Outages Amid Cyber-Attack Claims
Thousands of users report server connection and login issues across the UK, while a pro-Iran hacking group claims responsibility for a separate cyber-attack on Microsoft 365.
Image: Eddie Pollard / AI
Callum Smith
Thousands of PlayStation Network users are experiencing significant issues accessing services, with reports of outages first emerging on Friday afternoon.
PlayStation Network outages surged on Downdetector, with technical issues preventing users in London and Greater Manchester from connecting to servers and accessing digital games.
These problems stemmed primarily from an Amazon Web Services (AWS) outage; server connection issues constituted 52% of complaints.
Login difficulties accounted for 29% of reported problems, impacting users' ability to sign in, create accounts, edit details, and launch games.
Access to the PS Store and connection to game servers also failed, leaving many players stranded.
A Downdetector heatmap pinpointed a high concentration of affected users in the London area; Greater Manchester also registered a significant volume of reports.
The outage impacted the ability to verify game licenses for digital titles, a critical function for Sony's promoted digital ownership model.
Some users accessed the PlayStation Store but encountered errors attempting new game purchases; other gamers reported an inability to access digital games within their existing libraries, sparking widespread frustration.
Can't load any digital games at all bought or free. Can't connect to servers to verify licences, doesn't matter what i try to load i get the same message every time.
Despite these widespread user reports, Sony's official PlayStation Service Status page indicated all services were "up and running," presenting a clear discrepancy.
Sony Interactive Entertainment has not officially commented on the divergence between user-reported outages and its service status page.
However, PlayStation itself acknowledged users would likely experience problems signing in, managing accounts, streaming games, and using the online store.
This conflicting information left many users uncertain about the network's true operational status; the current PlayStation Network issues emerged against a backdrop of recent cyber-attack claims.
A pro-Iran hacking group, 313 Team, claimed responsibility for an alleged cyber-attack against Microsoft 365 on Thursday, asserting it targeted Microsoft 365's main servers and caused outages on services like SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive.
The 313 Team claims it continues to target Western systems "actively used to serve the enemy," adding that they possess the right to avenge the death of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
While the 313 Team's claims relate to Microsoft 365, Sony Interactive Entertainment has not publicly investigated any potential links.
No connection between the 313 Team's alleged cyber-attack and the PlayStation Network outages has been established.
The PlayStation Network's website stated it was working to resolve issues as soon as possible, though a specific timeline for service restoration remains unclear.
This incident carries significant weight for Sony's future strategy, especially after the company announced it would cease releasing physical PlayStation games from January 2028, making new titles exclusively digital.