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All Articles: ApocalyPS3 2011
Sony announces PSN, Qriocity restoration in Japan
After being offline for two and a half months in Japan, the PlayStation Network and Qriocity will finally be restored on July 6. Phased restoration for Japan started on May 28. The ApocalyPS3 began when Sony Network Entertainment International shut everything down on April 20, after they discovered malicious activity. After a PR nightmare involving stolen passwords and credit card information, as well as what felt like a half-hearted gesture of good will (I mean, come on, most of us already have all those games), services were restored in America, Europe, and parts of Asia on June 2. Hong Kong followed on June 14, and South Korea on June 24.
All services will be available in Japan starting on the 6, including:
- Full functionality on PlayStation Store
- In-game commerce
- Ability to redeem vouchers and codes
- Full functionality on “Video On Demand powered by Qriocity across all compatible devices
- Full functionality on Media Go
There will also be a “Welcome Back” package available to Japanese users as well.
Posted in News, PS3
Tagged ApocalyPS3 2011
PSN’s “Welcome Back” program extended to July 5
After you finish celebrating the 4th of July today, Sony wants to remind you that there’s just one day left in their “Welcome Back” program. The program was actually scheduled to end yesterday, but it’s been extended, so the last chance for all you PS3/PSP owners to get your free games is Tuesday, July 5 at 9 AM Pacific Time.
In addition to the free games, Sony is offering a variety of other freebies to make up for the month-long PlayStation Network outage including a 30-day PlayStation Plus subscription and 100 virtual items in PlayStation Home.
Posted in News, PS3, PSP
Tagged ApocalyPS3 2011
Sony @ E3 11: Jack Tretton delivers heartfelt apology
Now that the presser’s over, I wanted to add one extra thing: Sony CEO Jack Tretton’s apology. Tretton stood up on stage at the start of the press conference to address the “elephant in the room” – namely, the PlayStation Network outage. He said “you’re welcome” to the press for giving them bad news to report on, thanked both third party developers and retailers, and gave a heartfelt message to PlayStation fans. “It is you that both causes us to be humble and amazed in the dedication and support you give the PlayStation brand,” Tretton said.
Aww. We <3 you too, Jack. And for the record, I loved your tie.
Posted in News, PS3, PSP
Tagged ApocalyPS3 2011, E3 2011
PSN “Welcome Back” content now available
After fully restoring the PlayStation Store on June 1st, the only thing left for Sony to put the PlayStation Network outage completely behind them is their promised “Welcome Back” program. Yes, after 45 days, the PSN debacle is finally over.
Today, the program was put into affect and gamers will be able to obtain all of their “Welcome Back” items including:
- Two PlayStation 3 Games From this List:
Dead Nation
inFAMOUS
LittleBigPlanet
Super Stardust HD
Wipeout HD + Fury - Two PSP Games From this List:
LittleBigPlanet
ModNation Racers
Pursuit Force
Killzone Liberation - PSN users will receive 100 virtual items for free in PlayStation Home.
- A selection of “On Us” movie rentals this weekend only, where video services are available.
- For PlayStation Plus subscribers, an additional 60 days of subscription time. Non-PlayStation Plus subscribers will receive a free 30-day subscription to try out the “free games and discounts” service.
- Finally, Music Unlimited Premium subscribers will receive an additional 30 days of subscription time plus days lost due to the outage.
Posted in News, PS3, PSP
Tagged ApocalyPS3 2011
PlayStation Store back online with 17 new games; “Welcome Back” details coming
It missed Sony’s “end of May” promise by one day, but as of late last night, the PlayStation Store is now back online! However, there’s still no word on the “Welcome Back” offers and Sony would only say that more details would be coming soon.
The consolemaker plans to push out multiple updates a week to get the store back up to speed and today’s update is rather huge (though quite lacking in anything really noteworthy):
Downloadable PS3 Games
- Alien Crush ($5.99)
- Bonk’s Adventure ($5.99)
- Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls ($14.99)
- Sega Rally Online Arcade ($9.99)
- Star Raiders ($9.99)
- Red Johnson’s Chronicles ($12.99)
- Under Siege ($19.99)
- Back To The Future: The Game – Episode 3 (Free With Season Pass)
- Dragon’s Lair II: Time Warp ($9.99)
- Bomberman ’94 ($5.99)
- Learning With The Pooyoos: Episode 1 ($8.99)
PSone Classics
- Missile Command ($5.99)
Downloadable PSP Games
- Lego Pirates Of The Caribbean ($29.99)
- Alien Crush ($5.99)
- Bonk’s Adventure ($5.99)
- Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars ($29.99)
- Bomberman ’94 ($5.99)
More information on all of this week’s new games, demos, add-ons, themes and videos can be found at the PlayStation.Blog. The next PlayStation Store update will occur on Friday, June 3. Sony also has special E3-themed updates planned for next week.
Posted in News, PS3, PSP
Tagged ApocalyPS3 2011, Sega Rally Online Arcade
PlayStation Store to return by week’s end
It has taken over a month, but the ApocalyPS3 2011 appears to be over.
Sony has announced that a full restoration of PlayStation Network services, including the PlayStation Store and Qriocity, will be in place by the end of the week. According to Sony, the almost worldwide restoration of services applies to the Americas, Europe/PAL territories and Asia. However, PlayStation Store services will remain down for PSN users in Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea.
For those of us outside those three areas, the following PSN services will be back online by Sunday, June 6:
- Full functionality on PlayStation Store
- In-game commerce
- Ability to redeem vouchers and codes
- Full functionality on Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity for PS3, PSP and PC
- Full functionality on Media Go
This also means that the games in the “Welcome Back” program will be available to download soon.
Posted in News, PS3, PSP
Tagged ApocalyPS3 2011
“Welcome Back” Killzone style: Double XP Weekend starting… now!
I was wondering who was going to do this first. The Killzone Blog has announced in celebration of the PSN being back online, Guerilla Games is offering a Double XP Weekend for Killzone 3 starting today at 17:00 PM UK time and ending this Sunday at 10:00 AM UK time. At the end of every match the extra points will show up as “Fast Starter Bonus,” and… wait, that’s now!
Before I run off to Helghan, you should know that this is only part of the Helghast war effort to rebuild good will on PlayStation platforms. Another measure, of course, will be the offering of a free copy of Killzone: Liberation for PSP owners as part of Sony’s Welcome Back initiative. You should be able to grab that when the PlayStation Store goes back up on May 24. The blog also mentions that “there’s more” but they’ll announce it at a later date. Until then, I’ll be on the Frozen Dam snatching silenced submachine gun headshots.
PEACE.
Posted in News, PS3
Tagged ApocalyPS3 2011, Killzone 3
Sony tells publishers PlayStation Store to return on May 24
Gamasutra is reporting that Sony has informed publishers and developers that the PlayStation Store will reopen on May 24.
Online play and third party services like Netflix were restored on the PlayStation Network last week, but the store has remained offline. Sony plans to push out four updates in a two week span to release all of the content that publishers had planned to release before the PSN went down on April 20.
The updates will take place on May 24th, May 27th, May 31st and June 3rd. After June 3rd, the PlayStation Store’s weekly Tuesday updates will resume schedule.
PS3 and PSP owners will be able to download their “Welcome Back” gifts once the PlayStation Store resumes operations as well.
Posted in News, PS3, PSP
Tagged ApocalyPS3 2011