Skip to main content

PlayStation Network has added 3 mln customer since breach

Sony CEO Howard Stringer
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Speaking at this week’s IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin, Sony CEO Howard Stringer touted the re-birth of his company’s PlayStation Network, claiming the operation has added more than 3 million new customers since PlayStation Network came back online in the wake of a catastrophic data breach.

“We have more than 3 million new customers since the network came back online, and sales are exceeding what we had before the cyberattacks,” Stringer said at a news conference, according to CNet.

Sony was forced to shut down its PlayStation Network earlier this year in the wake of a massive data breach that saw customer information compromised—including email addresses and credit card information. Although Sony says any illegally-accessed credit card info was encrypted, the company sprung for identity theft insurance for PlayStation Network customers anyway, and took PlayStation Network offline for several weeks while the company aggressively revamped its security. The protracted incident is estimated to have cost Sony some $170 million.

Many customers were disillusioned with Sony and canceled their PlayStation Network accounts; Sony has tried to retain customers with “Welcome Back” packages as well as new games and content—and if Stringer’s comments are to be believed, a significant number of consumers are apparently willing to let bygones be bygones and resume using Sony’s PlayStation Network.

As part of a move to vertically integrate its offerings, Sony has now organized PlayStation Network with its Qriocity music service (now called Music Unlimited—also a victim of the cyberattacks) along with Video on Demand as a general “Sony Entertainment Network.” To appeal to gamers and the social Internet generation, Sony has also announced pending revisions to its PlayStation Home virtual world that will offer a more social experience.

Editors' Recommendations

Geoff Duncan
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…
Best PS5 bundles: Which PlayStation 5 bundles to buy today
The Playstation 5 system standing upright.

Gamers who are thinking about finally buying the PlayStation 5 should consider getting one of the many PS5 bundles, which will give you more value for your hard-earned money. With more PS5 exclusives on the way, now's a great time to finally purchase the console or to upgrade from the PlayStation 4. Check out the PS5 bundles that we've gathered here, just make sure that you hurry with your purchase because stocks may run out at any moment.
What are PS5 bundles?
Every purchase of the PlayStation 5 comes with a DualSense controller, but if you go with PS5 bundles, you'll be getting more. The extras come in the form of a copy of a game, so you already have something to install right after setting up your new console. Stocks of bundles can come and go though, so if you see one available, it's highly recommended that you proceed with the transaction immediately.
PlayStation 5 Slim Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III bundle -- $500

The PlayStation 5 Slim Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III bundle coincides with the launch of the PlayStation 5 Slim, an updated version of the console with a slimmer design and more storage space. This bundle comes with a copy of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, which is the latest entry in the popular first-person shooter series. The game's campaign features the return of Task Force 101 as they go up a ruthless Russian terrorist named Vladimir Makarov, though most players would probably focus on its multiplayer modes.

Read more
The 5 best PlayStation Portal alternatives in 2024
The Logitech G Cloud Gaming Handheld sits on a stack of comics.

The PlayStation Portal is a unique device. Designed to give you remote access to your PS5, it's a powerful streaming gadget that lets you take your favorite games with you while away from the big screen. Equipped with a massive 8-inch LCD screen and capable of playing games at 60fps in 1080p, it's one of the best ways to remotely access your PS5 games.

However, PlayStation Portal isn't perfect. For one, some users have noted that its performance is less than stellar when used outside your home network. You also can't store games on it, with the device intended to remotely stream titles from your PS5. And, as you'd expect from something called the PlayStation Portal, it'll only let you access PlayStation games with no options to play titles on PC, Xbox, or other platforms.

Read more
I made my own special-edition, Mario-themed PlayStation 5
A red and blue PS5 stands on a table with matching controllers.

While we can argue all day about which console is best, there's one PlayStation 5 feature that no other system can claim: customization. On the original PS5, players could easily snap off the system's faceplates and replace them with new ones. Sony would naturally keep that feature for its slimmer PS5 model, creating an entirely new line of console covers, starting with its Deep Earth Collection.

I didn't think much of that initially, considering that it was an expected feature. That is, until I turned my PS5 into my own custom, "special edition" Mario-themed console.

Read more