Skip to main content

Sony CEO Stringer says sorry for PlayStation problems

sony-psn-playstation-networkA letter from Sony’s CEO Howard Stringer in which he apologized to millions of PlayStation Network and Qriocity users was posted on the PlayStation blog late Thursday.

The apology comes in the wake of the data loss of millions of users following a hack which took place between April 17 and 19. The perpetrators of the hack have not yet been identified, and the PlayStation Network and Qriocity services are still down.

Recommended Videos

The letter begins: “I know this has been a frustrating time for all of you.” Stringer reassures users that the company has been concentrating on investigating the recent cyber attack and that it is “absolutely dedicated to restoring full and safe service as soon as possible.” He adds: “We will settle for nothing less.”

In an attempt to placate customers, Stringer, who had up until now remained silent on the data loss issue, announced the launch of its identity theft protection scheme in which US users can enroll for free. Announcements for other areas will be coming soon, he wrote.

Stringer made his apology halfway through the letter: “As a company we — and I — apologize for the inconvenience and concern caused by this attack. Under the leadership of Kazuo Hirai, we have teams working around the clock and around the world to restore your access to those services as quickly, and as safely, as possible.”

Addressing criticism that the company was slow off the mark in informing customers of the problems, Stringer wrote: “I know some believe we should have notified our customers earlier than we did. It’s a fair question. As soon as we discovered the potential scope of the intrusion, we shut down the PlayStation Network and Qriocity services and hired some of the best technical experts in the field to determine what happened.”

He goes on: “I wish we could have gotten the answers we needed sooner, but forensic analysis is a complex, time-consuming process. Hackers, after all, do their best to cover their tracks, and it took some time for our experts to find those tracks and begin to identify what personal information had — or had not — been taken.”

The letter ends: “In the coming days, we will restore service to the networks and welcome you back to the fun. I wanted to personally reach out and let you know that we are committed to serving you to the very best of our ability, protecting your information better than ever, and getting you back to what you signed up for – all the games and great entertainment experiences that you expect from Sony.”

We’ll have to wait and see whether the content of the CEO’s letter is enough to restore confidence in users of Sony’s services. For some it may at least be a step in the right direction, while others will be waiting for further details about how the company will be protecting users’ data in the future.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Looking for an OLED laptop? Get the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra at $400 off
The screen of the Galaxy Book4 Ultra.

While Samsung Galaxy deals are often linked to smartphones and tablets, you can also score huge discounts on other types of devices. For example, you can currently buy the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra at $400 off from Samsung itself, which brings its price down from $2,400 to $2,000. This premium laptop isn't going to stay on sale for long though, so if you're interested in this bargain, you need to push forward with your purchase as soon as you can to make sure you pocket the savings.

Why you should buy the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra laptop

Read more
This iBuyPower gaming PC with 16GB of RAM is on sale for $830
The iBuyPower Element SE gaming PC on a white background.

For gaming PC deals that will give you excellent value, you should check out iBuyPower offers. Here's one from Best Buy: the iBuyPower Element SE gaming desktop at $100 off, which pulls its price down from $930 to $830. Gamers who are looking for a gaming PC for less than $1,000 won't want to miss this bargain, but you're going to have to hurry if you're interested because there's no assurance that the discount will still be online by tomorrow.

Why you should buy the iBuyPower Element SE gaming PC

Read more
The Dell XPS 13 and XPS 14 are both on sale at $300 off — hurry!
Angled front view of the Dell XPS 13 with Snapdragon X Elite processor inside.

Are you in the market for a new laptop? You simply can't go wrong with any of the Dell XPS deals that are available, and we've identified two of the best ones you can shop right now. The Dell XPS 13 9350, originally sold for $1,400, is down to $1,100 for savings of $300, while the Dell XPS 14 9440, which has a sticker price of $1,560, is on sale for $1,260, also following a $300 discount.

Following the Dell XPS reset early last year, the Dell XPS 13 and the Dell XPS 14 have further blossomed in popularity. That means you'll have to act fast if you're interested in either of these laptop deals though, as the stocks up for sale may run out at any moment.

Read more