PlayStation Network Now Has 70 Million Active Users

Sony has announced that there are now 70 million monthly active users for the PlayStation Network. According to Sony's 2016 financial year report, by the end of 2016 PSN had reached over 70 million active users across all Sony consoles, and the plan for this year is to expand the number of hardware units sold to 78 million. 

Sony Finally Enables 2-Step Verification For PlayStation Network Accounts

Sony has finally enabled 2-Step verification for PlayStation Network accounts. This will add an increased layer of security when trying to login. According to the PlayStation website ”Passwords can be compromised if you use the same password for multiple accounts, click on malicious links, open phishing emails and other methods.“ "If your password is compromised and becomes known to someone other than yourself, your account will still require a verification code to gain access when you activate 2-Step Verification." If 2-Step Verification is enabled, a text message will be sent to a linked mobile phone number when you enter your password. The code sent in this text needs to be used to gain access to the account. "By requiring two forms of identification for sign-in, your account and personal information will be better protected.” Thoughts on Sony finally adding 2-Step verification for PlayStation Network accounts ?

PSN Is Getting Two-Factor Authentication

Sony is now implementing 2-factor authentication, which will help safeguard user accounts. This is 5 years after the PlayStation Network outage that latest for more than 3 week. This resulted in user data being exposed and cost the company $170 million. When using this form of login, users need to provide a code separate from a password that is generated on demand. This can be delivered via text message or using a special smartphone or desktop application. For example, Blizzard uses this for its games. Sony has not said a specific date for rolling out this 2 factor authentication feature. What do you think of Sony doing this ? I think its better late then never for Sony to implement this. It’s good knowing that Sony is taking security more seriously. 

Compensation For The 2011 PSN Breach Are Going Out Now

Remember the 2011 PlayStation Network breach ? Well Sony is now sending out the promised compensation, including free games. Codes for free games are going out now for people who applied for the compensation back in January 2015 when Sony started accepting claims. Anyone who had a PlayStation Network, Qriocity, or Sony Online Entertainment account before May 15, 2011 was able to file a settlement claim. Some of the options include:

• Payment equal to paid wallet balances (if $2 or more) in PSN or SOE accounts that have been inactive since the intrusions.
• One or more of the following: a free PS3 or PSP game (Listed below), 3 free PS3 themes, or a free 3-month subscription to PlayStation Plus.
• A free month of Music Unlimited for Qriocity account holders who did not have a PSN account.
• $4.50 in SOE Station Cash.

The PS3/PSP games are:

• Infamous (PS3)
• LittleBigPlanet (PS3)
• Super Stardust HD (PS3)
• Rain (PS3)
• Dead Nation (PS3)
• LittleBigPlanet (PSP)
• Killzone: Liberation (PSP)
• ModNation Racers (PSP)
• Patapon 3 (PSP)

Sony Sending PS Plus Extensions To Players Due To PSN Outage

On January 4, the PlayStation Network went down on PS4, PS3, and PS Vita. Now Sony is sending out a voucher code for PlayStation Plus for an extra day. The voucher code will add a day onto the end of your current subscription. Your PS Plus account had to be active on January 4 to qualify for the extension. You also have to make sure you redeem your code before March 31. The gesture is nice but I feel like Sony should maybe do a little more like a $5 coupon for the PS Store. What do you think ? 

Sony Celebrating EVO 2015 With Fighting Game Sale

In celebration of the upcoming EVO 2015 fighting game tournament, Sony has launched a sale featuring fighting games discounted up to 60 % across all PlayStation platforms. PlayStation 4 features a number of recent fighting game releases, including discounts on Mortal Kombat X, WWE 2K15, Towerfall Ascension, and Guilty Gear Xrd Sign.  On PlayStation 3 you can find sales for Ultra Street Fighter IV, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle, Blazblue: Chrono Phantasma, and Darkstalkers Resurrection. Sales on PlayStation Vita include several Street Fighter Alpha games, Mortal Kombat, and Street Fighter x Tekken and more. As we’ve come to expect PlayStation Plus members will save an additional amount when they purchase a game, up to 75 % or certain titles. This sale will end on Monday, July 20. Visit the PS Blog for the full list of the items on sale.

PS4 Users Make Website To Help Improve PSN, Betterpsn.com

A group of PlayStation fans have set up a campaign called Better PSN to help bring Sony's attention to the improvements that fans want to see. After starting out as a thread on NeoGAF, a new website, betterpsn.com, has gone online to coordinate the efforts. This primarily involves tweeting with a hashtag, #BetterPSN, to Sony executives like Shuhei Yoshida and Adam Boyes. The website also allows users to make suggestions for new features or improvements they'd like to see, as well as vote on those submitted by others. Currently, the most popular ideas include the ability to change your online status, better profile pages, continuous trophy syncing, and enhanced friends lists and much more. It remains to be seen what Sony's response to this new campaign will be. The last major PS4 update came in March, adding new PSN features like Share Play and verified accounts. Do you believe in #BetterPSN ?

Ubisoft Add’s 17 Games To PlayStation Now

If you missed out on a Ubisoft game or two, you could probably fix that with PlayStation Now. Sony’s game streaming service now has 17 of the publisher’s games. You can access these games either through a PlayStation Now subscription or as individual title rentals. Here’s the full list of newly-added PlayStation 3 games:

• Assassin’s Creed
• Assassin’s Creed II
• Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood
• Assassin’s Creed Revelations
• Assassin’s Creed III
• Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood
• Call of Juarez: Gunslinger
• Call of Juarez: The Cartel
• Far Cry 3
• From Dust
• I Am Alive
• Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones
• Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
• Prince of Persia (2008)
• Rainbow Six Vegas
• Rainbow Six Vegas 2
• Splinter Cell Blacklist

PlayStation 4 Online Is Free This Weekend

Online multiplayer will be free on PlayStation 4 this weekend, from Friday at 12 A.M. Pacific through Sunday at 12 P.M Pacific. If you've been wonder what the multiplayer for a certain game is like, now is your chance to check it out. 

Celebrate The PS Vita’s Birthday With A PSN Sale

The PlayStation Vita just celebrated its third birthday, and Sony is celebrating with a sale. There are a number of games on sale, the sale include’s such title’s as Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward, Deception IV: Blood Ties, Jak and Daxter Collection, and Limbo. To see the full list of games on sale go to the PlayStation Blog.

Resident Evil HD Remastered Has The Biggest Opening Day Ever For PSN

Capcom reports that the HD version  of Resident Evil which released on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC, is its fastest selling digital title in North America and Europe. The game also broke the PlayStation Network record for opening day sales for  a digital game.

Sony Apology For What Happened On Christmas

Sony is offering an apology for the downtime that happened during Christmas. This weekend, beginning on January 23 at 9 a.m. Pacific / 12 p.m. Eastern, you can get a one time discount of 10 % on your entire cart. Also 5 days of PlayStation Plus extension that will be applied shortly. The promotion code expires on January 26 at 9 a.m. pacific / 12 p.m. Eastern. There are some exclusions, including PlayStation Plus memberships, Music Unlimited, PlayStation Now rentals, and video rentals. Pre orders are eligible. Is this enough of an apology from Sony ? Is the period that you can use this discount too small ? UPDATE 1/21/15 - Sony has come out and said that the one time 10% code will not work for pre orders. UPDATE 1/23/15 - The discount code is now live. The code for the US is KF56EM5KB3. Head to PlayStation Store to see your region’s unique discount code.

PlayStation Network Will Be Offline For 6 Hours Today

Sony has announced that the PlayStation Network will be going offline later today at 9am PT / 12pm ET / 5pm GMT for 6 hours for maintenance. During maintenance you'll be unable to access the PlayStation Store or Account Management.Playing online will be unavailable unless you are already signed into your account before maintenance begins.

PlayStation Plus Price Goes Up In Some Territories

It looks like Playstation Plus prices have increased in South Africa. As prices have increased as the following R145 ($12.86) to R219 ($19.43) for a three month subscription and R489 ($43.38) to R749 ($66.45) for a year of PlayStation Plus subscription. A similar price increase has hit Ukraine, Russia, and Turkey. Its unknown if other territories will be affected by this price increase.