Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced compensation for the recent PSN outage, but there is a catch. Only existing PS Plus members qualify for the compensation, which includes a five-day extension of their membership. Non-PS Plus users will receive an apology for the inconvenience.
PSN Outage Comparison: February 2025 vs. 2011 Hack
The outage that occurred over the weekend was one of the longest in recent years, lasting almost an entire day. This downtime surpasses the infamous 2011 hack when the network was offline for nearly a month. During the 2011 incident, Sony provided free games to all players as compensation.
Unlike the 2011 hack, this time only PS Plus subscribers are receiving compensation. Non-subscribers who were unable to access games like Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone ahead of Super Bowl Sunday will only receive reassurance that their data was not compromised.
Sony released a statement on social media addressing the issue, attributing it to “operational” difficulties without specifying the exact cause. While the company reassured users that there was no indication of a hack, it is recommended for users to update their passwords and review their payment information as a precaution.
As more information regarding the outage becomes available, we will keep our readers informed. PS Plus members do not need to take any action to receive the five-day extension, as it will be automatically applied to their accounts.
Network services have fully recovered from an operational issue. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank the community for their patience. All PlayStation Plus members will automatically receive an additional 5 days of service.
— Ask PlayStation (@AskPlayStation) February 9, 2025