PSN is down just weeks after Sony announced the end of discs for an all-digital future
Isn't it ironic? Don't you think
😬 The PlayStation Network has been experiencing issues for the last few hours
🔒 It’s left users unable to play online or even access some games
🤔 It seems the issue was tied to Amazon Web Services being down
🔥 Slowly, some users are regaining access, though the issue will only en flame those who are against Sony’s move to digital-only in 2028
Users are reporting that the PlayStation Network is currently down, leaving them unable to sign in or play games online. Ironically, it comes just a few weeks after Sony announced it was ditching physical discs in January 2028 and pursuing an all-digital future.
Downdetector shows around 6,000+ reports, with the outage beginning around 11am GMT. Sony has yet to comment on the situation, which seems to have been ongoing for at least a few hours.
However, some users are now reporting that PSN is slowly recovering, and it was an issue with Amazon Web Services that was to blame. Apparently, much of Sony’s network service relies on Amazon’s service, which was experiencing issues.
Amazon Web Services issued the following statement (thanks, Push Square): “As routes continue to be restored, customers should see a continued reduction in error rates and timeouts when connecting to affected services. We are monitoring recovery progress closely and will continue working until all routes have been fully restored and service metrics return to pre-event levels. We will provide another update in the next 30-45 minutes.”
Still, it’s just a glimpse of why having an always-online console that relies on digital purchases and sign-ins isn’t appealing to many, as you’re basically locked out of your account until service resumes.
Sony also doesn’t have the best track record with its online service. PSN was notoriously hacked and offline for weeks during the PS3 era, and there have been countless occasions where PSN has been down for far longer than expected.
Hopefully, PlayStation players will be able to access the games they’ve purchased very soon.
Up next: Steam Frame gains Steamworks support, more verified games, and new hardware shipments
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.