ps3

Sony needs to do more for PSN customers

When a company's security system fails like Sony's PlayStation Network did, resulting in the second-largest data breach in U.S. history, there will be a lot of opinions shared of exactly how to make it up to customers.

A U.S. senator and at least one class-action lawsuit have called for Sony to provide free credit monitoring, and in the latter's case, monetary damages. But legal obligations aside, how does Sony make up for lost time for customers using their service, lost personal information, and lost trust?

This is what Sony has come up with so far: … Read more

PSN working after hiccups, says Sony

Sony said today most PlayStation Network services are working now. For real, this time.

On Saturday, Sony announced that after almost four weeks its entire portfolio of online games, game forums, and Web sites would go back online. After service resumed in the Americas, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the Middle East, however, heavy traffic on the network caused it to be inaccessible again. Sony said it had to "turn the service off for 30 minutes in order to clear the queue" of too many password resets submitted at once.

But today most things are back to normal, said Sony Social Media Manager Jeff Rubenstein in a blog post. That includes signing in to PSN and Qriocity, the ability to reset passwords, playing online with the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable, and watching unexpired video rentals. Third-party services like Vudu, Hulu Plus, MLB.TV, and Netflix are accessible now, as well as Friends Lists, chat, trophies, in-game leaderboards, and PlayStation Home.

For those still waiting to receive their new passwords following the reset, Rubenstein asked customers to be patient. … Read more

Video game sales rebound in April

April was a very good month for the video game industry, with sales up 20 percent compared to a year earlier.

According to industry analyst The NPD Group, total U.S. video game industry sales came in at $961.2 million in April, up 20 percent from $802.4 million in April 2010.

Software led the way, NPD reported, with sales up 26 percent from a year earlier. In a release accompanying the firm's monthly report, analyst Anita Frazier pointed out that April was the first month since November of last year that video game software saw jumps in … Read more

Sony PlayStation 3 (120GB)

This is an older version of the PlayStation 3 that includes a 120GB hard drive. While this model may still be available at some retailers, you're better off purchasing the 160GB model, which is widely available for the same $299 price.

The PlayStation Network breach (FAQ)

It's been a roller coaster of a couple of weeks for Sony and its customers.

At first what seemed like an embarrassing network outage that kept customers from accessing PlayStation Network, Sony's online game play and streaming video service, turned out to be much worse: a sophisticated cyberattack made off with the customer data of 77 million PSN and Qriocity customers.

Sony wasn't very forthcoming with information at first--it was a couple days before it acknowledged why PSN was offline, and two days after that it confirmed the security breach. Then over the weekend, the No. 2 … Read more

Free phones and farewell

Links from Friday's episode of Loaded:

Apple and Google will testify before Congress next month regarding smartphone privacy

Hulu Plus is coming to Xbox Live

Best Buy is giving away free phones until tomorrow

Research In Motion acquires a calendaring company called Tungle

The Jurassic Park video game will come out this fall on Xbox and PlayStation

Pepsi announces social vending-machines that let you gift sodas to your friends

And that does it for me! Natali Morris for CNET, signing out. Thank you for giving me the privilege of bringing you the news every day for the last 3 … Read more

Sony PS3 data breach highlights what a loser I am

Every night it's the same forlorn ritual. I watch my TV, read my books, chase the cat into the bathroom and back--all in a vain effort to fill the gaping emptiness inside. Invariably at some point my hands reach for the beloved black controller, where I try--even though I know it won't work, but still you never know--to log on to the online network of my Sony PS3 game console.

It's been 7 days now (or is it 7,000?) since the Sony PlayStation Network went down. We've since learned the company is taking the extreme step of rebuilding its network after a massive hacking attack. E-mail addresses, passwords, purchase history--and almost certainly credit card numbers--all sucked up by persons unknown.

I wish I could get riled up over this latest security breach, but honestly it's the third time in three years I've received notification that my credit information may have been compromised. At this point in the Digital Age, I've become reconciled to the fact that lots of strangers are rummaging through the underwear drawer of my credit history.

What's truly disheartening about Sony's security fumble is how much I miss posting my best scores on the Sony network. And more insidiously, the addictive nature of video games.

My name is SunnyD11 and I am a PixelJunk Monsters addict. … Read more

How the Wii's successor affects the console business

One of the most potentially damaging things a consumer electronics company can do to one of its existing products is confirm its replacement. So when Nintendo announced yesterday that its Wii "successor" would launch next year, the obvious question was how would the news affect its highly successful but flagging current-generation console?

On the one hand, would-be Wii buyers could decide to pocket their wallets and wait until the new device comes out. On the other, they could rush to stores to buy one now, thinking that the new system will cost significantly more when it hits store … Read more

Portal 2: For fun, for everyone, for science

Portal 2 is the follow-up to the 2007 cult-classic original that was bundled inside Valve's Orange Box collection. Since then, Portal has gone on to spawn a loyal following that has been clamoring for a sequel for years.

This week Portal 2 hits the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Steam as its own full-length game, extending the mythology of GlaDOS--the game's maniacal nemesis--Aperture Laboratories, and much more.

Jeff: We listed Portal 2 as one of our most anticipated games of 2011 for good reason. It is by far one of the most unique gaming experiences available, forcing the player to think well beyond the laws of physics. In the process of creating a brand-new gaming genre, Portal 2 also delivers some of the most clever and unique level design around, allowing for an overwhelmingly satisfying experience.

If that weren't enough, Portal 2 doubles the value by adding a fully fledged co-op campaign that is totally different than the single-player mode. The most complex puzzles are found here and the sense of accomplishment and mutual discovery while playing with a friend cannot be overstated.

We got to chat with one of Portal 2's writers, Erik Wolpaw--the 8-minute interview of which is embedded above--about the process of creating the highly anticipated sequel and how Stephen Merchant was brought on as the voice of Wheatley, one of the game's new characters.… Read more