UPDATE (7PM ET): Playstation has posted on X that service is back up.
If you’re a PlayStation user, you’ve probably noticed by now that PSN is down—and it’s not just a little hiccup. Since Friday evening, players have been reporting widespread issues across nearly every major PSN service. It’s now been over 18 hours, making this one of the longest outages in recent history, and only second to the infamous 2011 PSN outage that lasted a mind-boggling 23 days.
Sony’s been pretty quiet on the specifics, only offering a brief acknowledgment: “We are aware some users might be currently experiencing issues with PSN.” That’s the extent of the company’s public communication so far, leaving many players wondering why the outage is happening and when they’ll be able to get back into their games. Gamers are only left to speculation until Sony releases an official update.
In any case, the PSN downtime is impacting everything—from account management to launching games to accessing the PlayStation Store and even streaming content. Basically, if you’re trying to play an online game like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Warzone, Fortnite, or Destiny 2, you’re out of luck. Some players have even reported that single-player games aren’t working properly, while others have found their consoles completely bricked by malfunctioning disc drives.
Adding to the pain, PSN’s downtime couldn’t have come at a worse time. Not only is it the weekend, but there’s also a snowstorm hitting the Northeast, meaning many were hoping to hunker down and game the day away. Oh, and let’s not forget the Super Bowl this Sunday—many gamers were probably looking forward to squeezing in some quality gaming time before or after the big game, but now they’ll have to find something else to do… like, maybe, eat comfort food?
If you’re feeling the strain of the outage, there is some sweet relief on the way. Krispy Kreme is stepping up to help ease the PSN withdrawal symptoms. From 5 PM to 7 PM local time today, February 8, the donut chain is offering a free original glazed donut to anyone who can make it to their nearest store. “Because sweet rewards don’t need a server,” Krispy Kreme cheekily stated. So, if you’re stuck in a PSN-less world, at least you can satisfy your sugar cravings and get a bit of comfort while you wait for Sony to sort things out.
As if the outage wasn’t already causing enough frustration, it’s also impacting limited-time in-game events. Destiny 2’s Heresy/Sundered Doctrine contest, for example, is currently on hold, with developer Bungie—who, remember, is owned by Sony—stating that they’re “discussing options.” Of course, no guarantees have been made, but there’s talk of considering a future weekend as a “make-up period” for the missed event.
And if you think this is just bad luck, it’s made even worse by the fact that this outage comes just days before a rumored PlayStation State of Play event, expected to drop on February 14. The event is supposed to feature exciting updates for upcoming titles like Death Stranding 2—but with PSN down, fans can’t even get hyped online. It’s a tough time to be a PlayStation fan.
So, what’s the verdict? PSN’s slowly coming back online, but there are still lingering issues. While it’s not as catastrophic as the 2011 hack that led to the infamous 23-day downtime (and a $170 million bill for Sony), it’s certainly a major inconvenience. Here’s hoping Sony can get things back to normal soon so players can get back to gaming—and that donut lovers can keep getting their free fix.
For real-time updates on the PSN status, be sure to check the official PSN Status page. In the meantime, grab your donut, take a deep breath, and pray that this glitch gets fixed sooner rather than later. 🍩
