PlayStation Removes PS5 Ad Screen “Tech Error”

by

PlayStation Removes PS5 Ad Screen "Tech Error"

Key Takeaways

  • PlayStation removed a “tech error” forcing newsfeeds into homepages.
  • PSN servers faced a global blackout that PlayStation has been silent about.
  • The silence has upset players and raised security concerns over prior similar incidents.

As a long-time gamer with memories stretching back to the PlayStation 1 era, I can’t help but feel like I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, Sony seems determined to make me dance to their tune, whether it be forced newsfeeds or mysterious blackouts. On the other, they keep tripping over their own feet, leaving us players scratching our heads and wondering what on earth is going on.

Just one day following its discovery, Sony (the creators of PlayStation) has taken down a contentious technical issue which inadvertently displayed outdated news feeds on players’ homepages.

As a dedicated PlayStation enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share that the official AskPlayStation X account announced they’ve resolved an issue and reassured us that the functioning of our news feeds remains unchanged.

Prior to the update, the newsfeeds on display showed the most recent news and advertisements for the chosen game rather than typical game graphics. This change was met with disapproval, and things became even more problematic as many of the games featured content that was several months old or only loosely relevant.

Users of PlayStation took to the internet to express their displeasure, irritated by an unexpected and apparently greedy extra feature they didn’t ask for. Some even rallied on Reddit, urging the wider community to voice their dissent online.

As a gamer, I must admit that I’ve noticed some players aren’t too thrilled about the recent change in our game, but here’s the thing: if we were playing Tomb Raider, I bet we wouldn’t mind a shift had it been updated news instead of ads. After all, who wants an unexpected Soul Reaver advertisement while immersed in Lara Croft’s world?

It’s been clarified by AskPlayStation that the rumors suggesting PlayStation intentionally introduced this issue as a feature, referring to it as a “tech error,” are unfounded. Instead, some speculate that PlayStation might be concealing its mistakes following the unfavorable response it received.

Curiously, the post did not comment on the ongoing worldwide PSN blackout.

PSN Blackout For You, You, and You

PlayStation Removes PS5 Ad Screen "Tech Error"

Just as PlayStation had resolved the newsfeed problem, unexpectedly, their servers shut down, impacting not only the PS5 and PS4 but also older gaming consoles.

The extent of the blackout is uncertain, but reports suggest that numerous gamers worldwide have been impacted by it. Some players encountered difficulties in playing online and purchasing digital games, while others found themselves completely incapable of using their PlayStations, including single-player modes as well.

Sony, the manufacturer of PlayStation, has not openly addressed this outage yet, leaving many gamers disappointed. So far, their social media platforms have been active with posts and replies, but they haven’t responded to complaints related to the problem that players have been voicing.

For some long-time players, this recent event brings back memories of similar occurrences in 2011 and 2014, sparking worry about possible security vulnerabilities.

In the year 2011, cyber attackers successfully infiltrated the PlayStation Network (PSN), managing to get hold of sensitive data such as personal information and some credit card details from approximately 77 million users. To minimize any additional damage, Sony temporarily halted PSN server operations for a period of 23 days.

Back in 2014, I found myself reminiscing about a notorious incident involving the Lizard Squad hacker group. On a memorable Christmas Day, they orchestrated a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) assault against numerous games and gaming platforms. This attack resulted in many servers being momentarily halted, leaving millions of us gamers outside looking in, unable to access our favorite virtual worlds on that day.

Lizard Squad’s activity continued well into 2015, although not all attacks were gaming-related.

Although the source of this blackout hasn’t been definitively traced back to hackers, many people who recall similar occurrences have expressed concern about their information potentially being exposed.

Currently, it appears that numerous PlayStation Network users have managed to reconnect, predominantly those based in North America. However, a significant number, possibly even more than a thousand, continue to encounter issues with their connection.

Sony could face some repairs to their public image due to the double trouble they’ve encountered over the last 48 hours, and let’s be honest, it’s not been a great couple of months for them either.

Read More

2024-10-01 14:10