The Playstation Network is down once again. And this time the timing couldn’t be worse. With new games like Mortal Kombat, SOCOM 4 and Portal 2 launching, all with relatively important online components, the online component could ultimately play a role in whether consumers get these games for Xbox 360 or PS3 (save SOCOM 4 which is a PS3 exclusive). Even the infamous 2 online beta will have to be delayed now because of this. The Playstation Network being down could drive people to Xbox 360 purchases.
While there are certainly rumors of Anonymous taking down the PSN once again, that seems unlikely since they are usually more public than this and already accomplished their goal. You never do know though since service outages like this are fairly rare.
But whatever the case may be, in a week where some of the biggest games of spring, many with substantial online components, launch on multiple systems, you had better get that area of your system working and Sony has failed to do that. There’s a good chance that because of that being down consistently compared with Xbox Live’s brilliant service that people might just go to that other system.
Most people are going to wait it out and stick with whatever console they were originally going to buy these games on, especially obviously the PS3 exclusives, but there will be some casual gamers who have both systems that will just go to whichever one works and that doesn’t bode well for Sony.
They just can’t seem to get out of their own way this generation. With consistent problems dating back to launch and coming in third place in the console wars this generation, Sony hasn’t had a good run lately and it likely won’t get better as Project Café/Wii 2/Wii HD is going to launch a full two years ahead of them.
Things just aren’t looking good for Sony.
