PlayStation Network (PSN) is a digital media service offered by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It started in November 2006 and was first created for PlayStation video game consoles. Over time, it expanded to include smartphones, tablets, Blu-ray players, and high-definition televisions. In 2015, PSN replaced Sony Entertainment Network. This service allows users to create accounts for PlayStation consoles, where they can save games and other content.
The services provided by PlayStation Network include an online store called the PlayStation Store, a special subscription service called PlayStation Plus that offers better gaming and social features, and a music streaming service called PlayStation Music, which is based on Spotify. There was also a cloud gaming service called PlayStation Now, but it was combined with PlayStation Plus Premium in June 2022. PlayStation Network is available in 73 countries and territories.
History
In the year 2000, Sony released its second home console, the PlayStation 2. This console had basic online features in some games through its online networks. A network adaptor was needed to use these features. This adaptor was sold separately for the original models but built into the slimline models. However, Sony did not create a single online service for the system. Instead, each game and third-party server had its own way of supporting online features, and games could not connect with each other online.
Five years later, during the development of the PlayStation 3, Sony planned to improve on the PlayStation 2’s online features by creating a unified service called "PlayStation World." In March 2006, Sony officially introduced this service, temporarily named "PlayStation Network Platform." A list of features for the service was shared later that year at the Tokyo Game Show.
In June 2010, Sony added a premium subscription service called PlayStation Plus to its free PlayStation Network. This service gave users access to exclusive games, discounts, early access to new games, and other benefits.
In April 2011, a security breach caused the PlayStation Network to stop working for 23 days, affecting 77 million accounts. This was the longest outage since the network began in 2006. Sony reported that user data was stolen during the attack. In June 2011, Sony launched a "Welcome Back" program, offering free games and extra PlayStation Plus days to affected users. After the outage, Sony changed its license agreement to require users to resolve disputes with an arbitrator before filing lawsuits.
The PlayStation Network was managed by Sony Computer Entertainment and Sony Network Entertainment International. Starting in February 2012, PSN accounts were changed to Sony Entertainment Network accounts, which could be used for all Sony’s online media services.
In July 2012, Sony bought the video game streaming service Gaikai for $380 million. Later, Sony also acquired assets from Gaikai’s competitor, OnLive. At the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show, Sony announced that Gaikai’s technology would power PlayStation Now, a cloud-based gaming service. In 2014, PlayStation Now was tested in North America on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4.
On December 25, 2014, both PlayStation Network and Xbox Live faced a network disruption caused by a denial-of-service attack. This attack flooded the services with fake connection requests, making it hard for real users to connect. Services were restored on December 26, but some users had trouble afterward. In January 2015, Sony gave users extra PlayStation Plus days as compensation for the downtime.
In 2015, the PlayStation Network became Sony’s main entertainment service, combining games, music, television, and video. While known for gaming, Sony stated the network had grown into a "comprehensive digital entertainment brand."
In April 2024, Sony announced that PlayStation Network features would be added to PlayStation Studios-published games for Microsoft Windows, starting with Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut. These features include optional social tools and Trophy support.
On October 1, 2024, the PlayStation Network experienced a global outage that stopped all services for seven hours. Sony did not explain the cause. Another global outage occurred on February 8, 2025, lasting nearly 24 hours. Sony apologized and offered compensation, but the offer was criticized.
Availability
PlayStation Network is not available in North Korea, the Philippines, Russia, or Vietnam.
On March 9, 2022, PlayStation announced that it stopped operations of PlayStation Network and PlayStation Store in Russia because of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Features
Signing up for the PlayStation Network does not cost any money. Two types of accounts can be created: Master accounts and Sub accounts. A Master account gives full access to all settings, including parental controls. Sub accounts can be created later, such as for children, with restrictions set by the Master account holder. A Sub account holder can upgrade their account once they turn 18 years old. Sony advises users to choose a unique email and a strong password that isn't used for other online services.
An Online ID is a username used on the PlayStation Network. It appears when playing online games or using other network features. It can be 3 to 16 characters long and include letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores. Starting in 2019, users may change their PlayStation Network ID for a fee.
Users can choose to share their real name next to their Online ID, add a personal description, display a profile picture or avatar, and list the languages they speak. Profiles also show a player's Trophy level and recent activity. Profiles can be viewed through the user interface or online via the PlayStation website.
A Portable ID is a small graphic used as a forum signature. It shows a user's trophy level and number of trophies earned. Each user can log into their PSN account using a web browser to customize their Portable ID and receive a unique URL to display it online.
Trophies are in-game rewards given to players for achieving specific goals or milestones, such as completing a difficult level or defeating a certain number of enemies. There are four types of trophies: bronze, silver, gold, and platinum. The type of trophy depends on how difficult the achievement is. A platinum trophy is given when a player unlocks all other trophies in a game. Smaller games usually do not offer a platinum trophy. Each trophy is also classified by rarity—common, rare, very rare, or ultra rare—based on how many people have unlocked it. Developers can hide some trophies so their details are only revealed after a player earns them.
To prevent cheating related to Trophy awards, the PlayStation Network requires consoles to have accurate time and date settings before starting a digitally downloaded game. This rule also applies to most physically released PS4 games and some PS5 games. If a console cannot connect to the PlayStation Network and its CMOS battery is not working, it may not be able to run games. This issue, called the C-bomb, caused criticism because it was seen as a form of always-on DRM and a risk to game preservation. Sony fixed the C-bomb issue for the PS4 in late 2021 with a firmware update, so incorrect time settings only stop Trophy timestamps instead of blocking game startup. Sony later resolved the same problem for the PS5 in November, allowing all physical and digital PS4 and PS5 games to run without needing accurate time settings from the PlayStation Network, except for PlayStation Plus games, which require online verification.
Starting around 2020, Sony began releasing versions of its first-party games for Microsoft Windows computers. After the release of Helldivers 2 in 2024, Sony required users to have a free PlayStation Network account to play the game. This rule caused online criticism because PlayStation Network access was limited to certain regions, making the game unplayable for many. Sony later removed this requirement, but some later Windows ports, including single-player games like God of War Ragnarök and Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, still required a PlayStation Network account. In January 2025, Sony announced that the PlayStation Network requirement would become optional for future games and would work to remove it from previously released games. Players using a PlayStation Network account can now register in the game to track trophies, friends, and receive in-game rewards.
PlayStation Plus
PlayStation Plus (PS Plus) is a paid subscription service with different levels that give users special features. These features include online multiplayer, discounts on the PlayStation Store, the ability to save up to 100 GB of game files on PlayStation servers, and three games available to download each month. All subscribers receive these benefits. The "Extra" level includes access to more than 400 PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 games. It also provides access to a collection of Ubisoft+ classic games. The "Premium" (also called "Deluxe") level adds access to downloadable games from PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation Portable, limited trials of select games, and (in some areas) the ability to stream certain games from PlayStation, PS2, PS3, PS4, PS5, and PSP through the cloud. All subscription levels allow users to pay monthly, quarterly, or annually.
All PS Plus levels include the Game Help feature, a PlayStation 5 exclusive that offers hints and tips for supported games without revealing story details. These hints can range from simple suggestions to full video guides that can be viewed on the side of the screen while playing.
Membership includes access to a changing selection of games, with the choices depending on the user's region on the PlayStation Store. New games are added each month and can be downloaded immediately or saved for later. These games are replaced monthly. Members can keep all downloaded games as long as their subscription is active. If the subscription ends, the games become unavailable. Renewing the subscription unlocks the games again. In late June 2020, it was announced that PS Plus would increase the number of free games from two to three for its 10th anniversary.
In September 2020, Sony announced that PlayStation Plus members who bought a PlayStation 5 would also get a collection of "games that defined the generation" from the PlayStation 4. This collection was removed in May 2023.
In December 2021, Bloomberg reported that Sony was working on a new subscription service called "Spartacus," which would combine PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now. The service was expected to include three levels: the first with all PlayStation Plus benefits, the second with additional PlayStation 4 and 5 games, and the third with demos and games from PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Portable. Bloomberg said the service would launch in early 2022 to compete with Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass.
Sony officially confirmed the revamped PlayStation Plus service with a three-tier model in March 2022, with a planned launch in June 2022. The service launched first in Asian regions (excluding Japan) on May 23, 2022, in Japan on June 1, 2022, in North America on June 13, 2022, and in Europe on June 22, 2022.
The original service was renamed PlayStation Plus Essential. The "Extra" level gives access to up to 400 downloadable PlayStation 4 and 5 games. The "Premium" level adds access to up to 340 games from PlayStation, PS2, PS3, and PSP, as well as streaming of all these games (except PS3 games). For areas without cloud streaming, Sony offers a version called PlayStation Plus Deluxe, which includes Premium benefits at a lower cost without cloud streaming or PS3 games.
PlayStation Store
The PlayStation Store is an online shop that provides downloadable items that can be bought or downloaded for free. These items include complete games, games that are free to play, extra content for games, trial versions of games, music, movies, and background themes. The store allows payments using physical money, PayPal transfers, or prepaid network cards.
PlayStation Network Cards are a type of prepaid card that can be used at the PlayStation Store. Each card has a code made of letters and numbers that can be entered on the PlayStation Network to add money to a digital wallet. Sony created this payment method for people who do not have a credit card and for PlayStation users who want to give or receive these cards as gifts.
In 2012, Sony started a program called cross-buy. This program allows players to buy a game that works on multiple PlayStation devices only once. If a player downloads the PlayStation 3 version of a game, they can switch to the PlayStation Vita or PlayStation 4 version without paying again, and the opposite is also true. Users can instantly access supported games in their digital collection, even after upgrading to a newer system. Later, the program was expanded to include the PlayStation 5.
PlayStation Blog
The PlayStation Blog is a website that focuses on video games and is part of the PlayStation Network. It started in June 2007 and regularly shares information about new games, interviews with game developers, and updates about the PlayStation Store. In March 2010, a section of the blog called PlayStation Blog Share was created. This section lets PlayStation Network users share their ideas about PlayStation topics and vote on others' suggestions.
Original programming
In the spring of 2015, PlayStation Network started creating and sharing its own original shows. The first show, called Powers, began on March 10, 2015, and had two seasons. The show ended on August 3, 2016.
In June 2017, Sony announced a new program called the Emerging Filmmakers Program. People could submit ideas for TV shows to be shown on PlayStation Network. Submissions were due by August 1, 2017. Five of the best ideas would become pilot episodes, and the PlayStation community would vote on them.
Change to terms and conditions
On September 15, 2011, a change to the PSN Terms of Service required users to agree to give up their right to join a class action lawsuit against Sony for future security breaches. This meant users had to first try to resolve legal issues with a neutral third party before taking legal action. This rule also applied to any class action lawsuits that were already happening before August 20, 2011.
Another clause stated that if a user chose not to participate in the agreement (by sending a letter to Sony), they would lose the right to a trial by jury. Sony also guaranteed that courts in the user's country, such as the United States, would have the legal authority to handle any disputes related to changes in the PSN Terms of Service.