Two online video game services suffered connection outages on Christmas, and a hacking group took credit for the disruption.
Microsoft’s XBox Live and Sony’s PlayStation Network crashed Wednesday evening, with issues continuing Thursday. The timing is particularly inopportune for users who may have just received new gaming systems over the holidays.
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“We are aware that some users are experiencing difficulty logging into the PSN,” read a message on Sony’s support site. “We will update this article with any changes that occur in regards to this issue. Thank you for your patience.”
An XBox Live status message also addressed the problem: “Having a tough time signing in? Don’t worry! We’re working to fix this right away!”
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Hacking group Lizard Squad has claimed responsibility on its Twitter page. “10,000 [retweets] and we will stop smacking #Xbox and #PSN offline,” read one tweet encouraging people to spread the word about the hackers. The tweet was later deleted.
Sony Pictures was the victim of a devastating cyberattack last month, which led to a litany of leaked emails and documents from studio execs.
By 10 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, XBox Live was back up and running, with some of its apps having limited service. But Sony’s PlayStation Network remained offline.
Dec 26, 10:21 a.m. This story has been updated to indicate that XBox Live is back up.
Email: Ryan.Gajewski@pgmedia.org
Twitter: @_RyanGajewski
