Sony will compensate users for PSN outage

Yes, Sony will offer PS3 users some sort of compensation for the long-running outage of the console’s online service.

It is nearing 10 days since Sony first pulled the plug on its Playstation Network services, a move it enacted after it discovered someone or some group hacked into the PSN servers and began stealing user data.

There are some 77 million Playstation Network accounts, so this hacking attack is one of the largest of its kind, and almost unheard of for a video game platform.

It does not cost anything to have a PSN account, and unlike Xbox Live you can play PS3 games online and use all the console’s online features without paying a monthly fee.

However, there is a premium PSN account called Playstation Plus. Many had been calling on Sony to ensure those customers get a pro-rated refund for the length of time the online network has been down. The same goes for users who have subscriptions to online games like DC Universe Online, which charge a separate monthly fee.

It looks like Sony will do more than that, though.

“We are currently evaluating ways to show appreciation for your extraordinary patience as we work to get these services back online,” the company said in an official statement.

While no details were provided, Sony will certainly need to do something relatively big to have any shot at rebounding from all the bad press this saga has created.