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An Open Letter To Sony

Dear Sony,

As you work to return the PlayStation Network to its fans, we offer this letter, in conjunction with our readers, as we have taken the liberty of assessing their general response to this ordeal.

You have no doubt been aware of consumer reactions, which have ranged from aggressive hatred to forgiving patience. Over the past three weeks, those who saw their personal information in potential jeopardy became concerned; they also lamented the loss of a heretofore reliable, trustworthy service. But through it all, it appears your fans are more than willing to return to you when the Network resurrects. Even if the rebuilding process takes longer than anticipated, we will come back.

That being said, in all walks of life, it is important to learn from our mistakes and adapt to quickly changing landscapes. Therefore, when the Network returns, the fans will expect it to have a refreshed fortitude and new-found staying power. They will expect a safer Sony, a more alert Sony, a Sony that effectively battles the cyber-terrorism the rest of the world must combat on a daily basis. This may sound demanding but we all have to be more attentive, and while we recognize that Sony Corp. is a victim, we also know your company has a responsibility.

We have confidence that our responsibility is not ill-placed. But we may have a few reservations and to allay our fears, it will be important that the Network return with vigor and stability. You have earned your loyal fans over the years and they can forgive and forget, especially when direct criminal acts are involved. However, if fans have to go through a second fiasco, even the most hardcore loyalists will begin to question. The Network must be a place that keeps us entertained but in addition, it must also instill a sense of calm serenity, in that we are not filled with anxiety.

We recognize the situation for what it is and place blame accordingly. Those responsible for the attack on your servers receive the brunt of our ire, and we will not ignore the root cause of this problem. If the criminals in question sought to earn notoriety, fame or respect from anybody in the gaming world, they failed to do so. Nobody is impressed with these acts, and nobody forgives or makes excuses for them. At the end of the day, it is an uphill battle against cyber criminals and above all else, we do acknowledge the following: Sony and its fans are on the same side.

Sincerely,

PSXE Staff and Common Sense Gamers

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MyWorstNightmar
MyWorstNightmar
12 years ago

Very well said Ben. Er, or written?

One of these days, we can all get back to gaming!

MyWorstNightmar
MyWorstNightmar
12 years ago

I should rephrase to say, get back to the business of gaming, talking about games, concentrating on games and the fun they provide. Instead of the nasty underbelly of internet crime. This has been an unpleasant distraction.

Kiryu
Kiryu
12 years ago

A Sony Playstation Fan Forever!

cLoudou
cLoudou
12 years ago

Playstation forever fans, unite!

StangMan80
StangMan80
12 years ago

Why would you get thumbed down for that??? Idiots.

IronFace2
IronFace2
12 years ago

I will never leave Sony, no matter what. Playstation fan forever!

kevinater321
kevinater321
12 years ago

"Once a Playstation fan, always a Playstation fan 4 life. 360 fanboys need to get a life." Oh the irony.

AcHiLLiA
AcHiLLiA
12 years ago

lol, xbot fanboys, ur just jealous, haha.


Last edited by AcHiLLiA on 5/14/2011 11:28:04 AM

Wissam
Wissam
12 years ago

Is there anyone called you x360 fanboy ?

BikerSaint
BikerSaint
12 years ago

You can add my name to that!

Well done there, Ben!!!!!

Roach721
Roach721
12 years ago

I'm with you guys.

Killa Tequilla
Killa Tequilla
12 years ago

Warmth in Sony's my heart.

Killa Tequilla
Killa Tequilla
12 years ago

Meant to say "Warmth in Sony's heart"

What I said up there makes no sense lol. Ooh well can't edit.

bigrailer19
bigrailer19
12 years ago

good job! 😉

ZettaiSeigi
ZettaiSeigi
12 years ago

Where do I put my Johnny Hancock?

cLoudou
cLoudou
12 years ago

I don’t know, but I know where I want to put my 'hancock'.

Mog
Mog
12 years ago

Well then, not much more to say on the matter, other than…

perfect letter.


Last edited by Mog on 5/13/2011 9:54:09 PM

Aura7541
Aura7541
12 years ago

Speaking about common sense, I came about an article earlier today. Unlike many other "journalists", this writer actually put a lot of effort into his research. He contacted multiple GameStops (in the US only). All the clerks said to him that not a lot of PS3s have been traded in, or if any at all. Edge Magazine's story about the increased amount of PS3 trade-ins only happened in the UK. The writer also said that PSN only have lost 100,000 subscribers, which is a very tiny number compared to the total of 77 million subscribers.

Here's the link if anybody wants to read his article. Relative to other articles, this one is more objective and mature.

http://www.betanews.com/joewilcox/article/Dont-believe-the-hype-PS3-users-arent-switching-to-Xbox-360/1305314210

kraygen
kraygen
12 years ago

How could the psn have lost 100,000 subscribers? For one the network has been down so no one has been able to do anything with their account.

Secondly can you even permanently delete a psn account? It has all your trophy info and what not and I've never seen a permanent delete button. Of course I haven't gone looking.

However that comment alone makes me wonder at the reliability of the article, even if you can delete your account, you can't do it when you can't access your account.

Aura7541
Aura7541
12 years ago

That's a good point. I kind of didn't think about that before I posted nor did I mention that the writer got the information through word of mouth rather than documentation. I agree that that part of the article is iffy. The main point I was trying to get at in my previous comment is that this article is informational rather than sensationalized.

DazeOfWar
DazeOfWar
12 years ago

You know what's funny is that the one store in th UK said his PS3 trade ins have increased 200% but doesn't mention what the amount traded in before this all happened. I could it increasing 200% when nothing was coming in before.

I love my PS3 and will never get rid of it. I came from the land of Live and don't ever plan on going back. I've actually increased my game library by 7 since PSN has been down. Sony doesn't have to worry about me going anywhere.

Destructiod has an article that says the devs are able to use PSN now to test their games. Who nows if it's really true but it could be a good sign that Sony is getting there. Here is the link: http://www.destructoid.com/playstation-network-apparently-online-for-developers-201073.phtml

Anyways you can sign my name to the letter too Ben. Thanks for another great article.

Jawknee
Jawknee
12 years ago

Cool avatar Aura7541.

Aura7541
Aura7541
12 years ago

Thanks. The avatar is Isaac from an RPG series called Golden Sun. It's one of my favorite RPGs thanks to its storyline and turn-based battle system.

Naztycuts
Naztycuts
12 years ago

This should be read aloud at their next board meeting.

OxyFenix
OxyFenix
12 years ago

"Common Sense Gamers" I like that.

Dancemachine55
Dancemachine55
12 years ago

Ben, that was far more mature and a far better letter than the example given on IGN. I know the IGN sample was meant to be comical, but it was a little insulting at times too.

In terms of customer relations, take your time Sony, the people have enough single player games to keep them happy. Portal 2 players mostly got the game on PC, since Valve specialises in PC and the game is therefore optimal for PC play.

Mortal Kombat and Brink are the only 2 big games truly affected by this down-time. Companies that rely on the network for microtransactions or online purchases are having it far worse than any customer right now, so my sympathy goes out to them. I hope PSN comes back soon more for developers' sake than customers. They're the ones losing money over this. If anything, PSN users are saving money from having nothing to buy from. (Except SOE players who paid for this down time subscription, but they will be compensated)

Once PSN is back up and running, and games like Uncharted 3, Twisted Metal and Resistence 3 are released, we'll see a flood of people who traded their PS3's come flooding back. A good service is nothing without premium content to support it, and I guess Limbo was all Live had, hence the incredible amount of attention it got.


Last edited by Dancemachine55 on 5/13/2011 10:02:51 PM

BIGRED15
BIGRED15
12 years ago

I'd sign… i think that speaks for all of us quite effectively. Are you actually sending this to sony?

Dreno
Dreno
12 years ago

Very well written and thought out letter ben.

Id like to add my self to the common sense gamer.

[email protected]/dreno138 on psn

dkmrules
dkmrules
12 years ago

not with that avatar lol

Claire C
Claire C
12 years ago

Clowns scare me. Even one with common sense..

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
12 years ago

Well done Ben, I hope you sent it to them too.

I was thinking about this today and have concluded that the main reason this has been such a fiasco is that the service is down and people love the service.

When other sites or services like Facebook or amazon get hacked they can easily pop back up, but an intricate system like PSN has a lot more contingencies to plan for and security measures to get in place as the investigation reveals all the problems.

So I think it's clear that us gamers just want something great back and some are just better at patience than others.

bigrailer19
bigrailer19
12 years ago

I agree, I hope Sony gets a good look at this. Might mean something in this big world!

frylock25
frylock25
12 years ago

when i logged in to my rewards account it had me as a playstation fan since jan of 2004. that is just how long my email was connected to them. either way, it was long before that.

i have faith that the network will come back and be better. i truly hope that they are makin some improvements along the way. maybe beyond just security. i know its a lot to ask but it would draw people back. "new improved psn". can dream right?

honestly i would be happy if it was the exact same only stronger protected.

i am starting to doubt that anyone will ever get caught in all of this. these guys seem to be able to get into all these secure places without a trace. how is this possible? how can not one damn company or government not track these guys down? im sorry but has anyone ever seen "catch me if you can"? someone has to find some kind of insider or something. they have tricks that are to good. rewards for REAL INFO THAT LEADS TO ARRESTS. people will turn in friends if they think they will get money out of it.

we will be hitting the one month mark soon. some major games are coming out or have just come out. this is really messing with the community in a bad way. mag had an unstable population before all this. i hope it doesnt suffer to bad. socom 4 and portal 2 never even got their chance yet and infamous 2 is ready to zap us in the face.

Clamedeus
Clamedeus
12 years ago

I had an account for PS Underground, but I lost my info for it.. back then.


Last edited by Clamedeus on 5/13/2011 11:41:52 PM

BikerSaint
BikerSaint
12 years ago

I was an old PSU member too.

Damn, I miss getting those PSU CD magazines in the mail every 3 months, that held dual discs with playable demos & all other kinds of informational goodies in them.

(Ahh, the good old days, but at least I still have all of mine sitting in my PS1 collection)

Clamedeus
Clamedeus
12 years ago

haha, Indeed it was good times. I don't even know what happened to all the discs I got in the mail. :/ I loved playing them though.

cve312
cve312
12 years ago

Amen!!!

bigrailer19
bigrailer19
12 years ago

Thank you Ben for the article I've been waiting to read. I mean that in a way that this article reaches out to Sony, and to the consumers. Not just an ill advised article, trying to get people to rally with pitchforks against Sony.

I have complete faith the Network will come back soon, and be better than before. I believe we will have better security and a better overall community. I can't say for certain but I hope its like this never happened when I log back on!

I'm ready to play some Socom 4!


Last edited by bigrailer19 on 5/13/2011 10:24:27 PM

SoulController
SoulController
12 years ago

Very well said Ben. Positivity over negative always.

kraygen
kraygen
12 years ago

Well said, I know there are some who are frustrated that it's still down, but in all likely hood they just miss it and wish it was here.

Which I think we all are anxious and sometimes our emotions run wild, but take your time Sony, I'll take quality over speed any day.

TheHighlander
TheHighlander
12 years ago

Indeed, well said. I would add my name to such a letter.

Everyone please remember that when PSN first launched Sony was taking a huge risk, because they were launching a new service, and it was important to get it right. However, compared to that time, rebuilding and relaunching PSN now, after the attack and extended downtime puts Sony in a position that is infinitely more difficult than the one they faced when launching PSN. Any wrong move, mis-step or failure during the re-launch will be met with gleeful criticism from many sources. The costs to Sony and PSN of getting the relaunch wrong are so much higher than they ever were when PSN was brand new. When it was brand new, people almost expected some initial foul ups, because it was so new.

Now though, with gamer patience worn thin over the weeks, re-starting PSN has to be done right the first time. Don't underestimate how difficult that task is.

MyWorstNightmar
MyWorstNightmar
12 years ago

You are right. Could you even imagine what would happen if they go live with the PSN, and it gets hacked again??

**shudder**

Beamboom
Beamboom
12 years ago

I understand that you mean "hacked immediately" after going live, but I just would like to say that it is safe to assume that they will get hacked again, *sometime*.

However, now that they are better prepared chances are good that they will be back up again within hours, not weeks, and that no vital data were stolen or damaged.
That will mean that it doesn't *matter* so much if some kid get to sneak himself behind one of many perimeters.
That is the real difference between a good, secure system and a poor one.

But despite my opinions about how things seemed to have been in the past: I am 100% sure that the PSN we eventually will return to will be a *lot* better than the one we left behind, run by a company who has learnt, and that we can continue to trust.


Last edited by Beamboom on 5/14/2011 2:30:33 AM

Clamedeus
Clamedeus
12 years ago

I agree with both Highlander and Beamboom.

Fane1024
Fane1024
12 years ago

Even a relatively minor problem would be bad. Imagine the s*** storm if trophies didn't sync right (which thankfully it appears has NOT happened).


Last edited by Fane1024 on 5/15/2011 1:09:06 AM

La_Bete12
La_Bete12
12 years ago

Amen. GO SONY! 🙂

TheHighlander
TheHighlander
12 years ago

*sigh*

I really hope Sony gets PSN back up to some extent by Monday. If not, then as promised, I'll have to dig out my kilt and prepare to say; "Oops, my expectation that Sony would be able to restore some of PSN by the end of the week, was wrong. "

Oh nos! I'm sure that the sky will fall, and the potential of a highlander wearing the kilt traditionally will cause the foundations of the world to shake. Alternately, life will go on, and we'll all have a good laugh.

😉


Last edited by TheHighlander on 5/13/2011 10:52:46 PM

bigrailer19
bigrailer19
12 years ago

Ha, I remember this talk from a few days ago. I myself have been under scrutiny from my friends. Apparently I'm the guy to go to when they need to know things on the subject. I kept saying this week! this week! ha, o-well.

TheHighlander
TheHighlander
12 years ago

Have fun with this song (You Tube video linked). My wife had this song played at our wedding reception, and yes I wore a kilt, and yes, I was very traditionally Scottish in my manner of wearing the kilt… ::shock!::

I'll just say two things about the video, it's not mine, and I'm not in any of the pictures in it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJB1u1ZFzrk&feature=related

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