PlayStation Store Back Online, Welcome Back Package Not Yet Live

It looks as though the PlayStation Network is finally up and running at full capacity today, as Sony has announced via the PlayStation blog that the PlayStation Store is now available.

On Tuesday, Sony promised that the PSN would be fully restored by the end of the week. Yesterday, the PSN was down for a bit for the massive update that unveiled today. Users yesterday were unable to log in for several hours as Sony prepared for today’s big re-launch and the final piece of the “full restoration” puzzle that was promised by the end of May. Sony was pretty close to hitting their mark.

From the PS blog:

The PlayStation Store is back online and thank you everyone for your patience. You will notice a huge lineup of new downloadable games, demos, add-on content, themes, avatars and videos. Also, PlayStation Plus has been updated with new full game trials, free games and DLC, free avatars and even more discounts.

You may have noticed that the content promised as part of the Welcome Back offer is not yet live. It is currently in the final stages of testing and will be available to download soon; we’ll be sure to let you know when.

The “Welcome Back offer” is Sony’s apology to customers, an appreciation program that when live, will offer users free PS3 and PSP games, free movie rentals, trial memberships to PlayStation Plus and free virtual items available on PlayStation Home.

It has been an incredibly tough stretch for Sony in the past month and a half. With the restoration of the PlayStation Store, everything is now back up and running. After the initial shutdown that lasted multiple weeks, Sony first restored online multiplayer on May 16th.

While today is a pretty good day for Sony, having fully restored their embattled PlayStation Network, we’ll have to wait and see how hackers respond. Sony is still a popular target. The hacker group responsible for the weekend hack of the PBS website, LulzSec, has begun what they call #Sownage. They said yesterday that they were “making off with a bunch of [their] internal stuff.” They have also said that it is the “beginning of the end” for Sony.

Just a couple of hours ago, the group posted these two tweets:

@LulzSec
The Lulz BoatWe’re currently grouping together the things we’ve taken from @Sony and are arranging them in a way that everyone will easily understand. 5 hours ago via web · powered by @socialditto

@LulzSec
The Lulz BoatEverything we have will be published in multiple ways to ensure maximum embarrassment and exposure for @Sony and their security flaws. 4 hours ago via web · powered by @socialditto

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There are 14 Comments. Add Yours.

Aaron Small
June 2, 2011 at 11:53 am

Microsoft Employess in disguise
Bryan Denton
June 2, 2011 at 12:22 pm

Do you have any idea on how long the final touches will take on the “Welcome Back” package? Is it looking like days? A week? Any clue?
Thanks!
TO
June 2, 2011 at 12:28 pm

i apologize for windows vista and sony network being down it wasn’t what we thought it was
TV Watcher
June 3, 2011 at 2:38 am

Some users have reported PSN on June 2 that they could not log into PSN with any PlayStation 3 or the PSP. During the entrance of return errors “8071D36″. Analysts suggest that this is due to increased load on the server’s PlayStation Network in the early days of the return service.
- Keith1074
  June 3, 2011 at 8:00 am
  
  Relax Spider!!
Alex
June 3, 2011 at 3:21 am

Why cant I find angry birds on playstation store ??? For ps3 Or psp
Keith1074
June 3, 2011 at 7:59 am

Lulzsec, We as Playstion users dont care that you people are “looking out” for us, Your not, Your idiots who have nothing better to do, I have been playing online for 6 years now and not once did I think to myself Geez I hope some douche bag group of people decide to get even with sony for providing us with free play online, Sony you guys are Jerks for giving us something for free. Now really, Sit there and think about why you people would want to take something away from 70 million people who have no issues with Sony or your group of children who got mistreated their whole lives and baby sat by a computer because your parents saw losers in the making. Now for your silly little club you call the Lulz Boat. More like Mister Rogers Neighborhood you should call yourselves. Hack this dick heads.Nobody cares what reason you had for doing it, Why dont we get a group of sony ps3 online players in a room with the lot of you and see how much we liked it. Well Anywways Sony thanks for coming back stronger, I would personally love to beat the tar out of some little geek on the other end of a computer, No Balls is what that is!! Good day people
- tyler
  June 3, 2011 at 10:41 am
  
  Hell yeah haha
Jim
June 3, 2011 at 11:21 am

I cannot find Angry Birds at the playstation store. Is it coming back?
KidGuitar
June 3, 2011 at 12:58 pm

I agree with “Keith1074″

I would LOVE to get these no-penis little turd’s in a room alone for 1 minute. The only damage these worthless punks can do is with a computer, so scared to go out in public that their skin doesn’t even have any pigment….the sun being 93 million miles away could kick their little ass’s!!! NOTHING BUT spineless, gutless turds!!!
P
June 3, 2011 at 1:51 pm

BULL, i picked my 2 free games and guess what happened……..NOTHING

Ive been trying to get ahold of customer service, and they put me on hold for 2 minutes then hang up. Im about to buy a freakin XBOX. I sold my box for the ps3, now they do this.

Welcome back package doesnt work
- ryman
  June 3, 2011 at 7:22 pm
  
  same happened here i clicked on the package but it froze and then came out of ps store so i went to try again and the package wasnt there so im ganna have to phone them up and waste all my creddit
kevin
June 4, 2011 at 2:35 pm

“Welcome Back” package why is it everytime a click on it a message ERROR 80710D36 appears any ideas anyone
Angry One
July 9, 2011 at 9:56 am

Yea, “Welcome Back”, and sh*t, but these dic*s didn’t even say that it will exist only 30 days. Bunch of asshol*s!!