[joeblow]

While some predicted long-lasting negative effects for PSN support because of the hacking attack that brought the network down this Spring, it appears that the opposite has happened. Just three months later, the PSN is more popular than it has ever been on top of the improved security:

Quote:
The PlayStation Network, Sony's hacker-beleaguered online game-play system, has recovered from its earlier woes and is growing again, Chief Executive Howard Stringer said today.


"I'm pleased to tell you that the PSN is more secure and better than ever," Stringer said at a news conference at the IFA electronics show here. "We are aggressively expanding its content. We have more than 3 million new customers since the network came back online, and sales are exceeding what we had before the cyberattacks."

 

[coneyparleg]

all on the same credit card?

 

[Mikazaru]

My nephew had let his email account (that is linked to his PSN account) expire from inactivity. Since he had not made any purchases from PSN, he just created a new PSN account instead calling up Sony to change his password. Maybe this is the case for others?

 

[Zookster]

I, in effect, became two new customers, by accessing the PSN for the first time with two existing subaccounts during the welcome back program.

 

[TyrantII]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikazaru /forum/post/20893954


My nephew had let his email account that is linked to his PSN account expire from inactivity. Since he had not made any purchases from PSN, he just created a new PSN account instead calling up Sony to change his password. Maybe this is the case for others?

Yup.


Not to mention the fact that many probably lost and forgot the passwords to their "other region" accounts. I know I did, since I just plugged in whatever info.

 

[JukeBox360]

The hack didn't really effect me in any way. I still have access to all my accounts. Nothing changed.

 

[number1laing]

The point here is that nobody stopped using PSN. The hack didn't scare people away from the service.

 

[tgable]

Well they can't all be fake accounts, their sales are up. Most people have no idea you can make fake account or what why, this is a hard core phenomena, limited to a small subset of people.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zookster /forum/post/20894037


I, in effect, became two new customers, by accessing the PSN for the first time with two existing subaccounts during the welcome back program.

Huh? you had the accounts before and after, how did you become "new" customers?

 

[JukeBox360]



Quote:
Originally Posted by number1laing /forum/post/20894477


The point here is that nobody stopped using PSN. The hack didn't scare people away from the service.

Don't see why it would have to begin with.

 

[Cool Face]

I now have 4 new psn accounts. 3 before the attacks (for some unknown reason), and a new one with new CC number. It's worth all the free goodies I got but I'm much more dedicated to the XBL service now

 

[joeblow]

No free "goodies" went to new accounts created after the PSN was restored. Only accounts that already existed got the freebies.


Besides, as was pointed out, sales are up overall on the PSN. New PS3s certainly make up the bulk of the new accounts, and people in general are spending more money over the network than ever before.


Sony 1, Hackers 0.

 

[TyrantII]



Quote:
Originally Posted by number1laing /forum/post/20894477


The point here is that nobody stopped using PSN. The hack didn't scare people away from the service.

Well sure, people are too invested in both time and money to just drop it.


Hell, by the end of the week I'll have close to $1000 poured into console costs alone since 2007.

(Not including games, DLC, accessories, ect.)

 

[confidenceman]

With a free service, you have to wonder how much of that count is inflated. How does that 3m compare to the number of new PS3's sold in that same time period? Now that's a number that might mean something.

Quote:
Originally Posted by number1laing /forum/post/20894477


The point here is that nobody stopped using PSN. The hack didn't scare people away from the service.

Not really. All it did for me was exactly what I thought it would: I don't use my CC for PSN anymore. I buy points separately. And I now do the same for XBLA. And if anyone asks, I suggest they do the same.


And even though it was annoying when my CC info got stolen in the wake of the breach (I know, I know, I can't prove a connection...), it was easy enough to reverse the charges and get a new card. Did I lose trust in Sony to keep my info safe? You bet. Did it stop me from using PSN? Not a chance.

 

[bdoyledimou]



Quote:
Originally Posted by confidenceman /forum/post/20895280


With a free service, you have to wonder how much of that count is inflated. How does that 3m compare to the number of new PS3's sold in that same time period? Now that's a number that might mean something.

It clearly doesn't relate, if it was a positive, they would have announce how many more PS3s they have sold.


I lost 4 accounts when we had to reset due to having 3 ps3s and not knowing which one was the primary created ps3 for each id. I also switched isps three times, so the first accounts were no longer tied to an email address.


probably happened to a lot of people.

 

[confidenceman]



Quote:
Originally Posted by bdoyledimou /forum/post/20901874


It clearly doesn't relate, if it was a positive, they would have announce how many more PS3s they have sold.


I lost 4 accounts when we had to reset due to having 3 ps3s and not knowing which one was the primary created ps3 for each id. I also switched isps three times, so the first accounts were no longer tied to an email address.


probably happened to a lot of people.

Yeah, it's one of the odd things about Sony publicizing this number. Because the service is free and because you can tie multiple accounts to multiple consoles, "3m new accounts" could really mean anything or nothing at all. All it really means is that people are still using PSN. And it's always been a strange thing that Sony's done with PSN account numbers. Even calling them "unique" accounts, they have to know that many people have multiple "unique" accounts.


In addition to corresponding this number to new PS3's sold, it might also be worthwhile to see how PS+ subscriptions have done after the breach (and after the free month).

 

[joeblow]

What part of "sales are exceeding" what they made before is so hard to understand? Even before the attack, people made multiple accounts, so bringing it up now isn't any revelation. Trying to suggest that most of three million new "customers" are simply repeats of old accounts doesn't square up with the fact that they are making more money now than ever before. A lot of that new money comes from new games with new accounts.


It's funny how the conspiracy meme changes when the facts get in the way. At first you had a few gripers around the 'net suggesting that people were leaving the PSN in droves because of the hack, and that the company would be crippled as a result. Now that the opposite is shown to be true in that they have more people on board than before the PSN went down, new excuses are invented out of thin air. Absolutely hilarious.

 

[mgkdragn]



Quote:
Originally Posted by joeblow /forum/post/20902307



It's funny how the conspiracy meme changes when the facts get in the way. At first you had a few gripers around the 'net suggesting that people were leaving the PSN in droves because of the hack, and that the company would be crippled as a result. Now that the opposite is shown to be true in that they have more people on board than before the PSN went down, new excuses are invented out of thin air. Absolutely hilarious.

Exactly .. why Sony in particular suffers from this kind of flack I'll never understand ..


They stepped up to the plate after the hack, addressed the issue with a generous program, the good Karma PR spread and voila, Sony scores a win out of a bad situation .. that's a classic in my book ..

 

[confidenceman]

I have no idea how a (relatively minor) criticism equals "conspiracy." Sony is a multinational corporation. They're in the business of inflating their numbers. Frankly, I'm surprised anyone would take issue with that.


The takeaway from all of this is that PSN is doing just fine post-breach. There's no debate there. Digital revenue is up across the industry. But "new account" numbers on PSN aren't a reliable measure of that.

 

[joeblow]

The idea that millions of old owners logged into their PS3 after the hacked network came back up and created a bunch of new profiles is absurd, period. There are new PS3 owners with new profiles spending new money. The hackers didn't make a significant dent in support for the console at all. Good for Sony, and good for the gamers.

 

[ThumperII]

I created 2 new accounts because Sony could not help me recover the old passwords. In doing research online, this seemed to be common.