Do you currently own a Sony PlayStation console? Have you ever used the PlayStat
ID: 3603116 • Letter: D
Question
Do you currently own a Sony PlayStation console? Have you ever used the PlayStation Network or Qriocity service account? Explain, briefly, how it is set up and used. How important is the online PlayStation Network to an avid video gamer? Have you ever experienced a situation regarding identity theft or identity fraud? Briefly explain what happened. In what situations are you comfortable providing your personal or financial information? Upon learning that the personal or financial information you had previously provided to a company had been compromised, what measures would you expect that company to take? Would you continue to use an organization’s products or services if it failed to protect your personal information or the personal information of others? Explain why. What are the implications of the PlayStation Network and Qriocity service blackout on Sony’s brand and reputation?
Explanation / Answer
Launched in the year 2000, Sony's second home console, the PlayStation 2, had rudimentary online features in select games via its online network. It required a network adaptor, which was available as an add-on for original models and integrated into the hardware on slimline models. However, Sony provided no unified service for the system, so support for network features was specific to each game and third-party server, and there was no interoperability of cross-game presence. Five years later during the development stage for its third home console, the PlayStation 3, Sony expressed their intent to build upon the functionality of its predecessor by creating a new interconnected service that keeps users constantly in touch with a "PlayStation World" network.[3] In March 2006, Sony officially introduced its unified online service, tentatively named "PlayStation Network Platform".[4] A list of supporting features was announced at the Tokyo Game Show later the same year.[5]
Sony launched an optional premium subscription service on top of the free PSN service in June 2010. Known as PlayStation Plus, the system provides access to exclusive content, complimentary games, regular store discounts, and early access to forthcoming games.
Following a security intrusion, the PlayStation Network had a temporary suspension of operation which began on April 20, 2011 and affected 77 million registered accounts.[6] Lasting 23 days, this outage was the longest amount of time the PSN had been offline since its inception in 2006.[7] Sony reported that user data had been obtained during the intrusion.[8] In June 2011, Sony launched a "Welcome Back" program following the outage, allowing all PSN subscribers who joined prior to April 20 to download two free PlayStation 3 titles and two free PlayStation Portable games. Users also received 30 free days of PlayStation Plus, while users who were already subscribed before the outage got 60 free days.[9] After the disruption, Sony changed the PlayStation Network's license agreement to legally bar users from filing lawsuits and joining class action lawsuits without first trying to resolve issues with an arbitrator.[10]
In July 2012, Sony Computer Entertainment announced that they had acquired video game streaming service Gaikai for $380 million. The acquisition was later strengthened when Sony acquired the assets of Gaikai's market rival OnLive. At the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2014, Sony announced that Gaikai's technology would be used to power PlayStation Now; a new cloud-based gaming service that allows people to play PlayStation games on a variety of devices. During 2014, Sony rolled out the service in North America on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 in beta form as a means for users to test performance and pricing structures.[11]
On December 25, 2014, PlayStation Network and Xbox Live suffered network disruption after a denial-of-service attack.[12] Both services were flooded with millions of inauthentic connection requests, making it hard for genuine users to establish a connection. Functionality was restored on December 26, with some users experiencing difficulties in the days that followed.[13] On January 1, 2015, Sony announced that users would be compensated for the downtime with a 5-day extension to PlayStation Plus memberships.[14]
Formerly the gaming provision of the much broader Sony Entertainment Network, the PlayStation Network became Sony's premier entertainment service in 2015, unifying games, music, television and video. While synonymous with gaming, Sony said the PlayStation Network had evolved to become a "comprehensive digital entertainment brand".[15]
Network chart[edit]
Further information: List of PlayStation applications
The PlayStation Network is available as both a free and subscription-based service, known as PlayStation Plus. A comparison of free and premium services:
^ a Various rental/subscription fees may apply
^ b PlayStation Plus membership required on PlayStation 4 (free-to-play titles exempt)
^ c PlayStation Plus membership required on PlayStation 3
Features[edit]
Services
Software
User information[edit]
Sign up[edit]
Signing up to the PlayStation Network is free. Two types of accounts can be created: Master accounts and Sub accounts.[23] A master account allows full access to all settings, including parental controls. Sub accounts can subsequently be created (e.g. for children) with desired restrictions set by the master account holder.[24] A sub account holder has the option to upgrade their account once they reach 18 years of age.[25] Sony encourage registrants to use a unique email and strong password not associated with other online services.[26][27]
Online ID[edit]
An Online ID is one's username on the PlayStation Network. It can range from 3 to 16 characters in length and consist of letters, numbers, hyphens and underscores. A user's Online ID is central to your PSN profile and is displayed when playing online games and using other network features. It must be unique, inoffensive and cannot be altered.
Profile[edit]
Users have the option to disclose their real name aside their Online ID, add a personal description, exhibit a profile picture or avatar, and list all spoken languages. Profiles also include a summary of a player's Trophy level and recent activity. PlayStation 4 users have the additional option to tie a Facebook account to their PlayStation Network account, and their profile picture will automatically update whenever they change their Facebook picture. Profiles can be viewed via the user interface or online through the PlayStation website.
Trophies[edit]
Trophies are in-game awards presented to players for hitting specific targets or reaching certain milestones (e.g. completing a difficult level or defeating a certain number of enemies). There are four different types of trophy awarded. A bronze, silver, or gold trophy is contingent upon the difficulty of the accomplishment, with each reward contributing to a level system attached to a player's profile. A platinum trophy is awarded to the player once they unlock all other trophies in the base game; smaller sized games, however, generally do not have a platinum trophy. In addition, each trophy is graded by popularity—common, rare, very rare, and ultra rare—based on the percentage of people who have unlocked it. Developers can choose to make various trophies hidden so that its value and description are not revealed until after the user has obtained it.[28]
Portable IDs
A Portable ID is a small infographic intended for use as a forum signature. The graphic showcases a user's trophy level and number of trophies awarded. Each user is able to log into their PSN account using a web browser to access and customize their Portable ID, and are then given a unique URL which they can cut & paste to display their ID elsewhere on the internet.[18] Several third-party websites offer similar graphics (commonly referred to as "trophy cards") as both free and paid services which either update automatically or are updated manually by the user.[29]
PlayStation Plus[edit]
Feature PSN Free PS Plus[16] Additional requirements PlayStation Vita PlayStation 3 PlayStation 4 Auto-updates Yes/No[c] Yes Yes Yes Yes Avatars Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Cloud game saves No Yes Yes Yes Yes Free-to-play games Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Game DVR1 hour Yes Yes No No Yes Instant Game Collection No Yes Yes Yes Yes Live broadcasting
Dailymotion, Niconico, Twitch, Ustream, YouTube Live Yes Yes No No Yes Media sharing
Dailymotion, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, USB flash drive Yes Yes No No Yes Online multi-player Yes/No[b] Yes Yes Yes Yes Remote Play Yes Yes Companion device Yes Yes Yes Share Play No Yes No No Yes Social hub
Communities Yes Yes No No Yes Voice/party chat Yes Yes Yes No Yes Voice messaging Yes Yes Yes No Yes Web browser Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes First-party apps and entertainment services PlayStation App N/A N/A Mobile device N/A N/A N/A PlayStation Messages N/A N/A Mobile device N/A N/A N/A Animax Yes Yes No Yes Yes Crackle Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Live from PlayStation Yes Yes Yes No Yes PlayMemories Yes Yes No Yes Yes PlayStation Music Yes Yes No Yes Yes PlayStation Now[a] Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes PlayStation Video[a] Yes Yes No Yes Yes PlayStation Vue Yes Yes No Yes Yes Share Factory Yes Yes No No Yes The Playroom Yes Yes PlayStation Camera No No Yes UEFA Champions League Yes Yes No No Yes VidZone Yes Yes No Yes Yes A selection of third-party apps and entertainment services (expand) ABC iview Yes Yes No Yes Yes All 4 Yes Yes No Yes Yes Amazon Video[a] Yes Yes No Yes Yes AnimeLab Yes Yes No Yes Yes BBC iPlayer Yes Yes No Yes Yes beIN Sports Yes Yes No Yes Yes Blockbuster[a] Yes Yes No Yes Yes Crunchyroll Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Dish Network Yes Yes No Yes Yes EPIX Yes Yes No Yes Yes Foxtel Play Yes Yes No Yes Yes HBO Go Yes Yes No Yes Yes HBO Now[17] Yes Yes No Yes Yes Hulu Plus Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes MLB.tv[a] Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes NBA Game Time Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Netflix[a] Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes NFL Sunday Ticket Yes Yes No Yes Yes NHL.tv Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Now TV Yes Yes No Yes Yes Plex Yes Yes No Yes Yes Plus7 Yes Yes No Yes Yes Pluto TV Yes Yes No Yes Yes Qello Concerts Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Redbox Instant Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Red Bull TV Yes Yes No Yes Yes SBS on Demand Yes Yes No Yes Yes Spotify Yes Yes No Yes Yes TV from Sky[a]
Sky Go Yes Yes No Yes Yes UFC Fight Pass Yes Yes No No Planned Vudu Yes Yes No Yes Yes WatchESPN Yes Yes No No Yes WWE Network Yes Yes No Yes Yes YouTube Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes YuppTV Yes Yes No Yes Yes
^ a Various rental/subscription fees may apply
^ b PlayStation Plus membership required on PlayStation 4 (free-to-play titles exempt)
^ c PlayStation Plus membership required on PlayStation 3
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