Update - July 19 12:30pm PST: The PSN service tracker now reports that "all services are up and running."
Original story:
PlayStation Network (PSN) servers are down today, July 19, as the new cat game Stray is presumably causing an influx of folks eager to step into the paws of an adventurous orange tabby. according to both player reports, PS5 error codes, and Sony's official sources.
At the time of writing, the PSN service status tracker says "some services are experience issues," so it's important to note that there are some components of the PSN that are still in working order. Also, for what it's worth, we experienced no issues downloading games from PlayStation Plus and the PlayStation Store here on the US West Coast.
Still, PlayStation says a network outage will prevent some players from accessing parts of the PlayStation Store, account management, and "gaming and social" features more broadly. As it stands right now, Sony hasn't offered any timetable for when these services could come back, and the issue seems to have been affecting players for at least a couple of hours.
As we've yet to hear any official word from Sony on a resolution timeline, all we have to go on is speculation surrounding the nature of the outage. And again, its timing coinciding with the release of the acclaimed Stray is likely no coincidence.
Thankfully, Sony is definitely aware of the issues and is most likely working on the necessary repairs right this very moment, so with any luck things will be back online without any steps required from you.
If you're still trying to get your hands on Sony's ever-elusive new console (our condolences), be sure to keep up with our guide to PS5 restock updates to stay in the know.
