PSN outage: Who is entitled to free PS Plus compensation and how to check if you have it?

Sony is comping PS Plus members five days of free access after a major PlayStation Network (PSN) outage over the weekend left players unable to game or stream for 24 hours. Sony hasn’t given an exact date for when the five-day extension will take effect, but it should be added automatically before your next billing cycle. Here’s everything you need to know about the outage, the compensation being offered, and how to check if you’ve received it.

While the PlayStation Network outage was widespread, affecting both PlayStation Plus members and non-subscribers alike, it appears only existing PS Plus customers will receive the five-day credit. This includes members on all tiers (Essential, Extra, and Premium) and on weekly or annual membership plans. There’s no need to take action, as the five extra days will be automatically added to your subscription. Although Sony hasn’t provided a specific timeline, the credit should be reflected in your account settings by your next billing cycle.

To confirm the extra days have been added, follow the steps below based on the platform you’re using:. Sony's PlayStation Network suffered an extensive global outage from the early hours of Friday to Saturday, stretching past 24 hours and marking one of the longest unplanned downtimes for a major gaming service in recent memory. With players unable to get online, they missed out on key gaming events and promotions, including the Monster Hunter Wilds beta, Call of Duty’s Double XP Weekend on Black Ops 6, and Destiny 2’s 48-hour Contest Mode, among others.

The global blackout also kept players locked out of their accounts and unable to interact with friends. Despite the service coming back online, Sony has remained tight-lipped on the cause and how it was fixed. For now, all the company has said is that the outage was caused by an “operational issue”. The lack of transparency has sparked speculation, with some users questioning whether a hack could be responsible. While PlayStation did previously suffer a breach in 2011, which kept PSN down for a record 23 days and exposed the personal data of 77 million users, Sony has not confirmed the possibility of hacking in the latest outage.

The reaction to Sony’s response has been largely mixed. Many players feel the five-day extension isn’t enough, with some demanding a month’s access or a free game instead. Non-PS Plus members are especially upset, as they were unable to play games or access digital content during the outage, leading to frustration over the lack of compensation for them. Beyond the issue of compensation, some players are more focused on Sony’s communication during the outage.