Sony Online Entertainment suspended

Following its Sunday apology to its PlayStation Network and Qriocity users, Sony has suspended its Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) service. 

“We have had to take the SOE service down temporarily. 

“In the course of our investigation into the intrusion into our systems we have discovered an issue that warrants enough concern for us to take the service down effective immediately. We will provide an update later today (Monday),” Sony said on its website. 

SOE, which sits beneath Sony Computer Entertainment Inc (SCEI), provides PlayStation, Facebook and PC games such as EverQuest, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes and Free Realms. 

Sony had earlier claimed that SOE, which is headquarted in San Diego, was unaffected by the intrusion on its PlayStation Network.

The company faces a potential class-action law suit over the breach and is under pressure from the US Government to explain its handling of the situation.

In a bid to regain consumer trust, Sony’s head of consumer products Kazuo Hirai yesterday publicly apologised for the massive PlayStation Network breach and reiterated it was moving from its current San Diego-based data centre. 

Parts of Sony's PlayStation Network, which has been down since April 20, are expected to be restored this week. 

SOE was originally jointly owned by Sony Pictures Digital and Sony Computer Entertainment America, but was moved under SCEI’s control in 2008, according to an IGN profile.