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Developer PlayStation Network Back Online, But Not Without Issues

Still unclear whether Sony will have any pieces of PSN back online by the weekend.

It's baby steps for PlayStation Network, with developer sources informing me the developer version of PSN is online. Whatever steps Sony took to get PSN up and running, however, has broken some pieces.

Right now, developers are unable to register new accounts on PSN, only perform a recovery process on individual accounts. The problem? In order to facilitate testing, developers often created many, many dummy accounts with fake personal information. In order to recover an account, you need to know the personal information entered when the account was created. No surprise: most didn't write that down.

In order to access PSN, developers have been asked to install an updated firmware.

When reached for comment, Sony would not confirm the status of the developer-side PSN.

"We said in this post last week that we've begun internal restoration," said a spokesperson.

As I reported last night, PSN's three week hiatus has directly affected game development at several studios, as some have been unable to engage in active multiplayer testing for nearly a month now. As developers are able to bypass the login screen, shooters have been largely okay; those games connect to servers running independent of PSN. Games that access the friends list do not have the same option.

The continued issues have frustrated developers I've talked, too, while inspiring relief in others.

"I've never been more grateful to only work on single player games," said one developer.

heaton May 13, 2011 at 12:04 p.m.
un-RIP PSN
gingertastic_10on May 13, 2011 at 12:06 p.m.
Man it better come back online soon. I've missed so many online tournaments in Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2012.
ZeForgottenon May 13, 2011 at 12:06 p.m.
Welcome back, PSN
Yummylee is online on May 13, 2011 at 12:09 p.m.
I don't like the look of that cat avatar... he knows something about all of this.
shmappblargon May 13, 2011 at 12:10 p.m.
Huzzah
Hailinel is online on May 13, 2011 at 12:10 p.m.
@ZeForgotten said:
" Welcome back, PSN "
It's too early to say that.  This is the equivalent of keeping PSN in a medically induced coma.
Creamypieson May 13, 2011 at 12:10 p.m.
They really need to hurry the fuck up and bring PSN back online. Three weeks is ridiculous.
Commisar123 is online on May 13, 2011 at 12:11 p.m.
@Hailinel said:
" @ZeForgotten said:
" Welcome back, PSN "
It's too early to say that.  This is the equivalent of keeping PSN in a medically induced coma. "
indeed
Marcsmanon May 13, 2011 at 12:12 p.m.


My positive attitude is waning.

Yeah that cat avatar is definitely up to something.

Winsordon May 13, 2011 at 12:13 p.m.
@Abyssfull said:
" I don't like the look of that cat avatar... he knows something about all of this. "
EgoCheck616on May 13, 2011 at 12:23 p.m.
E3 is going to be HI-larious.
Max_Antraxon May 13, 2011 at 12:23 p.m.
dude psn is back online i dont know what you guys are talking 
AndyPhiferon May 13, 2011 at 12:24 p.m.
I'm so glad I bought an Xbox instead of a PS3. Everything I do these days is multiplayer.
BabyChooChooon May 13, 2011 at 12:25 p.m.
Aren't they essentially building PSN all over again? Again, I'm not giving Sony a 'free pass' or anything, but taking 3 weeks to essentially build an entire online infrastructure all over again doesn't seem that long...
metalsnakezeroon May 13, 2011 at 12:25 p.m.
@Winsord said:
" @Abyssfull said:
" I don't like the look of that cat avatar... he knows something about all of this. "
"
The Cat is part of all of this. Well I'm glad to get updates and accurate info of PSN. Keep working Sony. 
Claudeon May 13, 2011 at 12:27 p.m.
Does this mean shit's still fucked up?
RampageAssassinon May 13, 2011 at 12:28 p.m.
This is one small step for gamers around the world
superscott597on May 13, 2011 at 12:29 p.m.
I got the YLOD again yesterday, so I guess it doesn't matter much for me that PSN is down - at least until L.A. Noire comes out, that is...
Burn1n9m4non May 13, 2011 at 12:30 p.m.
Guys PSN is not back. This is PSN in some persistive vegetative state. Hopefully PSN is fine when it awakens from this coma.
admachinaon May 13, 2011 at 12:33 p.m.
need a bit of patience, a major breakdown like this is clearly going to take time to fix and this is only the first step

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