Sony PSN misses restoration deadline, SOE games still down due to a third attack? [Updated]

PlayStation Network is down
Update: Sony spokesman Patrick Seybold told VentureBeat that the news circulating that PSN and SOE might not return until May 31 is falsely informed. He said that such reports stem from an inaccurate Bloomberg report posted over the weekend. "There is no accuracy to that report," Seybold told VentureBeat. "We're focused on ensuring the security of the network before bringing the services back online."

And yes, SOE massively multiplayer games and Facebook games are still down, too. Mashable reports that Sony's PlayStation Network missed its promised restoration deadline, within a week of an announcement made eight days ago. Sony shut down both its PSN network in response to an intrusion made on about April 20, and later SOE followed as a result of another intrusion. During the invasion, over 100 million players' account information has been reported stolen along with possibly 2.2 million credit card numbers. However, Gamesindustry.biz reports that the network might not come back until May 31, and the extended shut down time could be thanks to a third attack made over the weekend.

Could it honestly get worse? According to a 10-year-old Sony-affiliated sweepstakes website found and exploited by hackers on May 7, yes, it just might, Reuters reports. Hackers have posted 2,500 contestants' names and addresses from this websites archives, but Sony assured Reuters that no credit card numbers, passwords or social security numbers were stolen. And shortly after Sony indirectly blamed the hacktivist group Anonymous for the PSN intrusion, two members of the group came forward and suggested that the group was likely involved.

"If you say you are Anonymous, and do something as Anonymous, then Anonymous did it," said 'Kayla' to the Financial Times. "Just because the rest of Anonymous might not agree with it, doesn't mean Anonymous didn't do it." However, Anonymous has officially denied involvement in a press release. Sony has already offered a "Welcome Back" program to US customers, and the details surrounding its European counterpart have just released. Until both services come back by hopefully no later than the end of this month, I guess we'll have to dream about enjoying these reunion gifts online.

[Image Credit: WCG News]

How have you coped with being without PSN or SOE games for the past few weeks? How do you think Sony will recover from this?