PlayStation Store down in mainland China in response to security issues

It’s a tough day for PlayStation fans in mainland China. The PlayStation Store is currently down in the region over alleged security issues, and the official Chinese PlayStation Weibo account has stated the store is down for a security upgrade.

The PlayStation Store went offline early this morning and there is currently no estimated time or date on when it will return. It is assumed the store will go live once the security services are resolved, but it is unclear how long this will take.

Industry analyst Daniel Ahmad explained the situation in a series of tweets and provided more information on the possible security threats.

“The PlayStation Store (PSN) has been temporarily suspended in Mainland China from 7am on May 10,” Ahmad said. “The only reasoning I’m posting this, and I kid you not, is because an Xbox fanboy claimed on Weibo that they reported to authorities about certain back door elements that are easily accessible to switch to overseas services.”

The PlayStation Store was taken down after the alleged report of an easy way to access oversea services, so it’s possible the service was taken down to investigate the issue.

Ahmad also explained in another response that only approved games are available on the PlayStation Store, so it is unlikely that the security update is a cover for Chinese authorities searching for games that threaten their policies.

There is no confirmation that the PlayStation Store has been compromised and official channels will likely release more information soon.