This week, PlayStation Network users in the US and Europe have reduced download speed, thanks to Sony slowing it down. Given that people are self-isolating and utilizing the internet more, the change makes sense. Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO Jim Ryan announced this change on Tuesday, along with an additional statement.
Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Statement
Jim Ryan, when announcing the change, said that he and Sony believe “… is important to do our part to address internet stability concerns as an unprecedented number of people are practicing social distancing and are becoming more reliant on internet access.”
His statement had the implication that the bandwidth used for online multiplayer and parties would be unaffected. One of the features that went unaffected is the PlayStation Store. The changes to the network would originally be exclusive to Europe.
Going further, he continued, “Players may experience somewhat slower or delayed game downloads but will still enjoy robust gameplay. We appreciate the support and understanding from our community, and their doing their part, as we take these measures in an effort to preserve access for everyone.”
Next, The United States’ Turn
Yesterday, Sony announced its plans to do the same download speed changes to the United States. Their statement is as follows:
“Beginning today, we will take similar measures in the United States, and we will continue to take appropriate action to do our part to help ensure internet stability as this unprecedented situation continues to evolve. We are grateful for the role we play in helping deliver a sense of community and entertainment in these very trying times. Thank you again for your support, your patience, and for being part of the PlayStation community. Please stay home and stay safe.”
Sony’s actions involving the download speeds of countries follow similar decisions by other streaming platforms. These platforms, being Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, Amazon, and Apple, intend to lower the amount of strain Europe’s network infrastructure has to deal with.
What do you think about Sony’s decision to reduce PlayStation Network download speeds? Do you think it’s enough of a reduction? Or should it be a more significant decrease? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
If you liked this coverage, be sure to read Sweden’s opinion of the gaming industry here.
