Update 1: Xbox is reporting issues with their IGN, Maxim and MLG.tv Xbox One applications. Access to these applications are currently limited. (6:45pm)
Update 2: Incorrect tweet was posted. Tweet corrected. (7:00pm)
Update 3: Xbox 360 service is up and running. (8:27pm)
Update 4: After testing my PlayStation 3 and PS Vita, online services for those platforms are open. Multiplayer and access to the store and apps are a go. (9:20pm)
Update 5: Access to all services on Xbox One, as well as Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1, have been restored. IGN, Maxim, and MLG.tv access still limited. PlayStation Network is still reporting full outages. (9:32pm)
Update 6: Xbox One users are reporting sign-in issues. (10:26pm)
Update 7: Xbox on Windows Devices are also experiencing sign-in issues. (11:12pm)
Update 8: Lizard Squad confirmed that the DDoS attacks on Xbox Live and PSN stopped 2 hours ago, and that current downtime is just the aftermath of the attacks. (11:30pm)
Attacks were stopped around 2 hours ago, the current downtime is just the aftermath.
— Lizard Squad (@LizardMafia) December 26, 2014
Thanks @KimDotcom for the vouchers–you’re the reason we stopped the attacks. @MegaPrivacy is an awesome service. — Lizard Squad (@LizardMafia) December 26, 2014
As for the credit towards Mega’s Kim Dotcom, Dotcom sent this tweet 2 hours ago.
A Christmas Miracle. How @MegaPrivacy saved @Xbox & @PlayStation from the @LizardMafia attack. Enjoy your games! :-) pic.twitter.com/qoaZ33eqCi
— Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) December 26, 2014
Things should be returning to normal soon. Update 9: Ask PlayStation just tweeted out the following (2:56am 12/26/14):
Our engineers are continuing to work hard to resolve the network issues users have experienced today. Thanks for your continued patience! — Ask PlayStation (@AskPlayStation) December 26, 2014
Update 10: Xbox Live services, with the exception of IGN, Maxim and MLG.TV are fully operational. PlayStation Network is still offline for PS4 users. (6:58am 12/26/14) Original story below: ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— It’s sure to be a Merry Christmas for some gamers, as both PlayStation Network and Xbox Live (it’s main console counterparts, as well as Xbox on Windows and Windows Phone 8.1) are down, with users unable to login to either service. The notorious hacker group Lizard Squad — responsible for late November attacks on the services — has claimed responsibility for the Christmas Day attack on the two major gaming companies.
Xbox Live #offline — Lizard Squad (@LizardMafia) December 25, 2014
PSN #offline — Lizard Squad (@LizardMafia) December 25, 2014
No matter the cause, the timing, as mutually noted by several sources, is horrendous, as several people have received one or both consoles, or even a Microsoft Lumia or the recently released HTC One (M8) for Windows from AT&T, for Christmas. In the mean time, Sony and Microsoft have acknowledged the issue and are working vigorously to remedy the situation.
We’re aware that some users are having issues logging into PSN – engineers are investigating — PlayStation (@PlayStation) December 25, 2014
We’re aware users are having issues logging into XBL & are actively working to resolve. Please visit http://t.co/99xfLNN0o8 for updates ^JX — Xbox Support (1-5) (@XboxSupport) December 25, 2014
As this is a developing story, we will continue to monitor the situation and will update this post with any known information.
Update 11: Ask PlayStation tweeted at 5:10PM today that Sony is still working on the issue. Still no ETA on when this will be resolved.
Update: We are working to restore full network services for all platforms – thanks, as always, for your patience!
— Ask PlayStation (@AskPlayStation) December 26, 2014
Xbox Live services are mostly up – http://support.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-live-status
Update 12: Ask PlayStation tweeted this morning that the PSN services are slowly being restored and at the time of this update, the PlayStation blog has mentioned that PSN is fully restored.
Update: PlayStation Network access is being restored: http://t.co/2hJvJ1Ll8U
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) December 28, 2014
That all said it’s been about 3 days without PSN access, especially if you were trying to access the PlayStation 4 portion of the service. There has been no update from Sony on if they’ll reimburse PSN subscribers or not due to the outage.