With online gaming and video services coming under huge pressure amid the pressing need to stay at home, we’re already seeing some buckle under the pressure.
Xbox Live, Discord and Switch Online users report issues over the last couple of weeks, while the likes of Netflix, YouTube and Amazon Prime Video have resolved to lower stream quality to guard against ISPs being overwhelmed by the increased demand for bandwidth.
Sony has now revealed its plans in Europe, vowing to ensure gamers can continue to expect a robust multiplayer experience when gaming online with their fellow PlayStation owners.
However, it’s not all good news for PS4 gamers, with Sony saying gamers could be subject to slower and delayed downloads when purchasing games from the digital store. Sony says it is taking the measures to preserve access to the internet for everyone.
In a blog post, the company says: “Sony Interactive Entertainment is working with internet service providers in Europe to manage download traffic to help preserve access for the entire internet community.
“We believe it 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.”
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Of course, not all gamers are getting into the community spirit, with many taking the opportunity to criticise Sony for perceived slower download speeds than the Xbox Live platform. Some were wondering if things get any slower, whether they should have to pay for PlayStation Plus at all. That’s despite PS Plus subscriptions having nothing to do with download speeds of games purchased from the PlayStation Store.
“Damn, there goes downloading a digital version of FFVII Remake on 10th April if there is no sign of my physical copy,” wrote one particularly selfless gamer. Don’t worry, fella. It’ll just take a little bit longer to download.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
