14 DAY TRIAL // The PlayStation Network once more suffered a relatively long downtime period in the middle of January, with Sony unwilling or unable to offer a clear end date for the maintenance work that was being done and some players unable to access the services they were paying for or get into multiplayer games.
At least this time the company was not hacked, as it was during 2011, and the maintenance period finally ended without any long-term problem.
Sony has long claimed that the PlayStation Network was a better service than the rival Xbox Live from Microsoft because it was free for all.
But, somewhat un-intuitively, it seems that gamers, especially those who are focused on multiplayer gaming and on services that deliver media and other content, seem to be more interested in stability, even if it comes with an attached cost.
Microsoft rarely takes Xbox Live down for extended periods and even then, it tries to make sure that multiplayer games are unaffected, which is why blockbuster shooters like Call of Duty tend to sell better on the Xbox 360.
This speaks about how dedicated the multiplayer crowd is and how important solid infrastructure and extensive options are to the next generation of devices from both Sony and Microsoft.
Sony has made a big step forward by adding the Plus option for PSN, which includes free content for those who are willing to play for monthly subscription.
But given the tight-knitted communities created around PC games via Steam and via developer forums, the two console makers might need to step up their game for the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox 720.
That means creating an infrastructure layer that is solid and robust enough to handle distributed maintenance and ideally free on both devices.
Presumably, Sony and Microsoft will each continue to use their own business model, although it would be nice to have a unified system that allows players to make decisions without thinking about money.