[Update] Sony has reportedly restored some of the suspended PlayStation Network accounts since. However, many PlayStation Network users are still complaining about unfair account suspensions and the absence of an official statement from the company.
PlayStation Networks (PSN) accounts of many unsuspecting users have been suspended by the company out of the blue. According to multiple posts on Reddit, and Sony PlayStation Facebook and Instagram handles, several users reported on Monday that their PSN accounts have been suspended. These posts have also been spotted on the popular gaming forum ResetEra, and more as reported by The Verge. This comes as a rude shock for many users as the PlayStation Network is where gamers purchase digital PlayStation games and other online gaming assets. Since the company has permanently suspended these accounts, users will no longer have access to the games they purchased online.
Sony PlayStation Network Accounts Being Suspended By The Company
Without any notice, @PlayStation / @AskPlayStation permanently banned me from the #PlayStation Network. No one knows why! I don’t have a chargeback, I can’t appeal & no response to suspension status. CS says to create a new account & disconnected me.#sony #psn #gaming #ps5 pic.twitter.com/YdoeHM76Iv
— Michael Dhaliwal (@michaeldhaliwal) December 4, 2023
The unusual suspension of the PlayStation Network accounts is even more serious for those who have purchased the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition. Since the digital edition of the best-selling PlayStation console relies solely on the PSN account, many users are reporting that they are unable to use their PlayStation 5.
Users have reported that upon contacting PlayStation customer service, they were told that the accounts were suspended because they violated the Terms of Service and Users Agreement. However, the brand didn’t clarify which term or service agreement was breached by users. Instead, the company is asking users to create a new PSN account, which doesn’t help as migrating purchased content from one account to another is not possible.
Here for any updates, I’ve had the same thing happen with almost the exact same response from @PlayStation pic.twitter.com/T89zJ74pRW
— RobB (@vball_guy) December 5, 2023
Sony has not addressed the issue publicly yet. There are no official posts on the official PlayStation products and services webpage addressing this issue. This is the page where Sony posts notices about the termination of any service integration and other crucial announcements. Therefore, this permanent suspension of the users’ account comes as a surprise for many.
According to the Suspensions on PlayStation Network webpage on the official website, “When you create an account for PlayStation™Network (PSN), you agree to obey the PlayStation Network Terms of Service, which includes the Community Code of Conduct. If you breach these terms we may temporarily or permanently suspend your account. For the most serious breaches, we may suspend your PlayStation console from accessing the PlayStation Network.”
The same page also says that users who have received permanent suspension can appeal to lift the suspension. Sony says that users who had their account suspended due to a breach of the code of conduct can appeal. However, the suspension should be within 6 months and there should not be any previous appeal on the same account. Here’s how to appeal.
- Go to the Suspension Appeal page.
- Enter your PSN online ID.
- Enter your Sign-In ID.
- Follow the instructions.
