PlayStation Store has been suspended indefinitely in mainland China
Sony's PlayStation Store has been temporarily suspended in mainland China following alleged security issues.
The PlayStation Store was taken offline in the region earlier this morning, but so far there is no official word on when we might see its return.
According to the Chinese PlayStation Weibo account, the online store was taken down for a security upgrade. However, industry analyst Daniel Ahmad has taken to Twitter with further information.
"The PlayStation Store - PSN - has been temporarily suspended in Mainland China from 7 am on May 10. No time or date given for resumption of services," Ahmad writes in a tweet. "The official reason given is to carry out security upgrades. But it is unclear what this means exactly.
"The only reason I'm posting is this, and I kid you not, is because an Xbox fanboy claimed on [Twitter-like micro-blogging site for China, Weibo] that they reported to authorities about certain back door elements that are easily accessible to switch to overseas services," Ahmad continues. "Was taken down right after. So let's see what happens."
"The PlayStation Store (PSN) has been temporarily suspended in Mainland China from 7am on May 10,” writes Ahmad. “The only reasoning I’m posting this, and I kid you not, is because an Xbox fanboy claimed on Weibo that they reported to authorities about certain back door elements that are easily accessible to switch to overseas services."
In a follow-up tweet, Ahmad adds that only approved games are available on mainland China's PlayStation Store, which means it is unlikely that the security update is a cover for the country's govenment to search for games that threaten its policies.
"The China store only has officially approved games," he writes. "If anything it's to investigate possible back doors for overseas PSN services."
So far there is no actual evidence that the store has been compromised, but we'll update you with more as it comes.