PSN Outage Turns Our Attention To More Important Matters
See Full ImageAs some of you know, I have this t-shirt that links Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace to ADHD, Narcissim and Stalking. Most every time I wear it, someone comments on it. This comment is almost always the same: they smile or even laugh and say, "I like your shirt." And yet, it's expected - even inevitable - that this person commonly indulges in the world of virtual social interaction.
And to some extent, I do as well. The point is that despite the electronic invasion into our homes, there is some semblance of basic humanity that continues to scream out from the depths of an oppressed psyche- "Something is wrong, here!" While I will always love video games and I well understand the benefit of various inventions, I have long since been of the opinion that we've overstepped the boundaries of creepiness. What was once considered voyeurism is now embraced as "connections" and what was once deemed blissful solitude has now been condemned as out-of-touch and pathetic.
Today, after being required to stay up-to-date on all the nightmare stories surrounding the broken PlayStation Network, I switched on the SNES in the bedroom. It wasn't an anti-Sony statement; it was an anti-invasion statement. The PSN was invaded and thus, so was I. So were millions. As I sat there, playing Super Mario Kart, I reveled in the simplicity and purity of the experience. It has nothing to do with the game; it was merely the fact that I wasn't "connected." Nobody else could know what I was playing or doing on my SNES unless they were peeking in the window. And certainly, private information doesn't factor in. Anywhere.
When the PSN returns, I'm sure I'll go back on the PlayStation Store and download stuff. But in the meantime, a crazy dream has sprung to life- I want to dedicate one day of the year to being unplugged. In fact, let's make it a national holiday: it's "Unplugged Day," the day where no computer is turned on, no e-mail is checked, no text message is sent, no phone rings, no TV blares, no headphones are worn, and all movie theaters are closed. It's a day where, contrary to recent evidence, humans find themselves capable of conversing face to face. They will sit beneath a tree in the park and have a conversation. They will go to the theater or a museum. They will take a walk.
It isn't about taking preventative measures against the onslaught of inventions that seem hellbent on destroying intrinsic charm and charisma, as prevention is a moot point. It's about reestablishing a sense of security and serenity. With all that we have, those are two ideals that are more difficult to find than ever before in mankind's history. Sony, when the PlayStation Network returns, your world will begin to turn normally again, and I'll be part of it. But you'll forgive me if I step off this crazy carousel to which we've become accustomed, as I will admit to a bout of queasiness now and then. At which time, I'll take a breather on a bench, smell a rose, and read a book.
If we all did that at the same time, the psuedo-human hackers would then spontaneously combust.
Tags: psn, psn outage, simplicity, games industry
4/26/2011 9:18:11 PM Ben Dutka
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Comments (101 posts)
LimitedVertigo
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 1:11:22 AM
3 up, 1 down
arv1102
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 11:00:44 AM
0 up, 0 down
DazeOfWar
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 9:58:08 PM
Reply
6 up, 1 down
gumbi
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 9:16:51 AM
I very much look forward to those few weekends each year when I get to take the family to the lake and disconnect from the rest of the world.
4 up, 0 down
maxpontiac
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 12:21:35 PM
0 up, 0 down
Killa Tequilla
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 10:00:45 PM
Reply
http://us.playstation.com/support/answer/index.htm?a_id=2356
1 up, 0 down
Dancemachine55
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 5:49:39 AM
Poor Sony. They provide quality entertainment, and this is how they are repaid.
I hate hackers. Scum of the Earth. What a waste of intellect and technological talent.
5 up, 1 down
matt99
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 10:02:35 PM
Reply
4 up, 1 down
Beamboom
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 12:53:43 AM
7 up, 0 down
Clamedeus
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 9:50:49 AM
I don't mind stalkers as long as they are pretty women. ;)
4 up, 0 down
Beamboom
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 10:09:30 AM
Last edited by Beamboom on 4/27/2011 10:10:12 AM
2 up, 0 down
Zen_Zarab
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 10:06:48 PM
Reply
Carcassonne
Dominion
Zombies!!! (For the mature crowd)
I own all 3 and they are all unique and fun.
:D
0 up, 0 down
Geobaldi
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 10:18:58 PM
0 up, 0 down
SayWord
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 10:27:12 PM
0 up, 0 down
Looking Glass
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 1:36:18 PM
No he/she didn't. SayWord's avatar is an image borrowed from a popular Japanese Visual Novel series.
Last edited by Looking Glass on 4/27/2011 1:41:29 PM
0 up, 0 down
Jawknee
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 2:58:39 PM
0 up, 0 down
tornado03
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 10:06:56 PM
Reply
0 up, 0 down
BikerSaint
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 2:58:03 AM
But then again, I've never used a credit card for the PSN, maybe I won't get one.
But, still they should be alerting all of us, seeing how everyone had some of their info hacked.
0 up, 0 down
Highlander
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 11:07:21 AM
0 up, 0 down
sha4dowknight05
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 10:13:09 PM
Reply
0 up, 0 down
Deleted User
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 10:13:14 PM
Reply
I'll also play some games on consoles that were made in the days when they were just video game consoles. I'm partial to ColecoVision.
1 up, 0 down
LimitedVertigo
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 10:35:26 PM
4 up, 3 down
maxpontiac
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 12:22:40 PM
I miss the PS3fanboy days.
0 up, 0 down
Looking Glass
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 1:54:59 PM
And does anyone other than myself get the impression that this website strangely enough seems to have more Sony supporters and/or Playstation fans than Sony's actual official blog?
Why is that?
0 up, 0 down
SayWord
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 10:13:40 PM
Reply
0 up, 0 down
BIGRED15
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 10:16:01 PM
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its saying that sony is too far in debt to continue trying to fix this so they're done, no more psn... ever... DUDE THIS BLOWS and ben if you know anything to disprove this let us know because this is an absolute disaster!
0 up, 6 down
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 12:56:00 AM
4 up, 0 down
aaronisbla
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 5:17:25 AM
7 up, 1 down
___________
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 5:54:06 AM
$only are making a bomb off the PSN as if there going to get rid of it!
Plus without PSN thebps3 would sink faster then the titanic!
...... I know, I know, IT'S A EXPRESSION!
0 up, 5 down
Arvis
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 8:12:58 AM
I'm more panicked about the Bat Child they found in a cave miles below the surface of the earth! Scientists say it's ears are like radar and it's giant eyes see in the dark!!! O.O
-Arvis
5 up, 0 down
Dustinwp
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 8:36:01 AM
Lol!!! I spit my coffee out laughing at your comment! Good one! :)
Last edited by Dustinwp on 4/27/2011 8:40:26 AM
3 up, 0 down
Arvis
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 10:05:27 AM
-Arvis
1 up, 0 down
ZettaiSeigi
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 10:22:16 PM
Reply
I have a Twitter account mainly to follow people, groups or organizations that I have a particular interest on. Mainly just for news. I don't even follow my friends in Twitter as there is just NO point.
I'm not one that chronicles every minute detail of my boring life in Twitter like a lot of people do. I'm not one that puts funny statements on my Facebook status every single day just to grab attention. As for the stalking part, limiting what can be seen on your profile is a godsend. I still do not trust Facebook much though.
With that said, I am liking your idea of an "Unplugged Day" (although mine would be limited to my Dreamcast and PS2.) I've already been doing that on my PS3, as I've been playing a lot of single player games ever since the PSN went down. When I wasn't playing games, I started to read some of the books I've bought recently. I started reading "Atlas Shrugged" again, even if I've already finished reading it three times. After that I'll be reading Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy. This is going to be so much fun!
1 up, 0 down
Arvis
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 8:15:00 AM
It's fantastic, but certainly the largest novel I've attempted since finishing college. Video games distract me from way too many good books.
-Arvis
0 up, 0 down
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 10:22:11 AM
When you're done, try the other book Dumas is well known for: "The Three Musketeers." :)
0 up, 0 down
Arvis
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 1:16:38 PM
-Arvis
0 up, 0 down
ZettaiSeigi
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 3:10:14 PM
1 up, 0 down
sha4dowknight05
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 10:24:13 PM
Reply
That number is extremely inaccurate.
My guess after my considerations would be:
- people that have multiple account
- people that have sold their ps3 and never access their account anymore
- people who can't access their account since they have a problem such as banned, forgot password, un-fixable ylod(meaning they completely made the system un-fixable by trying themselves and making it worst)
Around 50 million ps3's sold and 69 million psp
119 million systems
that is 119 million of those console that mainly use psn, and the other psn services sony does like Quiercity (typo I KNOW)
I understand meaning each individual account can't access the network, but by people population wise, I would say around 65-70 million people can't get on their PSN accounts.
I'm sure 7 million psn accounts are inactive.
Last edited by sha4dowknight05 on 4/26/2011 10:29:09 PM
1 up, 1 down
Sol
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 10:27:21 PM
Reply
0 up, 0 down
mackid1993
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 10:39:03 PM
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0 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 10:51:57 PM
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But now that I monitor facebook and twitter and the internet all the time I just find that I'm sometimes lost in a huge torrent of unchecked opinions and lost social skills. I even fall victim to the system sometimes and wonder "Why hasn't anyone commented on this post?" But then I remember that in ages past mankind built timeless structures. created beautiful art, composed music, and enlightened humanity all without these things. In fact I have to wonder if the greatest achievements we've made would have been made at all if people then were mired in the pluggin-in society that we have today. Warhol's vision has come true, and it is a frightening one sometimes.
Still though, I have to believe that all the frivolous and fleeting things that come to light in the age of the internet could still give way to modern masterpieces. We just have to find a way to be certain they aren't wiped out when the lights go off.
"The Internet is the first thing that humanity has built that humanity doesn't understand, the largest experiment in anarchy that we have ever had." -Eric Schmidt
Last edited by WorldEndsWithMe on 4/26/2011 10:54:44 PM
5 up, 0 down
frylock25
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 10:52:06 PM
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"I wanted to take this opportunity to clarify a point and answer one of the most frequently asked questions today.
There’s a difference in timing between when we identified there was an intrusion and when we learned of consumers’ data being compromised. We learned there was an intrusion April 19th and subsequently shut the services down. We then brought in outside experts to help us learn how the intrusion occurred and to conduct an investigation to determine the nature and scope of the incident. It was necessary to conduct several days of forensic analysis, and it took our experts until yesterday to understand the scope of the breach. We then shared that information with our consumers and announced it publicly this afternoon"
1 up, 0 down
Looking Glass
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 1:40:54 PM
0 up, 0 down
SnipeySnake
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 10:54:57 PM
Reply
0 up, 0 down
Jawknee
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 11:03:12 PM
0 up, 0 down
Arvis
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 8:19:44 AM
But still, I am monitoring my accounts.
-Arvis
0 up, 0 down
Underdog15
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 8:55:10 AM
0 up, 1 down
Highlander
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 11:10:03 AM
0 up, 0 down
Looking Glass
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 1:48:41 PM
Although personally I did have my debit card info on my PSN account so I called my bank, had them cancel my card, and requested a new one be sent. But this was just a precaution. I found no evidence of fraudulent charges to my bank account. Still, better safe than sorry.
0 up, 0 down
Bloodysilence19
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 10:54:59 PM
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3 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 11:25:00 PM
Reply
"Careless April"
5 up, 0 down
gray_eagle
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 11:27:27 PM
Reply
0 up, 0 down
BIGRED15
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 11:32:22 PM
Reply
0 up, 2 down
Jawknee
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 11:36:35 PM
EDIT: The source is Weekly Word News is it?
Last edited by Jawknee on 4/26/2011 11:40:50 PM
1 up, 0 down
LittleBigMidget
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 11:33:05 PM
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Also, making my way up the challenge tower in Mortal Kombat.
1 up, 2 down
main_event05
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 1:22:27 AM
<Smile/>
4 up, 0 down
Russell Burrows
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 11:42:11 PM
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Twitter, Facebook, etc. are only good for news but then where I live its ZETA land and thus I have grown blase about helping nearby business owners dig out grenade fragments from concrete walls.
0 up, 0 down
BIGRED15
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 11:44:02 PM
Reply
0 up, 0 down
Jawknee
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 11:47:22 PM
Did you read the comments? LOL! They are tearing the author to shreds.
Last edited by Jawknee on 4/26/2011 11:49:29 PM
0 up, 0 down
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 12:57:11 AM
"Two programmers have reportedly died while trying to fix the problem. Their deaths were similar in manner to the way that the children of Korea who live, eat, and play in internet cafés often die whilst playing World of Warcraft."
It's meant to be a joke.
3 up, 0 down
Eld
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 11:47:18 PM
Reply
Last edited by Eld on 4/26/2011 11:47:40 PM
0 up, 0 down
Milonakis
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 11:56:10 PM
Reply
1 up, 0 down
Milonakis
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 11:56:43 PM
4 up, 0 down
Arvis
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 8:22:16 AM
-Arvis
1 up, 0 down
BIGRED15
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 11:57:48 PM
Reply
0 up, 0 down
556pineapple
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 12:16:39 AM
Reply
Speaking of being unplugged, one of my favorite ways to relax, other than gaming, is turning off my computer, turning on my lamp, popping a vinyl record on the turntable and reading for the duration of the album (or often 2 or 3, or even more!) It's perfect solitude. I don't update facebook to tell people what I'm doing. No mp3 play counts, no worrying about a low battery cutting my reading time short. I'm just living in the moment, without worrying about who else knows about it. Unfortunately I haven't had the opportunity to do this in a couple weeks, but I'm very much looking forward to this weekend for this very reason (and I'll be done with finals.)
I was thinking about the entire digital revolution today, and thought to myself that mankind is venturing somewhere we've never been before. All of our society, rules and heritage are based on personal interaction and small scale communities, and within the past 50 years or so, these local communities have become global. Maybe I'm not being optimistic enough, but I don't know how we'll be able to sustain such a change for very long. I'm not sure we know how do deal with it as a society. And what happens in case of a massive-scale disaster? What if an EMP renders all technology useless? How will our pampered society ever get by? Granted, these are worst-case scenarios, but I think we're venturing into unknown territory, and putting too much faith in a very new technology.
0 up, 0 down
Keeng
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 12:56:09 AM
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0 up, 0 down
MysteriousMagus
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 1:55:34 AM
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Finally up to the end before the final fight at Grand Staff doing side quests and getting all my characters ready!
If Hironobu Sakaguchi didn't leave Square. We could have a Gem like this on PS3. T_T
Final Fantasy game were not the same after he left. I guess at least this PSN outage gives me time to play offline even though I rarely use online on PSN. Because I just rather play with friends that I know. haha
0 up, 0 down
kraygen
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 3:37:15 AM
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I love my tech and I really am fond of gaming, movies, tv, gadgets, all that, but pretty soon I'll be moving back to the country and when I do, first thing I'm looking forward to is taking a walk with my dogs in the woods.
I grew up in the middle of nowhere and I can't wait to get back there.
0 up, 0 down
Excelsior1
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 5:03:00 AM
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2 up, 0 down
___________
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 6:00:34 AM
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I use to chat on MSN a few years ago but that died off, I just see it as a waste of time.
I don't get much free time as it is, so I'd rather spend it playing games, or checking up on the news of the day then sitting on Facebook or whatever.
Thats one reason I'm glad PSN is down, every time I log in a friend of mine just sends me 100 messages a second, I keep saying can't talk want to finish this off but he just keeps sending them through.
Come to the point now I only sign in when I want ti download something, but now he's got the sh*tz with me because he thinks I'm ignoring him.
I just don't want to spend 80% of my gaming time replying to his messages!
1 up, 0 down
Killa Tequilla
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 7:53:10 AM
B) Go unavailable?
C) Ignore him?
D) Delete/Block?
Personally I'd go with D.
Last edited by Killa Tequilla on 4/27/2011 7:53:54 AM
0 up, 0 down
___________
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 9:59:29 AM
I just don't understand why people can't pick up the phone and ring.
That's what I tell him just ring me instead that way i can do both but he just keeps messaging me.
0 up, 0 down
Radiohead
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 9:44:04 AM
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1 up, 0 down
TheAgingHipster
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 10:05:05 AM
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Dreno
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 10:20:45 AM
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Apparently, on my g4 app, either sony or the people at g4 have all the info you will need should your account be one of the ones that was accessed. They give the hook up. So I recomend anyone who's psn got accessed, if your not a super brainy smarty and really wouldn't know how to go about protecting yourself from id theft, check it out.
I don't see guys like jawk or world and others needing the info cause they seem like effing smart people, but I imagine I'm not the only person here at psxe who wouldn't even know what to do or where to start at if my info got acted.
Not talkin poo or anything, just puttin some info out for those who may need it.
But. Yeah, no sony email for me, ill keep checking though. Although I think ill just cancel the card I uused on psn
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jimmyhandsome
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 10:36:11 AM
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But there is a lot of truth in feeling the satisfaction of being "unplugged". I did that this past weekend when I saw my family for the Easter holiday. No internet, no videogames (obviously no PSN), no Facebook, no iPhone. Feels good to just "defrag" a bit. Its scary how addicted we our as a society to staying "connected".
0 up, 0 down
spiderboi
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 10:39:55 AM
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JMO_INDY
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 12:05:43 PM
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Last edited by JMO_INDY on 4/27/2011 12:07:22 PM
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maxpontiac
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 12:25:54 PM
1 up, 0 down
Underdog15
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 2:17:21 PM
1 up, 1 down
Clamedeus
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 12:59:47 PM
Reply
2 up, 0 down
tlpn99
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 2:35:16 PM
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0 up, 0 down
BIGRED15
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 2:55:20 PM
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1 up, 1 down
sha4dowknight05
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 3:36:58 PM
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0 up, 0 down
JMO_INDY
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 3:38:48 PM
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2 up, 4 down
rogers71
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 4:19:13 PM
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Great article Ben, we were just talking about this at work yesterday. Whatever happened to actually calling someone and talking to them. Texting has taken over and given people the ability to think about how they want to respond to someone. Could you imagine if we put these younger generations into a room and made them talk. They wouldn't know how to communicate. "Unplugged Day", Here we come.
1 up, 0 down
BIGRED15
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 6:16:47 PM
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1 up, 0 down
Lairfan
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 9:28:14 PM
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PharaohJR
Friday, April 29, 2011 @ 1:29:41 AM
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fast forward today... alot of my bredrens wearing they gal victoria panties & alot of sistas wearing boxers got damn.
ben great post read this a while bk but didnt have time to comment. i be a liar to say i dont enjoy the luxuries of technology but it will always be the natural things that hold up. no matter how much we advance make sure yal dont turn zombies cause of gadgets. i support the Unplugged Day.
1 up, 0 down
Arukugatari
Friday, April 29, 2011 @ 2:59:38 AM
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On the bright side,I'm gonna go upstairs and practice Blaz Blue 2 once again tonight lol.Who knows when I would have made the time for those skills being connected =)(would play Naruto Storm 2 instead LOL)
0 up, 0 down
Arukugatari
Friday, April 29, 2011 @ 3:01:53 AM
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0 up, 0 down
LimitedVertigo
Reply
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 @ 9:54:23 PM
I've used the PSN downtime to play BioShock and BioShock2 thanks to them only being $5 a piece on Steam last week.