PSN is Still Down, Outage Continues into Sunday: Top 10 PS3 Downtime Solutions

Written by Matt Swider on April 24, 2011

News: No outage update from Sony since Friday, so we're looking for alternative fun. Since the network went offline on April 21, we've been up to...

PlayStation Network is still offline and we're officially into Sunday in all parts of the globe. We still don't know exactly why PSN is down, but it looks like everyone's networked PS3 may remain offline for the entire weekend. This prolonged downtime has us searching for alternative activities to occupy our time and we're in the mood to share. Let us know how you're spending the weekend in the comment below.

Above: Article author Matt Swider, Gaming Target owner and G4TV, GamePro and Machinima contributor, attempts to play Portal 2 online co-op through a portal.
10. Can't play Portal 2 online co-op on PS3? Build a Portal
Like you, we were looking forward to Portal 2 online co-op this weekend. Sadly, the problems with PlayStation Network put a damper on that plan. Instead of sitting in front of our error message-filled consoles, however, we decided to invent homemade portals. Through the magic of a special portal gun known as Уphoto-cannon-shop,Ф we had fun slinging portals all over our real-life walls this weekend. We even shared the results with our friends online. Portal plus sharing with buddies via the Internet; it's kind of like Portal 2 online co-op, right? Of course, we'll admit, the main objective at the other end of the portal was to continuously refresh the online co-op menu until it stopped giving us the same error notification. Obviously, this is a Portal 2 puzzle we haven't been able to complete. When we do see an end to it, though, this is one solved puzzle that will taste sweeter than Уcake.Ф

9. Go back to play single-player modes
We usually play through the single-player mode of videogames during weekdays and reserve online multiplayer for the weekend. With the persistent error message of УPlayStation Nework is currently undergoing maintenance,Ф we decided to replay the single-player modes to some of our favorite games. Call of Duty: Black Ops, for example, deserves another run through and we know there are a few trophies that you probably haven't gone yet. Even if you're a true completionist and beat the Legendary campaign mode, there's tons of offline content in this week's new releases, Portal 2, Mortal Kombat and SOCOM 4, to have kept you occupied from Tuesday until whenever PSN is back online.

8. Attempt split-screen multiplayer, even if vs. a Kinectimal
Back in my day, the Internet was strictly for porn and downloading songs illegally through Napster. Meanwhile, videogames were played offline with local friends in a form of multiplayer called УsplitЕ screen.Ф Games like Mario Kart 64 and GoldenEye 007 used to rob teens and twenty-somethings of sleep on a regular basis, but unlike Call of Duty today, we were all able (read: forced) to enjoy the close-quarters competition. Being able to throw a couch pillow at a buddy who was just few feet away is a cheapshot that you just can't execute with today's microphone and headset combo. Now, we know that you may have shed all of your tangible friends since the dawn of social networking sites Facebook and Twitter. However, we played against a Kinectimal in Tetris and couldn't be more pleased with the results. Everyone likes winning and this is a sure-fire way to scream Charlie Sheen's favorite line after every round.

7. Go outside
Many videogames are based on the environment outside of your living room and it still exists today! So, get up and have an up-close-and-personal encounter with planet Earth andЕ oh no! The sun is bright! Everyone back inside and move onto the next suggestionЕ

6. Sneak into Netflix on PS3 through this workaround; feel like you're sneaking into the movies
I've never snuck into the movies, but I can imagine what it's like now that I've overcome the log-in obstacles that currently plague Netflix on the PS3. Booting up the dashboard widget leads you to the notorious PSN sign-in screen. Grumble, Grumble, Grumble! Same thing as online gaming, right? Well, if you press X to sign in and fail, simply press O. It'll still load up Netflix. It'll ask you to sign in a couple more times until you advance far enough into the movie selection screen. Don't give up, after a couple of tries, it quits faster than an underpaid movie theater usher.

5. Surf the web and play Call of Duty: Black Ops offline at the same time: УPfftt... yeah, I'm online... gaming on PS3Ф
Please don't resort to playing Farmville or any other obnoxious social networking УgameФ that is going to clutter the newsfeed of your soon-to-be-former friends. We know that you want to tell everyone that you were online gaming this weekend and don't want to end your streaking just because PSN is down. Instead, surf the web and play an offline game at the same time - you've got two hands. There's even an awesome site we can suggest for the first half of the online + gaming equation.

4. Log into... dun dun dun! Xbox Live or Steam
PlayStation-loyalists aren't going to be pleased with this suggestion as they are the most vocal in the so-called Уsystem wars.Ф But Xbox Live and Steam are two great alternatives to gaming through PSN. A lot of the same games are offered on the Xbox 360 and PC/Mac including a couple of exclusives like Limbo via XBLA Ц my personal favorite of 2010. So long as you aren't rebuying your PS3 games for this (hopefully) single weekend of downtime, then you're spending your time and money wisely. There are some PS3 and PSP fans who УsayФ they're so fed up with the whole ordeal that they're buying a brand new Xbox 360 for this very reason. We think most of them are lying like the overenthusiastic Republican or Democratic voter who says if X wins, I'm moving to N country. Not a chance.

3. Rig up that old PS2 Network Adapter
PS2 Online is reportedly still working, according to a mix of tweets. Since this 2002-launched service was never part of the PlayStation Network, this would make sense. So, if you still haven't traded in your old PS2 console and have Sony's archaic PS2 Network Adapter screwed into the back of your last-gen console's expansion slot, then you could be playing SOCOM 1, SOCOM 2, SOCOM 3 Ц even SOCOM 4 Еas in SOCOM: Combined Assault, the real fourth installment in the SOCOM series. Be sure to tweet that you're Уplaying SOCOM 4 online right nowФ and get every online shooter fan into a frenzy.

2. Laugh at Wii's still-pitiful online support
PSN may not work this week, but in our minds, Nintendo's online gaming strategy has never really worked for us. Without a sole identity and, instead, relying on a series of numbers, the motion-controlled console missed the boat by a mile this generation. 3DS makes it a little bit easier with a single-friend code, but if Microsoft and Sony have taught one thing, it's that gamertags and personal IDs are the way to go. Oh and that voice chat shouldn't be done through a room-wide speaker doodad like Wii Speak.

1. Try logging into PSN 80710A06 times. We hear that's the magic number
More than 1,100 words later and is PSN back up yet? Not from what we see. We must have tried signing in 8,071,006 since our PS3 went down on April 21. That's very close to the now infamous error message 80710A06. If only we could figure out the A part, maybe we could somehow beat the system and host the smallest CoD: Black Ops game in history. Keep trying, folks. Hopefully, PSN will be back up on Monday.

In the meantime, want a free game? We're giving away Homefront for PS3! Click the image below to Like us and comment!