PlayStation Network Slowing Game Downloads in Europe

PlayStation has announced that it is managing download traffic in Europe to ease bandwidth strain, which will mean that players may see "slower or delayed game downloads". Online gameplay should not be affected. In a blog post, Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO, Jim Ryan explained that the company was "working with internet service providers in Europe to manage download traffic to help preserve access for the entire internet community. "We believe it is important to do our part to address internet stability concerns as an unprecedented number of people are practicing social distancing and are becoming more reliant on internet access." It's not clear if or how this move will affect PlayStation Now, Sony's game streaming service. We have contacted Sony for comment on that. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/19/netflix-to-reduce-bandwidth-in-europe-due-to-surge-in-traffic"] The move follows the likes of Netflix, YouTube, Amazon and more, who have pledged to lower streaming video quality across the continent. Unlike the US, internet service providers in Europe tend not to put data caps on Internet usage. That means, as internet usage increases during a period of social distancing and school closures, services could become strained by high-usage services. With levels gaming increasing across the world, PSN's downloads would have been one of those high-usage elements. Online gameplay is a far less intensive activity, due to the fact that much of the information onscreen is already stored on the console, which explains why it's not also being throttled. "We appreciate the support and understanding from our community, and their doing their part," Ryan's statement ends, "as we take these measures in an effort to preserve access for everyone." Here's how you can help and stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. [poilib element="accentDivider"]

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