After Sony's recent announcement that some PSN services would be returning we were hoping that the impact of the April 19 hack of the PlayStation Network would be waning. Not so. A message posted to Station.com, Sony Online Entertainment's portal for a number of their PC games including DC Universe Online, states that they have shut down the SOE services as they investigate another intrusion.

Here's the message they posted on the site:

"We have had to take the SOE service down temporarily. In the course of our investigation into the intrusion into our systems we have discovered an issue that warrants enough concern for us to take the service down effective immediately. We will provide an update later today (Monday).

We apologize for any inconvenience and greatly appreciate your patience."

As a result, Sony has taken down the websites for each of its massively multiplayer online role-playing properties and the login authentication servers for its games. The list of affected titles includes DC Universe Online, Everquest, Everquest 2, Free Realms, Pirates of the Burning Sea, Star Wars Galaxies, and Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. The PlayStation 3 versions of these games have been down since April 20 alongside the PSN.

Sony executive vice president Kazuo Hirai (their #2 man) formally apologized for the security breach over the weekend, where he outlined the "Welcome Back" program for PSN users and acknowledged that the FBI was helping to investigate the intrusion.

With Japan rebuilding after a horrific natural disaster and the April 19 breach that may have exposed millions of credit card numbers and other personal identifying information (including password security answers) Sony, and especially Hirai, are facing trying times that have seen the electronics giant's shares fall more than eight percent in Tokyo trade following the hack.

An update on the SOE situation is expected from Sony later today and we hope no personal information was jeopardized (again).

Should Sony have to shoulder the entire blame for someone else's crimes? How much has the hack affected you?

Source: Sony