REPORT: PlayStation Network Slowing Download Speed Amid Coronavirus Quarantine

As the general population continues to stay at home and isolate themselves due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Sony and PlayStation made a big move to at least reduce people’s stress.

Obviously, with more people at home, the use of the internet is at an all-time high. With that said, Sony decided to slow down the download speed in its PlayStation Network in order to “help preserve access for the entire internet community.”

Jim Ryan, President and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, made the announcement on the PlayStation blog. He noted that they are working with internet service providers in Europe where the download speed limit currently applies.

“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,” Ryan said in the statement.

“Players may experience somewhat slower or delayed game downloads but will still enjoy robust gameplay. We appreciate the support and understanding from our community, and they are doing their part, as we take these measures in an effort to preserve access for everyone.”

Sony’s move comes after streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney Plus and YouTube also reduced their video quality across Europe to ease the burden on the nation’s internet infrastructure.

There is no news yet whether the reduction in download speed will apply in North America, but that certainly remains a possibility given that video gaming has seen a massive surge all over the world in recent days. It is also worth noting that the coronavirus is spreading fast and forcing more people to be in isolation.

Currently, the USA has the third-most cases of coronavirus in the world, only behind China and Italy who have been hit by the infectious disease weeks earlier than the nation. As of writing, there are more than 53,000 COVID-19 cases in the US alone -- more concerning is the fact that there are more deaths than recoveries so far.

Worldwide, there are already over 417,000 positive cases of coronavirus. More than 107,000 have recovered, while at least 18,000 have succumbed to the deadly virus.