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Sony PlayStation Network woos gamers back with free games and movies

Sony has revealed how it plans to woo gamers back, as the beleaguered tech giant tries to rekindle the love affair between gamers and the hacked PlayStation Network.

Richard Trenholm Former Movie and TV Senior Editor
Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.
Expertise Films, TV, Movies, Television, Technology
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Richard Trenholm
3 min read

Sony has revealed how it plans to woo gamers back, as the beleaguered tech giant tries to rekindle the love affair between gamers and the hacked PlayStation Network. Sony has now revealed the package of free games offered to UK gamers, including LittleBigPlanet, inFamous and Killzone Liberation. 

The Sony Online Entertainment, PlayStation Network, and Qriocity online gaming and media services packed a bag and went to their mothers' places to get their heads together almost exactly a month ago. The services have recently been restored, and Sony is now promising users free films, free game downloads and extended subscriptions by way of making up. The company will also big you up to that looker you've had your eye on lately.

Gamers can download two free games. PlayStation 3 owners can choose from Dead Nation, inFamous, LittleBigPlanet, Super Stardust HD, Ratchet and Clank: Quest for Booty and Wipeout HD Fury. US users can choose Super Stardust HD instead of questing for booty. Sony PSP Go owners can choose from LittleBigPlanet, ModNation Racers and Pursuit Force or Killzone Liberation; the latter isn't offered to US PSPers.

PlayStation Plus subscribers will receive 60 days of free membership to the premium level of the PSN, and non-subscribers will receive 30 free days. Music Unlimited subscribers get 30 days free subscription.

Sony has also said that it's updated the PSN and added additional software-monitoring, vulnerability-testing, encryption and firewall features, so you can feel safe at night and don't have to go back to your ex -- Xbox, that is. 

We done a poll over the weekend, asking if you would stand by your console. It seems most of you will be getting back together with Sony, although many of you will take some wooing. That's it, chaps and chapettes -- play hard to get.

Only a small proportion of you plan to switch to the Xbox 360, an option that was discussed by many. Don't worry about making that threat, though -- you were angry, we were angry and things got said in the heat of the moment. We understand.

The PlayStation Network is back online -- here's how to get online again -- but many of you are still having problems. You need to update your PS3 and change your password, and the vast numbers of people doing so has overwhelmed the network, leaving many still frozen out. We can only suggest you be patient -- annoying, we know -- and don't be tempted to hit the 'Forgot your password?' button too many times, as it could lock you out and will probably delay the password email reaching you.

If there's still a problem, give your PS3 some space and let it remember why it needs you. If this thing's gonna work, it's gonna take a little patience and a little work, so hang in there. And it wouldn't kill you to buy flowers every once in a while.

Let us know in the comments section below how you're getting on, and which games you'd like to get as part of your compensation. And remember, we're rooting for you -- you make such a great couple.