After an extended period of downtime due to a massive security breech, Sony has finally managed to relaunch the PlayStation Network. However, if you’re in Europe trying to access the service you may have noticed that it is still down. Sony is well aware of this but fret not as they are working to do what they can to ensure the European network goes live in a timely fashion. Sony is saying “be patient” for those wondering when the network will go live in Europ[e by PlayStation Ireland is saying via Facebook that major components of the network should go live later today.

So folks, sit tight as you will soon be fragging again in no time.

If you’re a PS3 owner you’ll undoubtedly know that the PlayStation Network has been down for quite some time now. If you weren’t aware this downtime was due to a group of hackers exploiting holes in the network’s security to gain access to a whole slew of personal information including credit card numbers, home addresses, phone numbers and even passwords. This has basically sent the entire PlayStation community into a frenzy as it’s quite obviously a very large breech.

Well, if you’ve been sitting by looking to resume your Black Ops binge sessions you’re in luck. Sony has just recently announced that the PlayStation Network is officially back up and running. This includes online play, trophies, services like Netflix and much more. However, before you sign into the PlayStation Network, Sony is going to ask you to change your password – something that doesn’t come as much of a surprise at all.

What have you been doing when the PlayStation Network was down?

There has been a ton of fuss regarding Sony circulating the web largely due to the fact that after their PlayStation Network was taken down by hackers they have yet to put it back up. Luckily, word hit the street that they would be hoping to launch the PSN but May 31st but we’ve heard some contrasting reports that said these were just estimates and not a solid date. Another thing is that there have been notes that hackers have yet again targeted the PSN which may cause Sony to further delay the service’s relaunch.

Luckily, it seems that these reports had no basis as Sony has come forth today to let us know that there have be no such attacks and that these reports were nothing more than incorrect rumors.

If you’re a PS3 owner you’ll undoubtedly know that due to a series of attacks from a group of hackers the console’s online service, the PlayStation Network, has been down for quite some time. Luckily, Sony has come forth not too long ago to let us know that the PSN will finally be going back up in the near future but that’s evidently not enough for those who suffered from the downtime.

DC Universe Online players will actually be coming away from the downtime better than before as it was just announced today that SOE will be giving players not only a free month of service but the above pictured mask as well. Apparently, the mask is inspired by Batman which is definitely evident upon viewing said mask and I’m sure a lot of you DC Universe players will be happy to add it to your collection.

There has been a lot of buzz circulating in the gaming world surrounding Hulu’s Hulu Plus service. This buzz largely focuses on the fact that according to numerous reports the service will finally be making its way to the Xbox 360 in the near future. However, if you’re on the PlayStation 3 you’ll know that you’ve had access to the service for quite some time. You’ll also know that you haven’t had access to the PlayStation Network due to a massive security breach that has left the network in shambles.

Well, Hulu Plus is looking to make the lives of PS3 owners a bit easier as they have announced today that they will be giving those who use Hulu Plus on the PlayStation 3 a week’s credit to the service for free.

At least you’ll have something to do when you can’t play Black Ops, right?

It was just made known that the demo for Red Faction Armageddon will be dropping for both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on May 3rd. According to reports the demo will allow gamers to take control of Darrius Mason as he makes is way through Martian sewers utilizing both the Magnet Gun and Nano Forge. We aren’t quite sure just how long the demo will be but it’s definitely something to keep an eye out for if you’re bored next week. Of course, if the PlayStation Network isn’t working by then PS3 gamers will be out of luck.

For those wondering, the final game will be dropping for both the PS3 and Xbox 360 on May 31st so you’ll have about a month to try it out before you decide whether or not you want to buy it.

If you’ve tried to log into the PlayStation Network anytime in the last couple of days you’re sure to know that you’ve been unable to do so. As we told you, this is due to the PlayStation Network quite obviously being completely down. However, while we’ve known that the network has been down, Sony hasn’t come forth to tell us exactly what is causing the downtime.

Well today they have finally come forth to tell us that the downtime is due to an ‘external intrusion’. If you’ve been paying attention you’ll probably know that following the Geohot lawsuit there was a ton of back lash against Sony from the community so it’s really no surprise that it’s ongoing despite the fact that it was slated to end not long after the lawsuit did.

What have you been doing during the PlayStation Network downtime?

One of the biggest selling points of Sony’s PS3 is the fact that you don’t have to pay for access to its online service dubbed the PlayStation Network. However, some have argued that due to this the PlayStation Network isn’t quite as reliable as the Xbox 360′s Xbox Live. This point is supported by the fact that as of late the PlayStation Network has featured some down time.

In fact, just today it was noted that the PlayStation Network has gone down. Luckily, Sony has already come forth to comment on the downtime saying they are currently looking into the problem which doesn’t sound very promising. Even worse, Sony is saying that from an early analysis of the problem they are expecting the network to possibly be down for an additional day or two.

What have you been doing when the PlayStation Network is down?

Angry Birds is without a doubt the most well known game made initially for a mobile phone to ever hit the market (not counting games like Tetris and the like, of course). Now that Angry Birds has dominated mobile platforms like Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android Rovio is looking towards other platforms that will serve their game well. As you may or may not know, Angry Birds is available for platforms such as Apple’s desktop Mac OS X and even the PlayStation 3 through the PlayStation Network.

In fact, it was just noted today that Angry Birds has already topped the charts of the PSN after being available for a few months. If you haven’t played Angry Birds yet now is a great time to do so as it’s available through the PSN for just $4.

While we can go off and tell you about the important of digital distribution we’ll most likely bore you as you’re sure to be well aware of it. Regardless of all of the hype surrounding these various outlets they continue to deliver of their promise of phasing out physical distribution. In fact, according to a recent report it seems that 50% of console gamers purchased a digital game in 2010. This, quite obviously, refers to online services like Xbox Live, PlayStation Network and the Wii’s various methods of digital distribution.

In comparison, EEDAR suggests that in 2009 just 43% of gamers purchased a digital game which means things are noticeably on the incline with no signs of slowing. Of course, most of these purchases were most like the cheap (yet great) independently developed titles available in these various digital outlets. On that note, I’d be interested to see how many gamers actually purchased a full fledged $50+ game through one of these outlets.

Are you a console gamer who has purchased a digital game within the last year? If so, let us know.