The PlayStation Network is a platform for online gaming and a channel through which Sony sells games and other content to console and handheld owners. Qriocity is an online service for Sony's networked consumer electronics products that offers music and video content.

Problems began at around midday Thursday Japan time (0300 GMT) when users were greeted with error messages when they attempted to sign in. At the time, Sony said it was looking into the problems.

A day later, the company said it would take a day or two for the service to come back online, but it wasn't until Saturday, roughly 48 hours after the initial problems, that the company offered more details of the problem. A posting on its Japanese website blamed "external factors," but its U.S. site was more direct.

"An external intrusion on our system has affected our PlayStation Network and Qriocity services," . It didn't specify when the services might return.

The biggest impact to customers will likely be the inability to play online games. Networked gaming, in which gamers collaborate with others in real-time battles, challenges and quests, is very popular and relies on the PlayStation Network.