[Update] Sony has announced that it will begin throttling download speeds in the United States to continue their efforts in stabilizing the internet.
Original Story…
We are all dealing with the coronavirus health pandemic. It’s a worldwide problem as doctors and scientists work to fight back against the disease but we’re still dealing with the blowback from this virus at the moment. With so many not working, staying home, quarantined and overall keeping our distance from others, the internet has been our go-to source for entertainment. For Europe, there is now a concern that internet service providers can’t keep up with the demand.
As a result of so many stuck at home dealing with the coronavirus in Europe, more users are logging online to either browse the web, play video games or stream media content. Whatever the case a particular person may be dealing with when jumping online, it’s the ISPs that are feeling the struggle to keep a stable internet connection going. This has actually sparked several companies to lower the quality of content provided by their services. For example, YouTube and Netflix are lowering the quality of videos for those that streaming media.
However, it now looks like Sony is stepping in to do their part. Announced through the official PlayStation Blog, it looks like Sony will be lowering the speeds for game downloads on the PlayStation Network. It’s tough to say just how much of an effect this will have those that are looking to download some new video game titles to keep busy while quarantined but we know it will take a bit longer to see those games end up on the console platform.
Furthermore, we’re wondering if this will play a role in how PlayStation Now will perform as it requires a stable internet connection to run. Likewise, we’re also wondering if this will eventually hit other markets around the world with the internet taking a bigger load now that people are staying home and enjoying content online.