Microsoft is acknowledging that the Xbox Live status is limited for the foreseeable future, but a Lizard Squad DDoS attack is apparently not the cause.
In a related report by the Inquisitr , the PSN status is similarly in the red , and Sony is having trouble getting the PlayStation Network servers back up and running. Still, that’s nothing compared to the guy who bought a PS4 Walmart bundle , only to find “something else” inside the PlayStation 4 box.
The Xbox Live status was updated this afternoon, after complaints came flooding in that some people cannot get their new Xbox One consoles to connect to vital parts of the service.
“Are you having trouble launching certain titles,” reads Microsoft’s Xbox Live status page . “Our engineers are already working to find a solution. In the meantime, we appreciate your patience, and we invite you to check back in a half hour for an update on our progress.”
The main issue is with the their “Social and Gaming” services. Microsoft also says the apps for IGN, Maxim, and MLG.TV are limited based upon the Xbox Live status page. The only good news about the current Xbox Live status is that the Xbox Live Core Services, website, and purchase and content systems are still functioning. Still, some Xbox One gamers are reporting troubles downloading certain apps like Netflix and Hulu. Other people are running into difficulties buying DLC for games.
Over on Twitter, Electronic Arts responded to customer complaints by saying, “We are sorry for the inconvenience of our server. Contact an advisor here for assistance/compensation.” Unfortunately, this means FIFA 15 fans are out of luck today.
The exact cause of the current Xbox Live status is unknown, and Microsoft officially says they will not tell us why.
“We don’t share info on the root cause of specific issues,” Xbox spokesman Sean McCarthy said.
While some might point the finger at the Lizard Squad hacker group, their Twitter account claims they were not planning on taking PSN or Xbox Live down again.
Confirming again that we are no longer attacking PSN or XBL, nor are any members. We will not be attacking them in the future. Thank MEGA.
— Lizard Squad (@LizardMafia) December 26, 2014
There is one other simple explanation for the current Xbox Live status. The Xbox One sales numbers actually managed to surpass the PS4 sales during Christmas 2014. It’s possible the Xbox Live servers have become overloaded, as all these new users set up their brand new Xbox One consoles after receiving them as a Christmas gift.