The PSN Hacking and E3 - The Timing is Perfect

The biggest conference in gaming, E3, is set to take place in just shy of a month. I'm excited, everyone's excited. But the lead-up to the conference has been a troubled time. The hacking of the PlayStation Network has put everyone on edge, and as more and more people report credit card fraud, things will get worse. The future looks bleak for Sony's console, many gamers protesting and abandoning the PS3 outright. Until the numbers show how many accounts have been closed, Sony is in dire straits. That being said, the timing of this debacle is impeccable, with E3 just around the corner. The breakdown of the PSN will certainly change what Sony has planned for the conference, but how drastically? Will the reception be positive but all the while shrouded in worried customers and police investigations?

It will no doubt be a tense atmosphere when Sony's spokesperson struts onto the stage. The aftermath still has yet to be seen, but it doesn't take a psychic to tell us the position of Sony in the coming months. Sony's presentation will be closely watched by both media and gamers alike, but not for the obvious reasons. We'd all love to see what Sony will grace us for the next year, but honestly, I'm more intent on hearing more of any beefier security updates or if Sony will even mention what has transpired.

It would be nice to have the company open the presentation with a redesigned PlayStation Network, or the blueprints of one. Sony desperately needs to reinvent their image and beefing up security on the service would be a step in the right direction. E3 is the best platform to do so, and as I said before, the timing is impeccable. Then, to ease the tension, have Kevin Butler come out and crack a few moderately funny jokes. Make fun of Microsoft's poor lineup this year and praise the PS3's. Then move on to games and other goodies. A playable demo of The Last Guardian will be the talk of the conference, or just any gameplay at all would suffice.

Sony can use the marvelous mix of games to their advantage, diverting the attention away from the last two weeks. It's plain and simple. Now when Xbox Live gets penetrated, Sony can sit back and laugh.