UPDATE: Due to high traffic on PlayStation Store, you may encounter error messages or issues. We advise you to check back a little later and try again.
Note: In order to download two games at no cost, you must redeem them from the “Welcome Back” category. The individual titles are still available for purchase outside of the “Welcome Back Program”
If at any point you can’t find the ‘Welcome Back Free Game 1 or 2’ products, the list of available titles or a game you’ve selected, go to your XMB>PlayStation Network>Account Management>Transaction Management>Services List>SCEA Promotions to complete the process.
We’re so excited to welcome you back to PlayStation Network. With the PlayStation Store back online, we’ve been getting all caught up this week, having launched an abundance of amazing content for download on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable devices across games, movies, themes and DLC. Today, we’re excited to launch the Welcome Back program to thank you for your loyalty, and below, we’ve got what you need in order to get access to the included content. So, here’s a list of questions about the program. If you don’t see your question below, mention it in the comments and we’ll do our best to provide an answer. Thanks again for your patience and understanding as we restored the PlayStation Network and Qriocity services – your support has meant a lot to us and is greatly appreciated.
Q: What’s in the Welcome Back Program?
A: To start, all PSN members who had signed up before the outage (April 20, 2011) will be able to select two games for the PS3 system and two games for the PSP system.
For PS3 owners, go to the ‘Welcome Back’ section in the PlayStation Store, and select 2 titles from the following list:
- Dead Nation
- inFAMOUS
- LittleBigPlanet
- Super Stardust HD
- Wipeout HD + Fury
For PSP owners, go to the ‘Welcome Back’ section of PlayStation Store on your PSP system and select 2 titles from the following list:
- LittleBigPlanet (PSP)
- ModNation Racers
- Pursuit Force
- Killzone Liberation
Select your first game from “Game 1”, then return to the Welcome Back page and go to “Game 2” to select your second game out of the remaining choices available. This goes for both PS3 and PSP.
In addition, we’re giving access to our premium subscription service, PlayStation Plus, which includes games, huge discounts, exciting exclusives and added features like online storage and automatic downloads, to all PSN members for 30 days at no charge, requiring no long term commitment. As with the games above, go to the PlayStation Store and under the ‘Welcome Back’ section, select ‘PlayStation Plus: 30 Days Free’, and you’ll be given access to all of the benefits of PlayStation Plus. Note that this will not auto-renew and simply expires 30 days after activation.
Current Plus subscribers receive an extra 60 days added to their existing subscription at no charge. For current Plus subscribers, no action is needed as the 60 days are automatically added to your subscription.
PlayStation Network users will also get 100 virtual items in PlayStation Home as a show of appreciation for your patience while Home was inaccessible. Additional content is coming soon, including the next addition to the Home Mansion personal space, and Ooblag’s Alien Casino, an exclusive game.
A selection of “On Us” movie rentals are currently available to PlayStation Network customers this weekend only, where Video Service is available.
Finally, current Music Unlimited Premium subscription members will receive an additional 30 days of premium subscription plus days lost due to the outage.
Q: When will I have access to the Welcome Back Program?
A: The content offered as part of the Welcome Back Program is available for download today and will be available through July 3.
Q: I have both PS3 and PSP. Does this mean I will get 4 games all together?
A: Yes, as long as you were a PSN member before April 20, 2011, you’ll be able to receive up to 4 games based on the titles listed above; 2 on each platform.
Q: Are there any limitations to the PS3 and PSP games we are receiving as part of the Welcome Back Program?
A: These games are yours to keep.
Q: How long do I have to get into the PlayStation Store and receive my content for Welcome Back?
A: Access to the Welcome Back content will be expiring on July 3. Once this date has passed, the Welcome Back section in the PlayStation Store will be removed.
Q: When does the 30 days of my PlayStation Plus access expire?
A: Your PlayStation Plus 30-day access will expire 30 days from the date you activated it in PlayStation Store.
Q: When will (insert game here) be published?
A: Look forward to posts over the coming days that will show what content will be available at that point, or coming soon. We’re planning frequent store publishes offering lots of new content for everyone to enjoy.
Q: I’m getting 30 days of access to PlayStation Plus; can you refresh my memory on what I get with this service?
A: From the time you activate your 30 days of PlayStation Plus, you’ll be able to download games and game related content, purchase select store items at a discount, and have access to the exclusive features of Plus. You’ll also be able to get early access to any Plus exclusive Demos and priority Beta invitations that might be scheduled during your 30 days.
Q: Do I get to keep the games in PlayStation Plus forever?
A: Content that is free in PlayStation Plus will not be available after your PlayStation Plus time has expired. However, if you decide to join PlayStation Plus, you’ll have access to all of the content you downloaded during your 30 day access for as long as you are a subscriber.
Q: Do I get to keep any games or content I purchased with the PlayStation Plus discount?
A: Yes. Any content you purchase at a discount is yours to keep, regardless of your subscription status.
Q: Aside from the games and discounts; does PlayStation Plus offer anything else?
A: Yes! PlayStation Plus includes the Online Storage for Game Saves feature, allowing you to backup treasured game saves or access them from another PS3 system as long as you are a subscriber. In addition, you get the Automatic Download feature, which automatically updates your 10 most recently played games while the system is in stand-by mode so you don’t have to wait for updates before playing your games.
Q: What content will be in PlayStation Plus when I activate my 30 days?
A: PlayStation Plus content and discounts are regularly updated throughout the month. For up-to-date information on content within PlayStation Plus, please visit the Plus homepage.
Q: Where can I find the Welcome Back content in Home?
A: The 100 virtual items can be found in the kiosk in Home’s Central Plaza along with two personal spaces – Dragon’s Lair and the Mansion Garage. A new game – Ooblag’s Alien Casino – will be released soon (June 2011). This game will be free-to-play. As an added bonus, players that access the Ooblag Alien Casino space will be rewarded an active item version of the Ooblag game that can be played in your personal space(s).
Q: How do I access the content in the Welcome Back Program?
A: Follow the steps below to access the content in the Welcome Back Program:
1. Log on to PlayStation®Store
2. Click on the “Welcome Back” tab in the upper left menu
3. Select “Welcome Back Free PS3™ Game 1”
4. Within the category, click on the “Welcome Back Free PS3™ Game 1” product and “Get Now”
5. Select your free PS3™ game*, and “Download”*
6. Repeat steps 3-5 with “Welcome Back Free PS3™ Game 2”
7. Go to the XMB™ to play your free games.
Q: I clicked on one of the Welcome Back Free PS3/PSP Game 1/2 selections, clicked “Get Now”, but no games showed up. Now that option is no longer selectable in the Store. Where is my game?
A: This is an issue we’re working on resolving, however for the time being, you can still get to that content by going to the XMB and under the PlayStation Network column, go to Account Management>Transaction Management>Services List>SCEA Promotion. You should be able to access the content in the option you selected here.
Q: Why am I getting errors saying I can’t access the Store?
A: Due to the surge of people going to the Store, you may experience some blocks in accessing certain areas of the store. Give it another try, or wait for a small period of time to avoid the rush.
Remember, if you didn’t see your question answered above, drop us a line below and we’ll do our best to answer it. Welcome Back!
ATTENTION PLZ……………..( @Susan Panico.)………….. , i own 2 ps3s one for the kids and one for me, we each exepted the welcome back pack and started to download one game cause it would not let us download the second game, i said first one then the other, we exit the store,but when tryed to download our second game the opion to do so was no longer availible. i called and spoke to an agent , but she said to wait it out and still nothing now no one picks up the phone. i was hoping someone could plz help us get our second game, u can email me @…………2009inuyasha@gmail.com………..plz help me out. thnx in advance.
Escalation is June 10th I do believe..
Gee, guys, I feel so silly. I… oh, wait, what’s this? From the May 16, 2011 Playstation Blog, entitled “DETAILS FOR PLAYSTATION AND QROCITY CUSTOMER APPRECIATION PROGRAM IN NORTH AMERICA”:
“Now that some PlayStation Network and Qriocity services have been restored and you’re once again enjoying online gaming and entertainment, we’re happy to provide details about the “Welcome Back” appreciation program for customers in North America. We developed the program as an expression of our gratitude for your patience, support and continued loyalty during the service outage. From all of us at PlayStation, thank you and welcome back!”
ct’d….
Patience? Yup, I had it at the time.
Support? Yup, I bought one of their machines while the Network was down.
Continued loyalty during the service outage? Yup…. didn’t and haven’t returned it.
So, while it may not be a “welcome back,” I’m just as entitled to a “thank you” as the rest of you for my SUPPORT.
I’m pretty sure they did the ID theft monitoring as a way of making amends for the hacking, this was supposed to be, per that post, for APPRECIATION, of which Sony has NONE for a decent-sized segment of us.
Way to try and blow us off, though. You should be working for Sony Customer Service.
@ 2372
lol its on their for a reason it’ll just last their for about 1 month then go back to its regular price and place. on the Killzone 3 Add-Ons. lol
**Love Killerrain13* =D
Thanks TEUFEL_937 =D
**Love Killerrain13** =D =) better be lol.
What about the people who had the “Full Game Trial” downloaded prior and now the games won’t show up to download? I can’t download infamous now it won’t show up :(
I have downloaded my two free games but when I go back to the welcome back selection where they were to get my Plus trial no icons are displayed. Any idea why? Help would be nice. Thanks. :)
Try reloading it, it’s because everyone’s flooding the store.
Thanks sony. BECAUSE IM SMART AND READ THE INFO AT THE TOP UNLIKE SOME PEOPLE i got LBP and dead nation. LBP is great. Thanks sony.
I left my PS3 on all night so I could hopefully finish downloading infamous but in the morning it was unresponsive so I did a manual reboot. Then it tells me the hard disk has been corrupted, so it restores stuff and then the only available XMB thinger is Settings. Meaning not even those little spinning circles would be there when I went to Friends or anything else other than Settings.
After a couple more reboots, I’m able to get into a game and play a DVD, and see all XMB stuff, unlike before. This is confusing to me. I think I’m just going to wait a couple weeks more to download Infamous. I still don’t know if I will be able to get onto the PSN because my only ethernet cable is being used for this computer right now. Last time I tried it froze.
We were able to download the free game #2, but the free game # 1 kept getting an arror message yesterday and the option for the free game #1 is gone altogether today. Now what????
I have not been able to get any welcome back offers on 3rd of June. Does this mean i can no longer redeem any of the games, as i will be back from a trip on 5th June. Will the offers remain on the playstation store for longer than just the 3rd of June.
2382-my 9 year old nephew called about 5 minutes ago. i asked him if he got his welcome back package and he said yes. i asked if he had any problems and he said nope, i read the directions. lol
Hi i have a question I have 4 ps3 accounts at my house on my ps3 does this mean Me and my brothers can get 30 playstation plus to or no and the same thing with the welcome back package do only i get it or my brothers to ???
Please i need help
i also contacted support hopefully someone can help soon
Where is my second game? I purchased Dead Nation and Wipeout HD but its not showing up in my Que.
I also keep getting Error 807!? Come on Sony please fix your issues because this is getting annoying you guys had now 50 days!..I think we had enough patience with your issues so please fix the store problems thank!
@johnny_toastburn
What are you babbing about? Honestly? Sony gave you the choice of 2 of 5 games to choose from. You can even get 2 PSP games even if you get 2 PS3! Come on! And if your complaining because you cant get your download or you “think” it disapered, maybe you need to read the instructions at the beginning. I did it just fine with no problems. If your complaining because you get nothing because you got a PS3 during the outage, too bad. This is for LOYAL members of playstation who like what there doing and who bought things from the store and supported sony. So nobody thinks your cool for doing that. So boo hoo whine and cry. Not gonna get you anywhere.
@2380 if your a psp user you don’t get it sorry.
2387-the package is for any accounts created before april 20th. yes between you and your brothers you can get all the ps3 games and all the psp games. of course its 2 ps3 and 2 psp per account.
@SNAKE-EYES73
OMG read the instructions! The games can be found in the services list in your account stuff.
Tried to download my two free games. I got error messages but was able to set up a download for game 1 – I chose inFAMOUS. When downloading game 2, while trying to choose ‘little big planet’I got an error message that froze the screen, and had to restart my ps3. Then I couldn’t get back into the playstation store, so I left it overnight thinking maybe the traffic will be better today.
Now when I go into transaction management-services list-scea promotion, it tells me that my game 2 expired yesterday, it was only good for the one day. And the game 2 download option doesn’t show up in the playstation store. Does this mean I don’t get game 2 at all?
2390-he bought his ps3 after the psn went down and wants the welcome back package
GAAAAAAWWWWWDDD @ Post 2385 Lear 2 Read
Its July 3rd not June 3rd
i swear school kids now a days …..cant follow /read simple instructions?????
2394-i would call sony customer service and im sure they will give you another game 2 option.
Guys, I’m a terrible problem in my list of “5” downloadable games, have only four games, missing the Infamous, the more I wanted.
Can anyone help me on this? Please … My account is American
@boondox30
i explained why he dont get it. Because he was not a member before it happened. So he wont get it. Sorry.
Don’t bother with Toastburn. He wants something for nothing.
2399-yea we both tried lol
i kinda wish people would post what version ps3 they have and see if its with certain models
To those commenting on “reading the directions”, I should note that I read the directions, too, but still had problems last night. Once the extra info was posted on the blog (concerning the high traffic) I was able to begin downloading the files, but the simple fact that you have to go to XMB>PlayStation Network>Account Management>Transaction Management>Services List>SCEA Promotions to complete the process is pretty ridiculous. And I, for one, can empathize with those who struggled in the exact same way I did.
downloaded infamous but no sound. whats the deal. had same problem with MAG download.
WTF I bought a PS3 a few weeks ago, after the network went down because Gamestop offered a coupon. But because I joined after 4/20 I don’t get anything?
@ post 2400
Toastburn is acting like a burnt toast LMAO!
2403-i understand but what people need to do is read the blog cause how to fix it has been said 500+ times
2405 as far as sony has said…no. sorry
@kcash78
Heard that before. Redownload.
@sony
hey sony i think there is issues with your server, i bought a PSone classic and the sound is garbuled like its under water. And that guy ^ has issues with infamous. So…
2406-lol yep burnt by you you bad toaster lol
@robotech6969
Yep. You were not with sony before it went down so you cant get anything.
This is what happen and i need help, i went to PSN Store and i went to the Welcome Back section there where 4 boxes, i saw that the first one said Free PS3 Games 1, that was the first one i saw and the first one i went into, i didnt saw the other options, I press X and there were the options of games and i box that said Free PS3 game 1, so i press in that box and download it, but i didnt choose a game i said too my self “im going to see the other options and go to youtube to see a gameplay for each one, i press O to go back but the box disappear!!! i didnt do the same with the free ps3 game 2, but i only download one game,Please help!!
why is it when i went and obtained the ps+ it took away my ps3 game 1
Hey Thanks for the help I download the games :):):):):) it was so easy lol
after getting both the passes, ( for example download game 1 pass ) go to account managment, then to transaction managment, then to services, then to sony stuff, then look there.
Help, gave an error at the time that I went to download the games and did like putting someone help me to download
i wonder if sony was nice enough one day to put APE ESCAPE ON HERE LIKE LOTS OF PEOPLE ASKED. Come on? On hard is it to add a game to PSone classics?
what i think would be cool of sony is bring back the ability to play ps2 games.
question #1
i recently bough two 20€ PSN cards that keep saying ”the code you entered may not be correct or no longer valid, check your entries” is that currently undergoing maintenance?
question #2
how do i active my playstation plus? i tried to go to the playstation plus link in the ps3 store and didnt find the 30 day free membership. what to do?
@2310 (and others with the same problem)
The guy spamming the comments in all caps has the key to the info in how to get this to work. You have to go to the services section under account info -> transaction info. Note that this was not working for me at ALL last night. Then choose the service that is not the PSN+. That one is the one where you choose the game. Then from there, you can choose to download the game. I set mine to DL in the background and theyr’e still pulling. I personally chose inFamous and Little Big Planet. InFamous is > 8GB! So it will take a while. And I foolishly chose to DL that one first. Oh well. At least they’re finally downloading.
Overall, you definitely get what you pay for. This frustration alone is enough to make me never want to use the PS3 for much more than a BluRay player. At least these are some decent games and (even though they’re really old), I haven’t played them.
Psn Welcome back program is it limited to only one ps3 or to each psn acc?
I know there are still issues but I was trying to download my second PS3 game from Welcome back offer (Dead Nation) an error code 80710D36 showed up. Then I go to downlist and game is not there. I go back to Welcome back offer screen and I can not choose the second PS3 game to download. Can anyone help on this?