Game over? Sony FINALLY offers compensation to MEELLIONS of PSN hack victims

Millions of PSN gamers, who were hit by a massive data breach on Sony's Playstation network back in 2011, are finally being offered the opportunity to claim compensation from the company.

Stateside victims of the hack attack – PSN, Qriocity and Sony Online Entertainment subscribers who held an account before 15 May 2011 – have been encouraged to file an online form as part of a settlement deal to end a class action lawsuit brought against the Japanese tech giant.

A number of claims can be submitted by U.S. netizens affected by the assault on Sony's computer network systems.

Victims can either claim one free game, up to three themes or a free subscription to Playstation Plus for three months for those subscribers not already signed up to that option.

While those affected by identity theft can claim up to $2,500 in compensation.

Sony, which offered a $15m settlement deal to PSN gamers in July last year, said:

The proposed settlement offers payments equal to credit balances (if applicable credit balance is $2 or more) in inactive accounts, game and online service benefits for holders of active accounts, and reimbursements for certain out-of-pocket expenses from any identity theft proven to have resulted from the intrusions.

In the UK, Sony was slapped with a £250,000 fine by the Information Commissioner's Office, after it concluded that the Data Protection Act had been violated following the 2011 hack attack.

The personal info of millions of Brits – including names, addresses and account passwords – were stolen by malefactors who infiltrated Sony's PlayStation Network systems.

In January 2013, Blighty's data cops concluded that the breach of around 77 million gamers could have been prevented if Sony had adequate security measures in place, such as hashing and salting log-ins and keeping system patches up to date.

Despite that admonishment, Sony has refused to accept any responsibility for the attack. ®