Last year, the “Shutdown Law” was created in South Korea to prevent gamers under 16 from gaming during a six-hour block at night. A year later, it’s going to impact more than gamers under the age of 16. PlayStation gamers under 18 are getting screwed too.
The law went into effect July 1, 2012, and it’s already impacted Xbox Live. However, what happened to Sony seems much worse.
Sony “temporarily” took down the PSN Store last June. Sony hoped to get it back up sometime later in 2012, because it needed to revamp the PSN to comply with the new law. That apparently meant that there were no new PSN games and no other downloadable content during this blackout.
This week, Sony Computer Entertainment Korea (via tipster Sang) announced that the PSN is finally returning to South Korea. Those who had a Sony Entertainment Network (SEN) account prior to last year’s suspension of PSN service will receive an extra 30 days of PlayStation Plus once the PSN starts up again in South Korea on May 16.
However, people under the age of 18 will not be able to use the PlayStation Network starting May 16.
According to Sony’s South Korean arm, it was difficult for them to come up with a system that could limit game play time for minors as well as a system to verify parental permission. Thus, the PSN in South Korea will soon be ages 18 and up only.
From the sound of it, the PSN in South Korea will be PlayStation Plus only. If you want to use the PlayStation Network, you will need a credit card, explaining the decision to block all gamers too young to get a credit card.
I’m sure some under 18 year-old players will get adults to sign up for them. I’m also sure that this isn’t going to exactly help the PlayStation 3 in South Korea. At all.
18세 미만 이용자의 PlayStation®Network 이용 정지에 관한 공지 [Sony Computer Entertainment Korea — Thanks Sang!]
Comments
7 responses to “Under 18 Years Old? You Cannot Use The PSN In South Korea”
So does this affect Microsoft too? Or just a Sony problem?
What is it about games & the number 18 causing miserable inconvenience?
I know! After 18 bourbon cans, Forza doesn’t work properly anymore. Develops heaps of glitches ‘n’ stuff. Just sayin.
And trying to use my high power gaming PC with 18 other things plugged into the same outlet often causes blackouts
U can just make a new PSN account and change the DOB to something more than 18 yrs old on the sign up menu and that’s it.
i think in korea is different u need your ID code which link to your address to sign up
hence anyone outside of korea unable to sign up to korea mmpo games
Daym Koreans government are so strict both sides (Nth n Sth).