PS3 Brink release unaffected by PSN hack

By Robert Purchese Published 9 May, 2011

But you'll be restricted to fighting bots.

Brink will be released on PS3 across the UK this Friday, as planned - presumably without online multiplayer.

A question mark hung over the game's arrival following the continued outage of PlayStation Network. But publisher Bethesda will stick to schedule, unperturbed.

"We're still going ahead with launch this week," a Bethesda spokesperson told Eurogamer this afternoon.

Online multiplayer may be Brink's raison d'etre, but the game does also offer bots and a single-player mode.

However, with a full PSN restoration potentially weeks away, Brink console sales are expected to be heavily skewed towards Xbox 360.

Splash Damage's game will be available on PC, too.

Brink is a gorgeous, hyper-realistic and hyper-customisable team-based shooter. Eurogamer's Brink review will be published early tomorrow morning.

The first 15 minutes of Brink.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (40) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • foreal #1 1 year ago

    Eurogamer, why do you keep insisting PSN won't be up until May 31st? You're surprisingly tabloid-ish on this PSN debacle. Sony's already said online gameplay will be the FIRST to go live in what's a phased plan. This means there will be different portions of the service going live at different times.

    Because of these false reports, Sony even had to clarify:

    Edited by foreal at 09/05/11 @ 17:56

  • ChthonicEcho #2 1 year ago

    @foreal

    This is why.

    Edit: Ah, that is new information you linked to. Several websites reported the May 31st. You can hardly blame Eurogamer for that. There's been a lot of misinformation surrounding this ordeal.
    Edited by ChthonicEcho at 09/05/11 @ 16:59

  • GamesProgrammer Verified Games Team Programmer, Eutechnyx Ltd. #3 1 year ago

    tis a bit presumptuous to say multiplayer still wont be available on PS3 by friday.

  • nooneyouknow #4 1 year ago

    You think it won't be?

    Hadn't thought about it 'til now but means I probably will get the 360 version...

  • GamesProgrammer Verified Games Team Programmer, Eutechnyx Ltd. #5 1 year ago

    @ChthonicEcho

    That says "restart the services fully by May 31"

    Sony have said a few times that the online will return before the PSN store which will be last

  • Recarnate #6 1 year ago

    Even though PSN Online Gameplay will go "Live" this week. How stable is it going to be? Down every hour or so?

  • Peew971 #7 1 year ago

    The game is done anyway, why wouldn't they release it?

  • Ultrasoundwave #8 1 year ago

    I know 3 people that have traded their PS3's for 360's since the PSN fiasco.......I'm assuming this will be the next story EG publish.

    'Ultrasoundwave predicts mass PS3 trade-ins - source'

  • Slikz #9 1 year ago

    It'll be fine I'm sure the bots play just like real PS3 gamers.

  • RodHull #10 1 year ago

    Didn't Sony say that online would be online by the weekend just gone? Or was that just wishful thinking on my behalf?

  • Machetazo #11 1 year ago

    As Glastonbury festival is unaffected by mud.

  • Vistrix #12 1 year ago

    Its a Robert Purchese article - what do you expect?

    Online gaming will most likely be up well before May 31st. I was thinking some time this week seeing as Sony said they're in the final stages of testing after announcing the delay.
    Edited by Vistrix at 09/05/11 @ 17:13

  • slickster #13 1 year ago

    Thats fine by me psn will be back soon its not life or death whats rong with people.

  • Bertie Verified Senior Staff Writer, Eurogamer.net #14 1 year ago

    Foreal, that's why we use "presumably" in the opening sentence. We hope, like you, that the first phase of the restoration will bring back PS3 online gameplay this week - tomorrow, if possible. But we had hoped for the same last week and that didn't happen, albeit because of another unfortunate hack on SOE.

    The point is, there's no online gaming on PS3 at the moment and Brink is, more or less, an online game. How many of you with both consoles will pick the PS3 version?

    Nooneyouknow makes a good point, too - just how stable will PS3 online gaming be when it returns?

    Still, it's good to know that Bethesda's got confidence in Sony and its game.


  • Mister-Wario #15 1 year ago

    "Brink console sales are expected to be heavily skewed towards Xbox 360".

    As I understand it this is the case for virtually any console release. I wonder if this is influenced by games like Arkham Asylum, which come with extra stuff like challenge maps.

    Incidentally, I own both a PS3 and a 360 and I'd probably buy it for PS3. That's the console I'm using predominantly now, and frankly I'm not that much of an online gamer to warrant paying money for an online subscription on top of the game itself.
    Edited by Mister-Wario at 09/05/11 @ 17:24

  • asphaltcowboy #16 1 year ago

    So not really "unaffected" then?

  • joelstinton #17 1 year ago

    i've not long cancelled my pre-order for the ps3. Some may see this as an over reaction, and its the last thing Splash damage wants to happen. Its a real shame as i want to give my hard earned cash to the developers, but to be honest i'm caught in two minds, i could do with saving some cash, i will wait now till reviews come in, EG members reactions to the 360/pc versions, and pick it up later this month if all things are up and running by then , but this psn outage is good for no one.

    I rather though sony waited and got the online security in place before we are allowed to go online. I guess Bethesda could always 're-release' in a months time with some help from sony in the marketing department. But i do feel bad for cancelling my pre-order.

  • orangpelupa #18 1 year ago

    after buying Brink, try connect it using xbslink or xlinkkai. If it can connect, you can play multiplayer with player from all around the world without need of PSN.

  • coolbritannia #19 1 year ago

    Will be interesting to see the sales split between 360 and PS3.

    Portal was a pretty clear winner on the 360 even before the PSN debacle...

  • myiagros #20 1 year ago

    @Recarnate & Bertie - What makes you think that the PSN online multiplayer will be unstable or "down every hour or so", once it has been turned back on?

    I can't see any real reason that the online multiplayer will be any more unstable or erratic than it was before this debacle (ie. very stable and only down for pre-announced maintenance).

    Sure there will be a lot of people logging in to change their passwords, and sync their trophies, but i can't see either of these putting that much strain on Sony's infrastructure.

    With regards to the presumption that online multiplayer will still be unavailable on Friday, either EG know something which they have not reported, or they are being ignorant and obtuse as others have already illustrated clearly.

    EG really need to have a very serious look at they way they have reported on this once it is all over. I for one would be extremely ashamed of the quality and accuracy of much of the reporting on this issue, and think all the EG staff writers should be too.

    I'm not defending Sony at all here, they fucked up big style, but the EG reporters are either incapable of comprehending the fundamentals of the evolving story, or are being deliberately inflammatory.

  • AmherstWind #21 1 year ago

    Why do you assume people will just buy the 360 version because PSN is down? I have both consoles but as far as I'm concerned online with my 360 is never an option because I don't (and won't) buy gold. So you think someone like me is just going to say "well the PSN is down, I guess I'll buy Brink on 360 and buy xbox live membership"

  • Spekingur #22 1 year ago

    With people/gamers losing faith in the PSN it wouldn't be surprising to see a split between X360 and PS3. I wonder, however, how the sales on PC will be.

    The stability of PSN servers depend on the setup, the security and probability of continued attacks.

  • spongebob #23 1 year ago

    Brink is "hyper-realistic" according to the writer. Really?

  • dingo75 #24 1 year ago

    I can't see any real reason that the online multiplayer will be any more unstable or erratic than it was before this debacle (ie. very stable and only down for pre-announced maintenance).


    Did you ever try starting to play a MMO at release day / week?
    PSN servers will get hammered by everyone checking if it's up + desperate to change their passwords the minute news spread that it's up again.
    Usually you have some balance due to different time zones etc. but this time everyone that is awake will try to go online at the same time.
    + maybe some hackers & b/ tards will DDOS it for the lulz...
    Edited by dingo75 at 09/05/11 @ 18:39

  • mukki #25 1 year ago

    Groan...
    But ya bots will do and will probably be less annoying then trash talking 12 year olds...
    Will go with the ps3 version. Looking forward to a review... Hint hint!

    Btw the launch trailer is horrible... Other the pseudo 3d model of the arc that is..

  • Goodfella #26 1 year ago

    Irrespective of which console you're getting this for, word on the street is the single player is shite and shooting mechanics aren't too great either. This is more a multiplayer game though I gather. Still, general impressions aren't great.

  • YoyoMcDingdong #27 1 year ago

    if i bought this game and i was only a silver xbox live member,would it be worth it?

    i think the PS3 sales are really gonna suffer on this one,at least short term.
    Edited by YoyoMcDingdong at 09/05/11 @ 19:51

  • coolbritannia #28 1 year ago

    So the word on the street is the PS3 fanboys will slate the game as they can't really play it at the moment?

  • Cjail #29 1 year ago

    Do PS3 owners have to play Brink online from day one otherwise they won't enjoy it?
    I don't think so.
    Edited by Cjail at 09/05/11 @ 20:23

  • funkateer #30 1 year ago

    "Nooneyouknow makes a good point, too - just how stable will PS3 online gaming be when it returns? "

    That's a fair question, but I don't think 'nooneyouknow' made that point though?

  • NotSoSlim #31 1 year ago

    Apparently the game is a bit poo in SP mode so if no MP is up and running then this will hurt game sales imo

  • funkateer #32 1 year ago

    "So not really "unaffected" then?"

    It is unaffected as it will release regardless of PSN's status. But that's probably not what you meant ;)

  • coolbritannia #33 1 year ago

    You're so down with the kids. Word.

  • Goodfella #34 1 year ago

    So the word on the street is the PS3 fanboys will slate the game as they can't really play it at the moment?

    Oh do pipe down child, I've never beenr remotely interested in this game, even if I was I'd get it for my gaming PC. I was reading comments on NZB Matrix (Google it) from 360 owners who have downloaded it, pretty much all of them said it was crap.

  • kirankara #35 1 year ago

    [link url=http://www.lensoftruth.com/splash-damage-the-ps3-was-alien-technology/
    ]http://www.lensoftruth.com/splash-damage...[/link]

    tbh , this is more worrying for us ps3 owners. ill wai before buyin i think, and if this gets good reviews and is botched on ps3, ill buy myself a cheap older360.

  • T3TSUO #36 1 year ago

    Fickle much?
    We'll see who regrets trading when Uncharted 3 is out or any number of the huge range of PS3 exclusives out this year.
    I'll have forgot Brink ever existed in a few weeks when Duke is out.

  • GamesConnoisseur #37 1 year ago

    I would love to see the 'we were right,,,' by either SDF or Eurogamer/reporters, as theres lot of assumptions that online would be up sooner/later.

    Also Brink is largely made for online shooter, and so that might weights in consideration for people who are multi platform owner. Plus reported as in link above that PS3 was an alien tech for Splash Damage, so seem safer to wait for reviews before asserting that PS3 is the right choice come whwt may?

  • kirankara #38 1 year ago

    T3TSUO
    "Fickle much?
    We'll see who regrets trading when Uncharted 3 is out or any number of the huge range of PS3 exclusives out this year.
    I'll have forgot Brink ever existed in a few weeks when Duke is out."

    Didn't say I was getting rid of my Ps3 , that will always be my primary console of choice , that's why I was saying a cheap old 360 not a new slim with 250gb hard drive.

    I'm going to wait for reviews and feed back anyway, but I'm certainly considering this if the ps3 version if funked and reviews are good


    Edited by kirankara at 09/05/11 @ 23:30

  • coolbritannia #39 1 year ago

    Why delete your first post Goodfella?

  • freethinker101 #40 1 year ago

    I think Sony would be more concerned with sales of their own squad based shooter, than worry about a cross platform game. For me this games lack of any real single player mode makes it a no buy for me.