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Japanese electronics giant Sony on Monday advised owners of older versions of the PlayStation 3 not to use the videogame console until it can fix a problem with the clock in the system.
"As you may be aware, some customers have been unable to connect to the PlayStation Network today," Patrick Seybold, a Sony spokesman, said in a post on the Sony PlayStation blog at blog.us.playstation.com.
Seybold said the problem, which has left many PS3 owners unable to connect to the Internet and some unable to even play games offline, was only affecting models released before last year's "slim" PS3.
"We hope to resolve this problem within the next 24 hours," Seybold said.
"In the meantime, if you have a model other than the new slim PS3, we advise that you do not use your PS3 system, as doing so may result in errors in some functionality, such as recording obtained trophies, and not being able to restore certain data."
Some PS3 users had complained on the PlayStation blog that "trophies" they earned for progressing through game levels had disappeared.
Seybold appeared to confirm speculation on the PlayStation blog that the problem was related to the transition from February to March.
"We believe we have identified that this problem is being caused by a bug in the clock functionality incorporated in the system."
PS3 owners had deluged the PlayStation blog on Monday with hundreds of comments and complaints.
"Please fix it as soon as possible. I can't even play my games offline," said "MohammedMK."
"I'm so very worried here. I bought my PS3 real early so please fix it! I don't want a new system," wrote "Destiny89."
