No doubt gamers have been keeping tabs on the recent outage of the PlayStation Network and Sony's effort in handling the situation as well as restoring the status quo. Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong has now issued a press release stating that Sony Corporation and Sony Computer Entertainment will begin the phased restoration of the network in Japan and Asia on May 28. The first phase of the restoration includes the PSN and Qriocity sign-in section, which includes the resetting of passwords, online gameplay, the Friends category on the PS3, PlayStation Home, and access to other network services.

　　The network should be up and running starting tomorrow. In addition, identity protection measures will be offered to Japanese users. Sony has established a phone hotline to offer guidance on service restoration as well as bear expenses to reissue new credit cards to users who request to replace their existing card. However, this program is not applicable in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Hong Kong.

　　The "Welcome Back" package will also let PlayStation 3 owners from Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia download two PS3 games and two PSP games from the following list:

　　PS3

　　--The Last Guy

　　--Come on, LocoRoco!! BuuBuu Cocoreccho

　　--Trashbox

　　--Hustle Kings

　　--Wipeout HD

　　PSP

　　--Everybody's Stress Buster

　　--LittleBigPlanet Portable

　　--LocoRoco - Midnight Carnival

　　--Modnation Racer PSP

　　Japanese users get to download two PS3 games and two PSP titles from this list:

　　PS3

　　--The Last Guy

　　--LocoRoco!! BuuBuu Cocoreccho

　　--Echochrome

　　--Wipeout HD

　　--Hustle Kings

　　PSP

　　--Yuusha no Kuse ni Namaikida or2

　　--Minna no Sukkiri

　　--Patapon 2

　　--LittleBigPlanet Portable

　　--LocoRoco Midnight Carnival

　　Asian PSN subscribers will also be provided with the PlayStation Plus premium service for 30 days, as well as an option to download the Dokodemo Issyo Spring theme for their system dashboards for free. Japanese PSN users will also get 30 free days of Platinum membership in the Weekly Toro Station, which is a show where Sony mascots Toro and Koro deliver game, anime, and entertainment news and information behind a news desk.

　　Service restoration has not been launched in Korea and Hong Kong. SCE Hong Kong will announce the schedules soon.