Video game networks still spotty after Kim Dotcom offer

On the day after Christmas — when millions wanted to test drive new video game systems or games — service remained spotty on Microsoft's Xbox Live and Sony's PlayStation Network.

All that despite an effort by Kim Dotcom, the founder of sharing site Megaupload, who provided the group claiming responsibility for the network shutdowns with free, lifetime vouchers for his new MegaPrivacy website designed to provide encrypted cloud-storage.

In exchanges on Twitter the group has said that thanks to the receipt of the vouchers it has stopped its DDoS (distributed denial of service) attack. Both networks were still having problems Friday morning; the network status Web page for Xbox Live showed service as being "up and running," while PSN was still officially offline.

Unlike recent Sony hacks centered on the release of The Interview, Thursday's hack appeared to have nothing to do with the film. In an interview with the website WinBeta.org, the group says that the hack started out as something "simply for laughs" but evolved into a "real cause" designed to provoke Microsoft and Sony into upgrading their security.

According to the interview, the group targeted Microsoft and Sony on Christmas because it felt that "it would anger and reach the largest amount of people — more people, angry calls for a greater response from the companies."

While the group said it would continue until Microsoft and Sony upgraded their security, it appeared to have stopped the attack after the offer from Dotcom.

USA TODAY has reached out to Microsoft and Sony for comment and will update this story when they respond.

Follow Eli Blumenthal and Mike Snider on Twitter: @eliblumenthal and @MikeSnider.