Didn't read whole thread, so someone may have said this, but Pachter (I know, I know) estimates they do about $10 million in sales a week on PSN, with a profit of about $3 million. Add in damage control, refunds, the cost of redoing the network, an "I'm sorry" gift for users, the handfuls of people who might choose another system to buy - or at least to spend their software money on this month, etc. And it becomes a decent chunk of change the longer this goes on.
For example, when XBL went down that Christmas, I turned to WoW and got sucked back in for three months straight. I would've bought a couple games and a couple downloadables in that timespan. Instead Blizzard got my money. And it never would've happened had XBL been up and running on my winter break.
Worse if they do end up finding out credit cards have been leaked and used, as obviously they have liability there and it opens up the possibilities of individual/class-action lawsuits/settlements as they didn't live up to their end of the EULA agreement that goes on forever every time they update the system.
It's an expense they don't need for a product line where they are still in the red lifetime in a big way.
Can't we all just get along and play our games in peace?
