TOKYO — Sony Chief Executive Howard Stringer credited “very loyal” PlayStation Network gamers for flocking back to the service in big numbers, as he sought to reassure shareholders following a series of embarrassing hacker attacks.

Stringer apologized for the data breach in April, which compromised personal data from more than 100 million online gaming and entertainment accounts. Sony was criticized for lax security and acting too slowly to inform customers as it grappled with one of the largest-ever security thefts.

Stringer said at an annual shareholders meeting held at a Tokyo hotel that as many as 90 percent of subscribers have come back since the Japanese company began restoring service last month.

Sony is forecasting a return to profitability this fiscal year after three straight years of red ink.