Helldivers 2 new PSN account rule pulls the rug from under PC players' feet
You'll need a PSN account to continue playing Helldivers 2 on Steam
😲 Helldivers 2 players will require a PSN account to play the game moving forward
📆 Existing players will need to link a PSN account on May 30
🦺 Sony said the move will protect players and uphold values of safety and security
😡 The news has led to a surge of negative reviews on Steam
Sony has announced that players who own Helldivers 2 on PC will need to link an active PSN account to continue playing. It’s a mandatory requirement for new players and current players will need to accept the new terms on May 30.
As you might expect, the news hasn’t gone down well. Players have flocked to Steam to leave negative reviews for Helldivers 2, which remains at “Very Positive” after it launched to "'Mixed” reviews due to server issues. However, the game has been incredibly successful and well-received since, but that could be about to change.
One Steam user with over 100 hours on record wrote: “I bought this game on Steam with the intention of playing it on Steam. I do not now nor will I ever have a PlayStation account. Forcing players to link or be banned from the game months after launch is unacceptable. I would refund this if I had the opportunity to do so. Honestly absurd behavior from Arrowhead.”
Another negative review said: “Crazy, loved this game but can’t really play it anymore. Congrats to Sony for destroying this game. Hope the class actions that will come will teach them a lesson.”
Another angry player with over 200 hours on record wrote: “Despite claiming that ‘Sony does not dictate their decisions’ and that they ‘will not be acquired by Sony’, it seems that of this date, Arrowhead has been bought by Sony, as visible on this store page, instead of publisher ‘Arrowhead’ it's now ‘PlayStation’, and the recent post about the game now requiring PSN accounts is also signed by ‘Sony Entertainment Interactive’ instead of "Arrowhead" and they are now making anti-consumer changes to the game.
”Despite my love for this game, I feel obligated to tell you to DO NOT BUY. The game will likely go even more downhill from here.”
In a lengthy statement on Steam, Sony Interactive Entertainment said:
“Attention Helldivers,
”Due to technical issues at the launch of HELLDIVERS™ 2, we allowed the linking requirements for Steam accounts to a PlayStation Network account to be temporarily optional. That grace period will now expire. See details below in this post.
”Account linking plays a critical role in protecting our players and upholding the values of safety and security provided on PlayStation and PlayStation Studios games. This is our main way to protect players from griefing and abuse by enabling the banning of players that engage in that type of behavior. It also allows those players that have been banned the right to appeal.
”As such, as of May 6th, all new Helldivers 2 players on Steam will be required to connect their Steam account to a PlayStation Network account. Current players on Steam will start to see the mandatory login from May 30th and will be required to have linked a Steam and PlayStation Network account by June 4th. PlayStation Network accounts are free and easy to set up using this link
https://www.playstation.com/support/account/create-account-for-psn/
”We understand that while this may be an inconvenience to some of you, this step will help us to continue to build a community that you are all proud to be a part of.”
The controversy comes hot off the heels of a Stellar Blade petition demanding the game’s costumes be uncensored and returned to their original designs. Many have pointed the finger at Sony, despite developer Shift Up being independent like Arrowhead Studios.
We’ll have to wait and see if the backlash will be enough for Sony to revert its decision, especially as the majority of Helldivers 2’s sales and player base have come from PC.