Sony reverses its divisive PlayStation Network sign-in requirement for PC titles
After massive backlash, Sony has announced its changing its policy on PC games
🙏 Sony is changing its mandatory PSN sign-in policy on PC
😠 PC players had to create and sign into a PlayStation Network account
🤷♂️ This even applied to single-player games
👏 However, Sony is making sign-in optional for some games and offering benefits for those that do
Ahead of the PC launch of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Sony has walked back its controversial policy of requiring a PlayStation Network account to access its single-player titles.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, God of War Ragnarok, and Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered will make the need for a PlayStation Network account optional, though players will miss out on some benefits like trophies and friend management.
Sony is also trying to reward PC players who sign up for a PlayStation Network account with in-game content unlocks. Players who opt to sign in with a PSN account will receive the following unlocks in these games:
Sony controversially begun making PlayStation Network accounts mandatory to play its games on PC. The decision caused an uproar and created a huge backlash when it was introduced to Helldivers 2, many months after the game launched. Sony claimed the need for a PlayStation Account was because of “safety and security provided on PlayStation and PlayStation Studios games” but this didn’t appease players.
It’s unlikely that Sony’s offer of in-game content will encourage any PC players to sign in with a PlayStation Network account if they were against it, but it’s pleasing to see that for some games, especially single-player titles, singing in with an account will at least be optional.
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.