Over the past few years, PlayStation has made strides in the PC gaming community, releasing several of its popular first-party exclusives on platforms like Steam and the Epic Games Store. Titles such as Spider-Man Remastered, God of War, and The Last of Us have found success on these platforms. However, Helldivers 2 has been the standout success, garnering considerable popularity among PC players since its launch. When Helldivers 2 first premiered on PC, it was initially intended to require the linking of Steam accounts to the PlayStation Network.
However, this requirement was made optional after encountering “technical issues,” likely related to server problems. PlayStation has now announced that the grace period for optional account linking is coming to an end. The company claims that making account linking mandatory is crucial for protecting players and upholding safety and security values in their games. This requirement is also aimed at addressing issues such as griefing and abuse, with the ability to enforce bans and offer appeals for banned players.
Starting from May 6th, all new Helldivers 2 players on Steam will need to connect their accounts to a PlayStation Network account. Current Steam players will be required to link their accounts by June 4th, with a mandatory login process starting on May 30th. The decision to mandate a PSN account for Helldivers 2 has sparked dissatisfaction among many players, leading to a wave of negative reviews on the Steam page. Despite this, the game maintains a “Very Positive” rating, but recent reviews largely criticize the account linking process.
It is evident that many PC players are unhappy about the PSN account requirement. And while this backlash may impact game reviews and player morale, it is unlikely to prompt any changes to the new policy.
