Following criticism on social media, Sony has decided to no longer require Helldivers 2 players on PC to link their Steam account to PSN.
Tl;dr
- Sony reverses the requirement for Helldivers 2 players on PC to link their account to PSN.
- The initial decision led to a boycott and significant negative feedback, resulting in massive refunds.
- The gaming community celebrated this change as a major victory.
- The plans for the upcoming season of Helldivers 2 remain unaffected.
Helldivers 2 Community Revolt Forces Sony’s Hand
Sony has officially dropped the requirement for Helldivers 2 players on PC to link their Steam account with PSN (PlayStation Network). This decision comes after a period of boycott, negative feedback, and massive refunds over the weekend. The shift from an optional to mandatory PSN account for Helldivers 2 players sparked outrage within the community, especially as it reportedly blocked players from 121 countries due to PSN service unavailability.
Helldivers fans — we’ve heard your feedback on the Helldivers 2 account linking update. The May 6 update, which would have required Steam and PlayStation Network account linking for new players and for current players beginning May 30, will not be moving forward.
We’re still…
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) May 6, 2024
The Weight of Criticism
Following the announcement of this requirement, Helldivers 2 received an influx of negative reviews on Steam, significantly harming the game’s reputation on the Valve platform. Within days, the community amassed over 200,000 negative reviews, prompting Steam to start refunding players with over two hours of playtime.
A Victory for Players
The Helldivers 2 player community viewed this reversal as a triumph. The impact of the protests was significant enough to compel Sony to abandon this requirement. The community’s next move is likely anticipating the next monthly “Premium Warbond.” This Battle Pass system introduces new weapons, cosmetics, and armor with each iteration.
Our Thoughts
It’s unfortunate that Helldivers 2 and Arrowhead Game Studios had to navigate such a turbulent period, especially considering Sony’s decision aligns with industry trends followed by Microsoft, Ubisoft, Rockstar Games, and Blizzard Entertainment. Despite this setback, Helldivers 2 maintains its popularity and success surrounding its live service model. This incident underscores the importance for game publishers to carefully consider the impact of their decisions on their player community.