Following backlash from the community, PlayStation has announced that they will not push through with the mandatory linking of PlayStation Network (PSN) accounts for Helldivers 2.
On their official X account (formerly Twitter), PlayStation posted that they “heard [the] feedback on the Helldivers 2 account linking update.” As a result of that feedback, they decided that the update that “would have required Steam and PlayStation Network account linking” would no longer push through.
They explained that they were “still learning what is best for PC players”, and that the “feedback has been invaluable.” They thanked players for their continued support of Helldivers 2, and that they will keep players “updated on future plans.”
This decision came after their announcement back in May 3 was met with anger and frustration from the player base.
Back in May 3, they announced that “all new Helldivers 2 players on Steam will be required to connect their Steam account to a PlayStation Network account.” Additionally, they said that there will be a “mandatory login from may 30th”, and that players will be “required to have linked a Steam and PlayStation Network account by June 4th.”
This announcement caused a backlash in the community, who were upset that they were suddenly forced to log in to a separate account just to keep playing the game. Making it mandatory to link to a separate account, according to players, was a sudden change that they did not welcome for various reasons.
It is likely that this decision was made after Arrowhead was able to negotiate with PlayStation (as hinted by Arrowhead’s CEO, as well as their Community Manager) that this was not the right move. It’s also likely that the sheer amount of negative reviews and refunds forced Sony’s hand to rescind their decision.
Why Not Just Make An Account?
Of course, multiple players were quick to defend PlayStation, stating that it’s easy to just make a PSN account to link to Helldivers 2. However, other players were quick to explain why this was not a problem with a simple solution.
For starters, not every country that has access to Helldivers 2 also has access to PSN. For example, countries like Egypt, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica can buy the game, but cannot create a PSN account in their country. Granted, they can just make a PSN account for a nearby region, but this carries its own risks.
To keep it short, it is against PSN’s Terms of Service for players to create an account in a region that they do not reside in. Players who do so risk getting banned, which in turn will likely lock them out of their Helldivers 2 account.
Not only that, but PlayStation also delisted the game in over 170 countries that cannot make PSN accounts. This means that new players won’t even be able to start playing the game, as they can no longer buy it.
This forced the community’s hand, who proceeded to review bomb the game, as well as a mass refund on Steam. Steam even went as far as to accommodate refund requests for players with more than 2 hours in the game. Arrowhead themselves were encouraging players to do so so that they could present to Sony how bad mandatory linking was.
Thankfully, the backlash from the community convinced PlayStation to cancel their plan for Helldivers 2. However, it will take some time before the trust that was broken can be rebuilt. We’ll just have to see where things go from here.
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