A new Helldivers 2 patch is here and will hopefully put the whole PlayStation Network account linking debacle to bed once and for all, as it's now been added as an explicitly "optional" setting.
04.05.2024 - 21:07 / gamerant.com / Sony / Lance Gose
Helldivers 2 developers are reportedly holding internal discussions regarding its controversial PlayStation Network account linking requirements for Steam players. The Helldivers 2 community was caught in a fiery meltdown after Arrowhead Game Studios announced plans to enforce its account-linking measures months after the game was released, with players quickly flooding online forums and servers demanding an explanation from both the developers and publisher.
In contrast to the overwhelmingly positive reception it received in the weeks following its February launch, Helldivers 2 has seen unprecedented levels of contempt in recent days from its thousands of players, who were outraged by its plans to begin enforcing a rule stipulating that PC users will be required to link their Steam account to PSN after a month-long grace period. Many fans have protested against this decision, claiming the game's End-User License Agreement for Steam contained no clear mention of a PSN requirement. They additionally pointed out that PSN was only available in 69 countries and that, for players residing outside these territories, simply creating an account is already violating PSN's Terms of Service, which is a bannable offense.
The public backlash was so intense that it inevitably caught the attention of the developers. Spitz, the Helldivers 2 Discord server community manager, posted an update claiming Arrowhead Game Studios was in the process of hosting internal discussions regarding the overwhelmingly negative reception of the Steam and PSN account linking requirement. While Spitz could not reveal specific details regarding the talks, he claimed developers were looking for alternatives, and that notably, if a solution was not found for countries without access to PSN, account linking would at the very least not be made a requirement for players within those regions.
Spitz additionally clarified that the changes to the account-linking requirements originated from Sony rather than Arrowhead Game Studios and that the developers had no intention of forcing players into breaking PSN's ToS. He also encouraged users to make their opinions heard by posting negative reviews to Helldivers 2's store page and applying for refunds en masse, which Spitz claimed gave the studio a better chance at conducting successful negotiations with Sony.
While Helldivers 2 has reached noteworthy milestones in the time since its release, the recent storm of controversy is a good reminder that hasty decisions can turn public opinion at the drop of a hat even for the most beloved titles. With that said, Helldivers 2 players can at least take heart in knowing that Arrowhead Game Studios heard their voices and are now doing their best to find a
A new Helldivers 2 patch is here and will hopefully put the whole PlayStation Network account linking debacle to bed once and for all, as it's now been added as an explicitly "optional" setting.
Helldivers 2 studio Arrowhead is still struggling to catch up to the intense pressure that comes with releasing such a wildly, unexpectedly successful game - and now they're also dealing with internal delays caused by the recent PSN-linking kerfuffle.
Helldivers 2 is still being removed from sale on Steam in more countries, even after publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) scrapped its hugely controversial PSN mandate.
Helldivers 2 director Johan Pilestedt agrees with fans that game balance updates have occasionally gone too far. Helldivers 2 is one of Sony's most popular games right now, and the new Polar Patriots Warbond is out. Because of the game's popularity and recent negative reception to updates, Arrowhead Game Studios' responses to feedback and PlayStation's approach to PC gaming fans have been the topic of frequent discussion.
Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead has released the Polar Patriots Premium Warbond as planned after the boss of the studio polled fans on whether it should go ahead so soon after what he called “negative sentiment” over the game’s PlayStation Network account linking.
Helldivers 2 Community Manager 'Spitz' is seemingly no longer with Arrowhead Game Studios following outings he did over the now-canceled mandatory PSN account linking update.
Fans of Helldivers 2 have started a petition asking developers Arrowhead to reinstate a fired employee in charge of community management. The employee, "Spitz", was let go following the fiasco in which Sony told PC players they would need to link their Steam and PlayStation Network accounts to continue playing the shooter. Sony and Arrowhead changed their mind about that after player backlash in the form of 100,000+ negative reviews on Steam. The kicker? Community manager "Spitz" was low-key encouraging players to continue the review bombing. This doesn't seem to have gone down well internally.
Helldivers 2 developers are reportedly working on a new cape inspired by the account-linking controversy. While the community can breathe a sigh of relief knowing the worst of the fiasco has passed, some fans have additionally taken to sharing designs for costume accessories inspired by Helldivers 2's Steam page. Some of these designs even managed to reach the offices of developer Arrowhead Game Studios and, if one executive is to be believed, will soon hit live servers as an official cosmetic.
After the backlash and subsequent U-turn on Helldivers 2 requiring players to link their Steam account to a PlayStation Network account, the next PlayStation flagship headed to PC has sought to reassure players that you won’t need a PSN account to play its single-player campaign. Multiplayer’s a different case, though.
Sony has reversed a decision that would have required Helldivers 2 players to link their Steam accounts to PlayStation Network accounts.
Helldivers 2 PC players who live in regions without access to the PlayStation Network will still be able to play the game, even after the account linking mandate comes into effect, according to one developer.
Amid the turmoil of the recent Helldivers 2 controversy, its predecessor Helldivers has also been review bombed by disappointed fans. The original's latest negative reviews criticize the account-linking requirement of Helldivers 2, which was eventually retracted by publisher Sony.