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 / Johan Pilestedt / Sony / Lance Gose
Helldivers 2 players have expressed concerns that existing PlayStation Network account workarounds might lead to a permanent ban on their account. Arrowhead Game Studios' massively popular PvE shooter previously announced it would require players to link their Steam to a PSN account by the end of the month, which was met with overwhelming outrage by its community. Many Helldivers 2 players have since questioned how the developers plan on enforcing the rule, particularly for countries or regions that do not have access to PSN.
Since its release in February 2024, Helldivers 2 has consistently won favor from its community with its exhilarating PvE gameplay and the efforts of its development team to keep in touch with the community. However, public perception of the title turned sour overnight after it was announced that Steam players would be required to link their accounts to Sony's PSN system if they wanted to keep playing. Many fans pointed out how PSN was unavailable in a number of countries, which meant players who lived within these territories might be forced to lie about their country of residence if they intended to continue spreading managed democracy.
Players were also worried the proposed workaround to PSN's issues might cause a larger problem down the line. As some fans pointed out, section 3 of the PSN Terms of Service labeled under Account Creation, Usage, and Security specifically prohibited players from providing false information while registering, which meant users were not allowed to create their account under a region where they did not reside. Under the ToS, Sony holds the right to punish violators of the rule, whose accounts could be subjected to a permanent ban.
While some online users admitted that Sony seldom enforced the rule, many players remain distrustful of the company. They believe the PSN account requirement is a betrayal of the PC community, with others pointing out how the company also recently changed one of the answers in its PSN FAQ page following the Helldivers 2 controversy without explanation or prior warning.
In response to the overwhelming backlash against the new account linking requirement, Helldivers 2 developers have been attempting to mollify its fanbase, with several community managers from the Helldivers 2 Discord server stating that the studio was still discussing possible alternatives with Sony. Helldivers 2 director Johan Pilestedt additionally responded to disgruntled players, agreeing that the recent outcry was warranted but still hoping Arrowhead Game Studios will continue improving upon the title.
With Helldivers 2 user review scores on a steady decline, it's difficult to predict how or even if the title will ever reach the same level of goodwill
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.
A former Helldivers 2 lead writer has praised the shooter's community for uniting against the recent PSN mandate.
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.
Being a Helldivers 2 fan has been an absolute rollercoaster over this past weekend, with the game being the most loved live service game out there, to the most hated, and back again over the course of just a few days. Most of you will know that this was down to Sony's sudden implementation of its PSN account system, requiring Helldivers 2 players on Steam to sign up for the PlayStation Network if they want to continue playing.
Helldivers 2 has been a huge hit this yea,r with a consistent player base since its launch in February and a peak of over 450,000 players. Fighting for Super Earth, players have been waging war against monstrous insects and deadly robots and laying down their lives for democracy. But the game’s reputation took a hit recently when it was announced that PC players would have to register for a PlayStation Network account to continue playing the game — a move that would have left players in parts of the world with no PSN support high and dry.
It’s been a tumultuous few days for Helldivers 2, as one of this year’s most beloved runaway hits managed to seemingly undo all of its goodwill and earn the ire of thousands of players in the blink of an eye.
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.
In response to the recent negativity surrounding Helldivers 2 and PlayStation Network account requirements, Sucker Punch issued a statement in an attempt to clarify its use in the upcoming PC version of Ghost of Tsushima. It's been a rough few days for Arrowhead Game Studios, who took the brunt of the controversy surrounding a recent announcement that would require Helldivers 2 players to link to a PSN account. The backlash was so severe that Helldivers 2 was actively review bombed on Steam, the refund policy was changed, and ultimately, Sony issued a statement abandoning its PSN plans.
Sony has reversed a decision that would have required Helldivers 2 players to link their Steam accounts to PlayStation Network accounts.
PlayStation has delivered a U-turn and scrapped its plans to require Helldivers 2 players on Steam to sign in with a PlayStation Network account.