Sony reverses Helldivers 2's account linking requirement

Sony has elected to reverse its proposed policy requiring a PlayStation Network account for Helldivers 2 players on Steam.

Last week, Sony said PC players would have to link their pre-existing PSN account (or make a new one) with Steam to continue playing the game. The requirement was turned off at launch due to the overwhelming influx of players.

Originally, account linking would've begun today, May 6. In canceling it, Sony said it's "still learning what is best for PC players. [...] Thanks again for your continued support of Helldivers 2 and we’ll keep you updated on future plans."

Reactions to this requirement were very negative, particularly from players in countries where PSN isn't available. Over the weekend, Helldivers 2 was flooded with negative reviews and delisted in over 150 countries on Steam.

At the time of its announcement, Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt told players to share their thoughts with PlayStation's customer service page.

Where does Helldivers 2 go from here?

Now that account linking has been scrapped, Helldivers 2's fortunes on Steam are turning around. Its reviews have now gone from "mostly negative" to "mixed," with several players celebrating their ability to change Sony's minds.

As for Pilestedt, he thanked Sony for "quickly and effectively making the decision to leave PSN linking optional. We together want to set a new standard for what a live game is, and how developers and community can support each other to create the best game experiences."

Going along with this reversal, Sucker Punch reiterated the Steam version of Ghost of Tsushima will only require a PSN account for the Legends co-op mode. The single player can be played sans account linking.

While Helldivers 2 players were successful in changing the requirement, Sony may still demand it of players in a future PC port.