Sony walks back PlayStation account requirement for Helldivers 2 following overwhelming community outrage

Sony has announced that the planned PlayStation Network account requirement for Helldivers 2 on all platforms – a move that would have prevented a large number of players from playing the game from their home country – has been canceled. This announcement came via Sony’s official Twitter account, which announced the news just a few minutes ago.

The statement reads: “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 from May 30, will not advance.”

We’re still learning what’s best for PC gamers and your feedback has been invaluable. Thanks again for your continued support of Helldivers 2 and we will keep you posted on future projects.

Before this rollback, this decision to reactivate the mandatory PlayStation Network account in order to play the PC version of Helldivers 2 led to astronomical levels of negative reviews on Steam for the otherwise beloved 3rd person shooter last Friday. While Sony was silent over the weekend, the CEO of Arrowhead (developer of Helldivers 2) was quick and consistent with public posts informing fans of the situation. It seems that with this retraction, developers and players can be at peace.

This does not mean that the damage has not already been done. Helldivers 2 remains negatively rated on Steam – a black mark that will likely take some time to clean up. Additionally, this controversy carried over to other Arrowhead games, with Helldivers 1 seeing its own share of bombed reviews.

And what about Sony? As a company that has made a point of expressing its desire to expand into the live service space, purchasing Bungie and obviously releasing Helldivers 2, it was a confusing weekend for those excited about the megacorporation sensibilities of video games. A mistake like this has undoubtedly dulled the shine of his golden goose. This could, for both gamers and developers considering partnering with Sony, sow doubt about its ability to leave projects in good stead.

We’ll have to sit back and see the long-term impact of this weekend’s debacle. However, for now, Helldivers 2 is back on the menu. No strings attached!