Sony’s Helldivers 2 debacle: What’s all the fuss about?

Sony’s Helldivers 2 debacle: What’s all the fuss about?

Sony has reversed its decision to require a PSN account for Helldivers 2 Steam users, backtracking on the unpopular policy after significant criticism.

Tens of thousands of negative reviews played a role in this change, and some backlash affected Sony’s other Steam games.

Helldivers 2 is a third-person shooter game developed by Arrowhead Game Studios and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment.

The game, which was released for PlayStation 5 and Windows on February 8, 2024, has received rave reviews and is one of the best-selling games of 2024.

It went on to not only become the best-selling game of the year but also built a dedicated fan base that was impressed by Arrowhead’s consistent delivery of new content.

But on May 3, 2024, Sony Interactive Entertainment announced that the PC version of Helldivers 2 on Steam will require users to log in with a PSN account, starting for new players on May 6 and for existing players by June 4.

It was followed by the delisting of the game from the Steam platform in over 170 countries.

This decision caused controversy because the Playstation Network was not available in many parts of the world.

It resulted in a backlash online.

Sony Interactive’s decision was so controversial that Johan Pilestedt, CEO of Arrowhead, expressed his disappointment.

She posted, “Thinking about how I spend my time during that rare perfect moment, as today’s sunshine is replaced by a dreary drizzle and chilling wind.”

However, after facing three days of intense backlash, Sony changed its stance.

In a tweet, the company stated that they have listened to player feedback regarding Helldivers 2’s account linking mandate and that their update planned for May 6 will no longer be implemented.

Sony continued, “We’re still learning what’s best for PC gamers and your feedback is invaluable. Thanks again for your continued support of Helldivers 2, and we’ll keep you posted on future plans.”

The recent controversy surrounding its Steam version has the potential to damage the goodwill Arrowhead has built with its community.