Sony has announced that the planned PlayStation Network account requirement for Helldivers 2 has been canceled across all platforms – a decision that would have left a large number of players unable to play the game from their home countries. This announcement came through Sony’s official Twitter account, which published the news just minutes ago.
The statement is as follows, “Helldivers fans – We’ve heard your feedback about the Helldivers 2 account linking update. The May 6 update, which would have required Steam and PlayStation Network account linking for new players and existing players starting May 30, will not move forward.”
We’re still learning what works best for PC players and your feedback has been invaluable. Thank you again for your continued support of Helldivers 2 and we will keep you updated on future plans.
Prior to this return, the decision to re-enable the mandatory PlayStation Network account in order to play the PC version of Helldivers 2 led to astronomical levels of negative Steam reviews for the beloved third-person shooter last Friday. While Sony remained quiet over the weekend, the CEO of Arrowhead (developer of Helldivers 2) was quick and persistent in making public posts to update fans on the situation. It seems that with this rollback, developers and players can feel at peace.
This does not mean that the damage has not already been done. Helldivers 2 still has a negative review on Steam – a black mark that will likely take some time to clean. Additionally, this controversy has spread to other Arrowhead games, with Helldivers 1 seeing its own share of review bombing.
What about Sony? As a company that has been keen to make its desire to expand into the live service space clear, purchasing Bungie and publishing Helldivers 2, it’s been a confusing weekend for those keen on the gaming giant’s sensibilities. Such a blunder would undoubtedly have dulled the luster of the golden goose. For both gamers and developers considering collaborating with Sony, this may be a seed of doubt about its ability to leave projects in a good place.
We’ll have to sit back and see the long-term impact of this weekend’s disaster. However, for now, Helldivers 2 is back on the list. no strings attached!
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