Sony’s new game, Helldivers 2, is facing backlash from players. To keep playing, they now have to link their Steam accounts to a PlayStation Network (PSN) account. Initially, this linking was optional due to technical reasons, but now it’s mandatory. As a result, many PC players leave negative reviews and ask for refunds—but they all agreed to this.
Even with the argument against the announcement, when you sign up for games, they come with Terms of Service and things to agree to. You agreed to link your account to PlayStation when you first started playing the game; it just wasn’t enforced. Now, they’re enforcing it, so players are unhappy, and it’s easy to see the reasoning on both sides.
Sony has explained that connecting accounts is important to keep the online community safe and secure. The company says this rule will help stop disruptive behavior and allow for the removal of unfair or mean players. It also means people can ask for a second look if they think they were unfairly removed.
Despite Sony’s reasons, many Steam players are still annoyed by being forced to link to a console-focused platform. Some see it as an unnecessary hassle, while others think it shows that Sony doesn’t want to fully support cross-platform play. The increase in bad reviews on Steam shows that the community is not happy with this change.
The bigger issue is that Sony can be less than trustworthy in keeping data safe. The amount of times in the past few years that I’ve personally reported on Sony getting hacked, information taken, and more is unreal. It’s hard to trust Sony with anything because of how often data is stolen.
The announcement also raises questions about whether Helldivers 2 will be released on other platforms, such as the Xbox. Xbox players have shown interest in the franchise for a while, but the new PSN link requirement might make an Xbox version unlikely. This is disappointing and pretty much puts a pin on the idea of the game coming to Xbox for now. We’ll have to see where this goes, but it doesn’t seem like a win for the developers or the player base.
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