Sony has reversed a decision that would have required Helldivers 2 players to link their Steam accounts to PlayStation Network accounts.
In an announcement this morning, the official PlayStation account posted a tweet reading "Helldivers fans - we've heard your feedback on the Helldivers 2 account liking update." That update, which was due to roll out today and would have required all players to link their accounts by May 30, "will not be moving forward."
Sony goes on to say that "we're still learning what is best for PC players and your feedback has been invaluable." That 'feedback' likely refers to the tanking of support for the game on Steam, as well as a massive backlash on social media. More than 200,000 negative reviews were posted on Helldivers 2's Steam page after Sony announced the change, which would have limited access to Helldivers 2 for players in many countries around the world where PSN isn't supported. Elsewhere, community members discussed solutions such as boycotts and class-action lawsuits, while Steam began overruling its strict two-hour refund policy for affected players.
- Months after the Helldivers 2 fiasco, Sony drops PlayStation Network requirements on PC just in time for Spider-Man 2 and promises free stuff to get people to sign up instead
- After a year of PSN controversy, balance woes, and a 63-day recovery effort, Helldivers 2 devs say "we've been on a rollercoaster, but we're also in an extremely privileged position to be on this rollercoaster"
Firstly, I am impressed by the willpower of the @helldivers2 community and your ability to collaborate. Secondly I want to thank our partners and friends at @PlayStation for quickly and effectively making the decision to leave PSN linking optional. We together want to set a new… https://t.co/2rayksgH1vMay 6, 2024
In response to the change, Arrowhead Studios CEO Johan Pilstedt tweeted "I am impressed by the willpower of the Helldivers 2 community and your ability to collaborate." He also thanked PlayStation for changing its decision, saying that the two companies "want to set a new standard for what a live game is, and how developers and the community can support each other to create the best game experiences."
It'll be interesting to see the climb back for Helldivers 2. Lauded as one of the breakout hits for the year, much of that reputation seemed to crumble over the past couple of days. Currently, the game's reviews sit at 'Mixed' on Steam, after 278,000 players made their displeasure known. Community sentiment does appear to have reversed pretty quickly now that Sony has backtracked, but for some, it will likely be too little, too late.
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