Sony overturns Helldivers 2 PSN requirement following backlash
"We've heard your feedback."
Following backlash from its community, Sony has overturned plans to enforce mandatory PSN linking for Helldivers 2 players on Steam.
On Friday, the publisher announced Helldivers 2 players on Steam would soon be required to link to a PSN account for safety and security. It said this was always going to be a requirement for players on PC, but due to issues at launch, linking was made optional for a period.
The news was immediately met with intense backlash, which resulted in an influx of negative reviews from Helldivers 2 players on Steam. Many asked for a refund as Helldivers 2 was pulled from sale in 177 countries where PSN is not available.
As a result, Sony has now reversed its plans to make PSN linking a requirement for Helldivers 2 players on Steam. In a post shared this morning via PlayStation, the publisher said:
"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 beginning May 30, will not be moving forward."
Sony stated it was "still learning what is best for PC players", calling the recent spate of feedback "invaluable". It then thanked everyone for their "continued support of Helldivers 2", before promising to keep us updated on future plans.
Resharing Sony's post, Arrowhead CEO and Helldivers 2 creative director Johan Pilestedt said he was impressed by players' "willpower... and ability to collaborate" over the past few days. He then went on to thank Sony for its decision to make PSN linking optional again.
"We together want to set a new standard for what a live game is, and how developers and community can support each other to create the best game experiences," Pilestedt concluded.
In a follow up reply, Pilestedt stated the Helldivers 2 team was now "building systems to replace" the 'moderation functionality' PSN linking would have assisted with. He additionally teased a new Helldivers 2 cape design based on the negative Steam reviews chart (see post below).
"The team is [talking] about a good name for it right now," he said to one Helldivers 2 fan.