The Helldivers 2 community is currently in shambles, and Arrowhead Game Studios is running damage control to the best of its abilities. Sony’s controversial decision to make linking Steam accounts and PSN accounts mandatory has led to not only massive backlash but also some unforeseen circumstances.
The issue is that the linking of the accounts is mandatory if people want to play the game. This means not only having a PSN account but also having the service in your country. PlayStation Network is not a global service, and now players in countries where it is absent are up a certain creek with no paddle.
Helldivers 2 Players Unable to Link Accounts Getting Banned
While there are a total of 190 independent countries in the world, the PlayStation Network is available in only 69 of them. This wasn’t an issue when people were able to use their Steam accounts to access Helldivers 2. However, with the grace period ending on May 6, players are now desperate to keep fighting for Super Earth, and we are seeing the fallout in real-time.
PlayStation has stated the link is necessary to ensure the safety and security of players while interacting with each other online. Community manager Spitz revealed on Discord that Sony had no way to directly ban people who had a Steam account and would need to go through Valve each time, thus lengthening the ban process.
Well, the bans have started, but this isn’t what the company had in mind. Those who are based in countries where the PlayStation Network is not available thought they could link the accounts by routing their connection via a VPN. Unfortunately, this seems to be a red flag in the system, as the player has been banned.
One comment has given a potential solution: players trying to link accounts from countries without PSN should utilize a US account. However, attempt this at your discretion, as it is a random piece of advice on X that may or may not be applicable.
Account Linking Announcement Causes Fans to Turn on Helldivers 2
Amid all the drama surrounding the game, Arrowhead is working on a possible lifeline. Spitz has stated the response to the account linking requirement among even the dev team is mostly negative. As such, the team is working to find an alternative that could solve both issues.
The studio is also doing what it can to stem the tide of criticism and insults. The Steam page has witnessed a dramatic shift in the ratings, with thousands of negative reviews now drastically changing the sentiment rating. We can also assume the concurrent player count is going to take a hit since console players make up a small percentage of the total player base.
Decisions like these can greatly affect the future of any title. These requirements are usually announced at launch, so the sudden demand for the accounts to be linked has irked many fans. Some feel it is a way to farm more personal data for Sony to sell to advertisers.
Do you think the Helldivers 2 will be able to work through this debacle? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
