Helldivers 2 has been in the news lately for the worst possible reasons. The popular third-person co-op shooter launched in February with a bang and maintained a steadily high ranking among the most-played games on Steam. In fact, it’s also the best-selling game of the year so far.
Everything eventually comes to an end, though, and the mountain of goodwill developer Arrowhead built up with the game has been quickly eroding over the past 48 hours, after it was announced that linking a PSN account will be mandatory to play the game after May 6. Players are expectedly enraged, but Arrowhead is apparently speaking with Sony to quell the problem.
Certain Regions May Be Locked Out Of Helldivers 2
The heart of the issue lies in a lack of transparency. The initial Steam version’s End-User License Agreement (EULA) made no mention of a mandatory PSN link. This blindsided players when the announcement dropped, and the anger intensified upon realizing the limited reach of PSN itself.
With the network restricted to only 69 countries, the requirement forces players from unsupported regions into a no-win situation. Linking their Steam accounts to a non-existent PSN account would violate PSN’s Terms of Service (ToS), potentially leading to account bans. This incited swift and brutal backlash.
Online forums and servers overflowed with disgruntled players demanding answers, and the Helldivers 2 Steam page was bombarded with over 200,000 negative reviews, bringing the user score down severely.
Arrowhead And Sony Discussing Ways To Move Forward
Thankfully, Arrowhead hasn’t retreated into radio silence. CEO Johan Pilestedt confirmed in a tweet today that discussions are underway with Sony to address the issues put forth by the community, specifically the one surrounding countries which don’t have PSN access:
Is this the moment to tweet "What? You guys don't have phones?" 😵💫
On serious note: We are talking solutions with PlayStation, especially for non-PSN countries. Your voice has been heard, and I am doing everything I can to speak for the community – but I don't have the final…
— Pilestedt (@Pilestedt) May 5, 2024
Arrowhead community manager Spitz also clarified separately that the PSN requirement originated from Sony, not the developers themselves. Highlighting their commitment to player experience, they assured users that Arrowhead doesn’t want them violating PSN’s terms of service.
Interestingly, Spitz encouraged players to continue voicing their displeasure through negative reviews and refund requests. According to them, this strong negative reception would strengthen the studio’s position when negotiating with Sony for a more player-friendly solution.
Sony has yet to comment on the matter, but the company seems keen on enforcing the mandate, as it delisted Helldivers 2 from Steam in the countries that aren’t covered by PSN. This isn’t an encouraging sign, and will surely make players in those regions worry about their access to the game.
It’s unclear whether it’s a temporary change, but in the meantime, the community can rest easy knowing their voices are being heard. The fight may be far from over, but there’s still hope that Sony’s live-service golden goose may bounce back after a stumble.
