Sony has reversed its recent mandate that required new and existing players of Helldivers 2 on Steam to link their PlayStation Network (PSN) accounts to continue playing. This decision came after a significant backlash from the gaming community over the weekend. On Friday, Sony announced that players would have to link their Steam accounts to their PSN accounts starting May 6 for new users and beginning May 30 for current users.
The announcement drew harsh criticism from players, resulting in a flurry of negative reviews on Steam that significantly impacted the game’s ratings. By Monday, the PlayStation handle on X acknowledged the feedback from fans, stating, “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.”
The post further expressed gratitude for the community’s input, stating, “We’re still learning what is best for PC players and your feedback has been invaluable. Thanks again for your continued support of Helldivers 2 and we’ll keep you updated on future plans.”
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.
We’re still…
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) May 6, 2024
Arrowhead Game Studios, the developer behind Helldivers 2, also reached out to the community, suggesting that they were collaborating with Sony to find a solution, especially for players in non-PSN countries. Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilstedt voiced his commitment to advocate for player concerns, stating, “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 say.”
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
This response from Sony demonstrates their attentiveness to player sentiment. While the linking requirement has been lifted, the incident has marred some of the goodwill Helldivers 2 had generated since its release.
The multiplayer shooter launched on PS5 and PC in February to critical acclaim and substantial commercial success, rapidly gaining traction on Steam despite encountering technical issues. Arrowhead has been active in maintaining the game with numerous updates and bug fixes, along with new content to keep the player base engaged. On Monday, Pilstedt expressed appreciation for PlayStation’s prompt response to the community’s concerns, highlighting the strength of the Helldivers 2 fanbase and thanking Sony for making the decision to keep account linking optional.
