Sony has backtracked on its decision that forced new and existing players of Helldivers 2 on Steam to link their PlayStation Network accounts to Valve's service after heavy backlash over the weekend. On Friday, Sony had announced that users would have to link their Steam account to their PSN account to continue playing Helldivers 2. PlayStation parent and Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead Game Studios received widespread criticism for the move , which caused the game to bomb. steam
In its latest update, Sony said it would “not move forward” with the new requirement. “Helldivers fans: We've heard your feedback on the Helldivers 2 account link update,” a PlayStation Controller post on X said Monday morning. “The May 6 update, which should have Steam and PlayStation Network account link required for new players and for current players after May 30th, it will not advance.”
“We're still learning what's best for PC gamers and your feedback has been invaluable. Thanks again for your continued support of Helldivers 2 and we'll keep you posted on future plans,” the post added.
Helldivers fans: We've heard your feedback on the Helldivers 2 account link update. The May 6 update, which would have required Steam and PlayStation Network account linking for new players and current players after May 30, will not advance.
We are still…
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) May 6, 2024
Sony's decision was met with widespread backlash from Helldivers players on PC. Over the weekend, the online co-op shooter received thousands of negative reviews, causing the game's overall score to plummet. Recent reviews for Helldivers 2 on Steam are at “Mostly Negative”, while overall reviews are now “Mixed”. The game was also pulled from Steam in over 150 countries where PSN is not officially available, with Valve's storefront issuing refunds to players.
Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead Game Studios reached out to fans over the weekend and said it was working on a solution with publisher Sony. “We're discussing solutions with PlayStation, especially for non-PSN countries. Your voice has been heard and I'm doing everything I can to speak up for the community, but I don't have the final say,” the CEO posted by Arrowhead Johan Pilstedt on Sunday X.
Is this the time to tweet “What? You don't have phones?” 😵💫
A serious note: we are talking about solutions with PlayStation, especially for non-PSN countries. Your voice has been heard and I am doing everything I can to speak up for the community, but I have no end…
— Pilestedt (@Pilestedt) May 5, 2024
Sony seems to have read the room and responded to the backlash. The requirement to link PSN accounts is being removed, but the decision has ended up hurting all the goodwill that Helldivers 2 has built up since its release.
The online shooter launched on PS5 and PC in February to critical acclaim and commercial success. Helldivers 2 quickly became a phenomenon on PC especially, climbing the charts to emerge as one of the most played games on Steam globally, even as the game struggled with technical issues.
Since its release, Arrowhead has released numerous updates and bug fixes, as well as regularly releasing new content as the game continues to maintain a strong player base. Monday, Pilstedt grateful PlayStation to listen to the community and reverse the decision quickly. “First of all, I'm impressed by the willpower of the @helldivers2 community and your ability to collaborate,” he said. “Secondly, I want to thank our partners and friends at @PlayStation for quickly and effectively making the decision to make the PSN link optional,” he added.
