Helldivers 2, one of the most popular games of the year and a major hit for PlayStation Studios, has faced a wave of negative reviews in recent hours after a significant change in its connection requirements for Steam users.
Until now, the game allowed players to enjoy the title without needing to connect to a PlayStation Network (PSN) account, thanks to a grace period previously announced due to technical issues at launch. However, PlayStation Studios has announced that this period has ended, and starting May 6, connecting to a PlayStation account will be mandatory for all new players. Existing users will have a bit more time, until May 30, to comply with this new requirement.
A Disgruntled Community
The change has sparked a strong reaction from the Helldivers 2 community on Steam, with users leaving a flood of negative reviews, expressing their discontent over the imposition of this requirement. Players are frustrated by the need to create a PlayStation Network account, even if they don't own a PlayStation console, seeing it as an unnecessary barrier to enjoying the game on their preferred platform.
The official Helldivers 2 account on X (formerly Twitter) explained the reason behind this new requirement, stating that it is a critical measure to protect players and maintain security in PlayStation Studios' games. The connection to PSN allows the company to manage abusive behavior and ban players who violate rules, while also providing an appeals system for those who are banned by mistake.
However, for many players, this doesn't justify the mandatory new requirement. The Steam gaming community values freedom of choice and fears that this could be the first step toward deeper integration with the PlayStation ecosystem, which could lead to more restrictions and control by the company.
Helldivers 2 is a game that has had a significant impact on the industry. Analyst Mat Piscatella indicated that the title ranks seventh in all-time revenue for Sony-published games, largely due to its release on PC. Without this platform, the game wouldn't even have made it into the Top 20.
PlayStation Studios' decision to implement this change faces a challenge: maintaining a loyal player base while balancing security and control needs. It will be interesting to see how the company responds to this negative reaction and whether it will adjust its strategy to address Steam players' concerns.
Meanwhile, gamers hope this is an exception and not the beginning of a trend where console platforms try to exert more control over PC games. Will Helldivers 2 survive the storm of criticism, or will it be swept away by the tide of discontent? Only time will tell.