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Back on May 3rd, Helldivers 2 announced that PC players now need a PSN account linked if they want to keep playing. The problem, however, is that PSN (PlayStation Network) is only available in 69 countries (out of 190 or so). Anyone who lives in countries without PSN came under the threat of losing their access to Helldivers 2, even if they purchased the game. To that, however, some Helldivers 2 players have taken a stand and are defying the PSN linking requirement.
Major Order Issued: ‘If They Can’t Play, I Won’t Play’
Such a bold and unifying stance came from Reddit user u/mwishosimba who recalled a bittersweet in-game moment while playing with some Mandarin-speaking players.
Reddit user u/mwishosimba suggested that even though there was a language barrier between them, the squad still managed to communicate in what would presumably be their final gameplay moments. Some players from other parts of the world might no longer be able to access Helldivers 2 if their country has no PSN coverage.
Hence, they refuse to play if their friends can’t. Simple as that.
The highly-upvoted Reddit post has garnered plenty of support and like-minded solidarity. Other Helldivers 2 players agreed that it’s unfair for paying players to suddenly be blocked from the game. The only issue is that they don’t have access to PSN.
Theoretically, you could just put a fake address or region in PSN. Still, some fear that it might break Sony’s TOS (Terms of Service). PSN notably asks for true and accurate information during account creation.
Additionally, the situation took a momentary bleak turn for countries with no PSN coverage. Sony has already removed Helldivers 2 in countries without PSN.
Players also Deployed the ‘Review Bomb’ Stratagem En Masse
Apart from the more heartfelt form of protest above, other players took a more incendiary approach: the classic review bombing. Helldivers 2 is currently down to an 18 percent Overwhelmingly Negative recent review rating (230,000 reviews). Prior to the PSN account linking announcement, it enjoyed a rating of around 85+ percent.
Even the Helldivers 2 director acknowledged the angered PC player base’s gesture and considered it a warranted reaction.
Sony Definitely Heard It
This just in, and it appears the protests were not in vain. Sony has recently announced that the deadline for the PSN requirement won’t be moving forward. Sony will be taking player feedback before moving forward with any of its plans for Helldivers 2 PSN linking.
For anyone who has put down Helldivers 2 months ago or those who don’t play it, the situation might look chaotic or even destructive.
So to put things into perspective, here’s a brief timeline of the whole Helldivers 2 PSN mess.
| Date | Event |
| February 8, 2024 | Helldivers 2 was launched and it originally had a PSN account linking requirement for PCs, even if you don’t have a PS5. However, this was temporarily waived so that developers could focus on server issues. |
| May 3, 2024 | Helldivers 2 devs announced that they’re bringing back the PSN account linking requirement. There’s a deadline of May 30 to June 4 and anyone who doesn’t comply will presumably be blocked from the game. This immediately caused an outrage. |
| May 3-5, 2024 | Shortly after the announcement, Steam users en masse review bomb the game. They cited issues like PSN’s allegedly spotty security record and how Helldivers 2 was still sold to countries that don’t have PSN coverage. Some players also asked for refunds. |
| May 5, 2024 | Sony, Helldivers 2‘s publisher, and PSN owner, removed the game on Steam for countries with no PSN coverage. |
| May 6, 2024 | Sony has announced via Twitter that they’re rolling back the PSN linking requirement. |
At the time of writing, Sony appears to be deliberating and is waiting for further feedback on how to proceed. For now, the PSN linking requirement is currently on hold or even canceled. So there’s still hope for Helldivers 2 players whose countries have no PSN coverage.
Helldivers 2 is now available on PC and PlayStation consoles.
