Currently, the video game industry is experiencing a series of controversies, with recent events unfolding rapidly and unexpectedly. For those active on Twitter, however, such occurrences have become routine. Moving past the jests, following TopSpin 2K25’s controversial situation, Helldivers 2 has faced significant backlash on social media and endured substantial review bombing on its Steam page. The sudden nature of this controversy began on Friday midday and concluded by early morning the next day. This demonstrates how swiftly a game can transition from success to failure.
Helldivers 2 stands out as Sony PlayStation’s most notable success in 2024. Despite the year not being over yet, the title developed by Arrowhead Studio exemplifies the live-service model that other games should aspire to, given its February release last year and the subsequent build-up of a large and active community on a global scale. The game has accumulated nearly 100 million played hours in less than three months, with a peak of over 333,000 concurrent players—a level of success that is remarkable and unexpected. If this were the full story, enjoying the ongoing online camaraderie and using the game’s popularity to ensure its longevity would be ideal. However, Sony has recently changed the rules. A critical message posted on Helldivers 2’s Steam page on May 3rd (just before the weekend) notified players that starting May 6th, 2024, PC gamers will need to create a PlayStation account and link it to their Steam account in order to continue playing.
Due to technical issues at the launch of Helldivers 2, we temporarily made it optional for players to link their Steam accounts to a PlayStation Network account. This grace period is now expiring.
A message that did not sit well with PC players, known for their high standards and reluctance to tolerate poor treatment, quickly resulted in a wave of criticisms on social media. The community expressed its dissatisfaction by leaving negative reviews for their favorite game, Helldivers 2, on Steam, leading to over 350,000 unfavorable reviews that significantly lowered the game’s overall score. This caused substantial backlash against the developers. Even Jhan Pilestedt, CEO of Arrowhead Studios, issued an apology to players on Twitter, suggesting that the decision was not his own and emphasizing his goal to create quality games.
A recent success story has turned into controversy within hours, all over the creation of a PlayStation account. Some users are questioning the need for another social media drama. Initially, Sony’s decision seemed legitimate; the Japanese manufacturer explained that linking Steam and PlayStation Network accounts was intended to enhance security, as planned since the game’s February launch. However, technical issues delayed setting up the PSN account on PC. Here is what developers said before things turned sour:
We prioritize online safety and use player banning and suspension as our primary method to protect players from griefing and abuse. By linking your accounts, you gain access to our support team’s infrastructure to report such behavior (and the appeal process if you are banned or suspended). This approach helps us ensure that Helldivers 2 remains a safer and more enjoyable environment for all users.
A message aimed at reassuring players is necessary, particularly given that other publishers such as Microsoft, Ubisoft, and Rockstar have implemented similar requirements for years. To play Sea of Thieves on PS5, users must create a Microsoft account in addition to their PlayStation Network (PSN) account. Although this may cause additional inconvenience for PC gamers, it quickly led to another, more serious issue with Helldivers 2 becoming unavailable in nearly 177 countries where the PlayStation Network is not accessible. Consequently, player anger was entirely justified in this instance. This prompted demands for game refunds, leading Sony to respond promptly and reverse the decision early that morning. A tweet from PlayStation announced the immediate removal of the requirement for a PlayStation Network account:
Helldivers Fans — We have received your feedback regarding the Helldivers 2 account linking update. The May 6th update, which would have required new players and current players from May 30th to link their Steam and PlayStation Network accounts, will not proceed.
This should restore the Steam pages of Helldivers 2 in countries where the PlayStation Network is not available, a positive outcome for players who have been celebrating since hours ago, referencing one of the game’s famous lines. While this linkage between Steam and the PlayStation Network was seen as controversial by many, others view it primarily as a mistake by Sony rather than an intent to harm players, as any Steam player could easily create a PSN account by selecting any other country, not just where PSN wasn’t available. With 177 countries where Sony’s service isn’t launched, one could inadvertently choose the wrong region.
Meanwhile, to address potential concerns, Sucker Punch studio clarified that the Steam version of Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut, set for release in 10 days on May 16th, will not require a PSN account for single-player mode. However, a PSN account is necessary for multiplayer mode “Legends.” Steam players are advised to be aware of this requirement. What are your thoughts on this? Was the controversy warranted, or do we live in an era where any disagreement becomes systematic?
