After facing significant backlash and criticism following a recent announcement regarding the live-service multiplayer game Helldivers 2, which would now require players to link their Steam account to a PlayStation Network account, Sony has decided to reconsider.
The announcement that Helldivers 2 would necessitate PC players to link a PlayStation Network account by May 30th caused widespread uproar across the internet. Both the developer, Arrowhead Game Studios, and Sony faced justified criticism for this decision.
The mandatory requirement of a PlayStation account was seen as primarily serving the purpose of banning problematic users and requiring them to appeal their bans under Sony’s terms, which prohibits mild banter between friends as unacceptable hate speech.
Despite the fact that PlayStation Network accounts cannot be created in over 60 different countries worldwide, Sony, in their supposed wisdom as the game’s publisher, went ahead and sold Helldivers 2 in these regions anyway, which is probably illegal.
This decision was made despite notifying the developers, Arrowhead Game Studios, six months in advance that they would be enforcing the requirement of a PSN account for multiplayer games published by Sony on PC.
Consumers felt deceived, being forced to create a PlayStation Network account for a game that had previously received immense praise and success for simply offering gamers an enjoyable title devoid of political agendas or predatory practices.
In response, many flooded the Steam review sections with negative feedback or updated their existing positive reviews to negative ones. This led to Helldivers 2 receiving a mixed overall review reception of 48%, with over 216,000 negative reviews flooding in within just 72 hours.
In response to the overwhelming criticism aimed at Sony for their corporate decisions, they have chosen to remove Helldivers 2 from being available for purchase on Steam in countries where the creation of PSN accounts is not permitted. This action affects a total of 177 countries.
Obviously, such a move is more or less Sony’s way of doubling down, and invertedly admitting they’ve sold the game in unsupported regions deliberately knowing that such people would lose access to their purchase once the “temporary” removal of account linking was reinstated.
However a new development has emerged, after days of fury and just shy of 220,000 negative reviews pouring in for one of Sony’s largest releases ever, they’ve backtracked on their decision.
The official PlayStation Twitter account announced that, in response to fan feedback regarding the mandatory linkage of PlayStation Network accounts set to go live on May 6th, Sony has decided to cancel the update.
This is undoubtedly a significant victory for the Helldivers 2 gaming community. However, it’s premature to celebrate fully, as the game remains unavailable for purchase in the 177 countries currently affected.
I would expect an update to reinstate the game for commercial sale in all affected countries within a matter of hours, if not a day or so.
Personally, Sony’s decision to backtrack on its plans comes as a surprise, showing the power and influence consumers can have on a corporation when we unite, band together and give their PR department a fucking bloodbath as we ruin their parade with negativity.
Certainly, this issue mainly concerns those who have already purchased the game. As it stands, the players of Helldivers 2 seem to have emerged victorious. Sony could have approached the situation differently by offering incentives, such as unique cosmetic items or in-game rewards, to encourage players to create and link a PSN account, rather than simply forcing hundreds of thousands of players to comply with their requirements.
While the outcry surrounding Helldivers 2 may have led to a temporary victory for players, it’s essential to remember that Sony’s actions extend far beyond this particular incident. The censorship of games like Tsukihime and Stellar Blade over the past couple of weeks alone, among others, highlights a concerning trend that undermines artistic integrity and creative freedom.
It’s crucial not to let Sony’s supposed “generosity” distract from their broader censorship policies and disregard for certain gaming communities.
Sony’s enforcement of censorship primarily targeting Asian games for heterosexual audiences while overlooking similar content in Western titles raises questions about their motives.
This inconsistency is evident in their approach to games like The Last of Us Part 2, Baldur’s Gate 3, and Life is Strange, which contain graphic content yet remain uncensored while mature games that don’t pander to queers are scrutinized.
The supposed resolution regarding Helldivers 2 may seem like a small victory, but it’s essential to maintain a critical stance and continue demanding accountability from Sony. Their actions reflect a disregard for Japanese gamers, femininity, and artistic expression, serving as a reminder to remain vigilant and vocal about their practices.
I’m relieved I never bothered to purchase Helldivers 2. The fact that their community managers are pedantic woke peddlers was the dealbreaker for me to ever consider buying the game.
If Sony truly wishes to earn back the trust of myself and numerous other gamers who value integrity or have a deep appreciation for games from the East, they must first abandon their progressive censorship policies.
Additionally, relocating the headquarters of Sony Interactive Entertainment from California back to their original home country of Japan would be a significant step.
Only then will I consider their pleas as they desperately attempt to regain players’ trust and loyalty to their declining PlayStation brand, especially considering it has been confirmed that every Sony published title on PC moving forward will require a PlayStation Network account to access its multiplayer component, starting with Ghosts of Tsushima which will introduce a new PlayStation UI to boot.
