PlayStation Reverses Course on Helldivers 2 PSN Account Requirement 51
PlayStation has reversed course on the Helldivers 2 PSN account requirement, walking back the unpopular policy after a weekend long backlash that included tens of thousands of negative reviews, some of which spread to Sony's other Steam games. From a report: "Helldivers fans -- we've heard your feedback on the Helldivers 2 account linking update. The May 6 update, which would have required Steam and PlayStation Network account linking for new players and for current players beginning May 30, will not be moving forward," PlayStation wrote on its official account.
"We're still learning what is best for PC players and your feedback has been invaluable. Thanks again for your continued support of Helldivers 2 and we'll keep you updated on future plans." PlayStation's decision means that Helldivers 2 players on Steam won't have to link a PSN account in order to play. The unpopular policy, which would have seen new players confronted with a mandatory login beginning this week, resulted in Helldivers 2 being delisted in around 177 countries.
"We're still learning what is best for PC players and your feedback has been invaluable. Thanks again for your continued support of Helldivers 2 and we'll keep you updated on future plans." PlayStation's decision means that Helldivers 2 players on Steam won't have to link a PSN account in order to play. The unpopular policy, which would have seen new players confronted with a mandatory login beginning this week, resulted in Helldivers 2 being delisted in around 177 countries.
Re: (Score:3)
I was wondering about it too. I watched a video, looks like it's multiplayer only which means I'm out. Seems like you and your buddies go around killing big bugs like Starship Troopers.
Re: (Score:2)
It's a fun game. You can technically play it solo, but it's not quite as polished in that mode. It is a 4 player co-op "squad" shooter, so fun in a way similar to Left 4 Dead type of games. It handles swarms of enemies way better than Earth Defense Force, and with much more variety. Lots of weapons, with interesting mechanics with some of the weapons that can be fun to explore in co-op.
For me these kinds of games are more fun to play with people you know. Rather than letting the lobby assign a squad of stra
Re: (Score:2)
This story doesn't necessarily focus on what the game is about, specifically.
It's a popular game which saw a bullshit push from Sony, gamers fought back, Sony was forced to rescind their decision.
To be honest, I had never heard of that game until last week, because it's not my cup of tea, however I was very interested in how things would play out since this exploded.
Re:What (Score:4, Informative)
Re: (Score:2)
Actually wiping my ass is more fun than playing video games too.
Have you considered trying a shit game? May be just the hit you're looking for.
Re: (Score:1)
But the same old story of gamers buying games and getting fucked over.
No, just the same old story of one idiot on Slashdot seeing one negative example and drawing an ignorant conclusion, and applying it to literally 100s of counterexamples released each year.
Is the IGN article drawing the wrong conclusion? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re: (Score:1)
Even though Sony seems to be hedging their bets a bit with their statement, I think even they must realize how disastrous it would be to reverse course again.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Whether technically or not it would still be seen by the public at large as a reversal.
Re: Is the IGN article drawing the wrong conclusio (Score:1)
I interpret their statement as a CYA move if they someday decide to implement the account requirement. So they're not on record as saying that they would never do it.
Re: (Score:3)
Even though Sony seems to be hedging their bets a bit with their statement, I think even they must realize how disastrous it would be to reverse course again.
As disastrous as Destiny, Overwatch, Warframe, War Thunder, Darktide, Rocket League, Fortnight, Minecraft, Ubisoft, Bethesda, Blizzard, Microsoft, EA, Epic ... Valve.
In other words, it will happen. If not this game then the next, because the PC gaming collective has the memory of a goldfish and we like logging into things to play our games.
Re: (Score:2)
This kind of protest really gets me. Gamers get up in arms rath
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
The other thing not mentioned is that Hell Diver 2 was originally supposed to have the PSN requirement. However, it was way more popular than Sony anticipated at launch and their PSN infrastructure could not handle the amount of players interfacing with Steam. So they removed the requirement temporarily while they worked on their infrastructure.
A major issue is that Steam is in more countries than PSN. A major complaint is that some players will not be able to play the game anymore as their country curren
Magnanimous much? (Score:1)
Re: Magnanimous much? (Score:5, Insightful)
Steam allowing refunds I think was the champion of this cause. All their revenue was going to get clawed back.
Re: (Score:2)
Steam allowing refunds I think was the champion of this cause. All their revenue was going to get clawed back.
It's concerning that nobody else sees the irony of logging into Steam to protest a game requiring a connected account to play.
Your boos mean nothing, I’ve seen what makes you cheer.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
Valve isn't a monopoly. There are many different places to get games and Valve poses no barriers to entry. Case in point, this story is about one game requiring an account from a different store to the one controlled by Valve.
But then people don't complain about monopolies in general. They complain about monopoly abuse. Kind of like how one company (Sony) is saying, our store our rules, we are forcing you to link your account, and how another company (Valve) are saying, "Hey user, it's all up to you, here w
Re: (Score:2)
I may not like many of your posts, but this one... this one nails it. Kudos!
Re: (Score:2)
Hey this is Slashdot. We'll have none of this "civil behaviour" here :-P
Re: (Score:2)
Everybody makes mistakes.
Re: Magnanimous much? (Score:2, Flamebait)
Everyone on Steam expects to have to use their Steam account. No one on Steam expects to have to also have a Battlement account, a Microsoft login, a PSN account, an Epic store account, etc.
Re: Magnanimous much? (Score:5, Informative)
It's concerning that nobody else sees the irony of logging into Steam to protest a game requiring a connected account to play.
No one is protesting requiring an account. They are protesting requiring two accounts, the second providing them no benefit. They are protesting a mandatory account creation months after the fact. And for a lot of people they are protesting that they have a steam account, but live in one of the 170 countries where they literally cannot sign up for a Play Station Network account meaning the game they bought will become non-functioning.
Re: (Score:2)
It's concerning that nobody else sees the irony of logging into Steam to protest a game requiring a connected account to play.
No one is protesting requiring an account. They are protesting requiring two accounts, the second providing them no benefit. They are protesting a mandatory account creation months after the fact. And for a lot of people they are protesting that they have a steam account, but live in one of the 170 countries where they literally cannot sign up for a Play Station Network account meaning the game they bought will become non-functioning.
This. There are a few games I've opted not to buy because they require a third party account and Steam tells you this in advance ("Requires XBox Live account" or some such). I don't care if it can be linked to my Steam account, in fact I don't want 3rd parties linked to my steam account.
The issue was at launch, Helldivers 2 on PC didn't require a 3rd party account and Sony changed this later in an "I'm altering the deal" type of arrangement. Steam being relative good guys said "Well, I'm refunding the ar
Re: (Score:2)
>Yeah it's a stupid policy and I agree entirely with the complaints, but you know what's worse? People who complain about it instead of taking it up the ass. It's so unseemly.
Your biological father must be a PC gamer.
Your mom has a Battle.net account
Re: (Score:2)
but the real ire should be directed at Steam for selling it to those that could not sign up for the listed required account
Is this the same Steam that is offering full refunds even to players who have clocked over 100 hours in game? Are they the evil ones? The Steam that has allowed players literally hundreds of hours of entertainment despite the false account requirements? You think people would be better off having had no ability to play the game in the first place?
Now do the the same with MS accounts (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Even Slashdot, a site originally famous for AC posting now ties all AC posting to an account.
And nothing of value to anyone other than the trolls was lost.
I, for one, enjoy not seeing ascii art of Nazi symbols, racist rants, posts about Natalie Portman/hot grits, and all the other bullshit that used to flood the comments to the point where the the comments were unusable for anyone other than trolls.
Indicative of the quality available (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Steam
Epic Games
GOG Galaxy
IndieGala
Itch.io
MS's Xbox app
And those are just off the top of my head. There are more.
Steam might be the most popular game frontend/store, but it is far from being a monopoly.
Re: (Score:2)
Monopoly does not mean "no competition." Don't make that mistake.
Re: (Score:2)
A friend and myself bought the game to play multiplayer together figuring it was a sure fire win given all the buzz. Both of us are completely baffled as to why this game is so popular. The stratagem system is garbage, there's no story, and the enemies are super simplistic mobs wandering about the open terrain who do nothing interesting when encountered aside from blindly swarm the player every single time.
The Starship Troopers vibe (the movie not the book) is fun and all but I just don't see any other reas
Still (Score:2)
Sony cannot ever be trusted. They make shitty hardware and are an even shittier publisher.
The old tactics (Score:2)
The damage is done (Score:2)
Who said they won't "change their mind" somewhere down the road? It's obvious they are considering it and just telling me that they won't doesn't mean a thing. That would require me to actually trust Sony.
And at best, I'd thrust them. Into the sun.
The meeting... (Score:2)
My ass... (Score:2)
Nobody believes the Harkonnen have just packed up and left. Sony is merely sorry it got caught and trying to preserve their bottom line in order to invest in a bigger dildo to push with.