Last week was a challenging time for the development team of Helldivers 2 as well as Sony. The announcement that players would need to link their PSN accounts to Steam in order to play the game led to a wave of negative reviews and a social media campaign to boycott the game. This resulted in several PlayStation titles on PC being review bombed.
Arrowhead Game Studios, the developers of Helldivers 2, faced an angry mob of fans who were determined to bring down the game. The number of negative reviews was unprecedented, and the pressure eventually forced Sony to backtrack on the PSN requirement.
The situation escalated further when not only Helldivers 2, but also other Sony games on Steam such as God of War and The Last of Us Part 1, were targeted with review bombs. Johan Pilestedt, the head of the studio, tried to calm players and fans before Sony’s announcement, but the conflict only grew stronger.
In response to the mounting complaints, Steam decided to offer refunds to players due to a lack of clarity about the account linking requirement. Pilestedt claimed that this linking was always part of the deal, but for various reasons, it was not implemented earlier.
This type of account linking has been seen in other games like Rocket League, Red Dead Redemption, and Bethesda games. However, the main difference in this case is that Sony has restrictions in certain regions and countries. Players could face permanent bans if they created a PSN account in a restricted country. This raised concerns among the community and on the internet about the potential repercussions of such account linking.
This incident could serve as a precedent for future live-service games. Developers will need to be more cautious about which accounts they require players to link in order to play the game. Hopefully, future games will have fewer hurdles for players to overcome.
While games like FIFA and EA’s IPs generally require players to agree to their terms, link an EA account, and log in to that account to play, the backlash against Helldivers 2 for implementing this measure months after launch is on a whole different scale. Some players are now going back and editing their negative reviews of the beloved title.
In conclusion, the controversy surrounding the account linking requirement for Helldivers 2 has highlighted the importance of considering the impact on players and the community. It has also emphasized the need for clearer communication and transparency from developers. As the gaming industry evolves, it is crucial for developers to find a balance that respects both the needs of the players and the goals of the game.