After the Helldivers 2 community raged a war on its move to mandate PSN account linking for Steam users, Sony finally gave in, reverting its decision for good. But despite things returning to normalcy, game developer Pirate Software is convinced the drama has left a lasting impression.
Replying to PlayStation’s tweet on May 5, Pirate Software said Sony’s efforts to limit Helldivers 2’s access has left a “lasting stain” on the publisher as a brand, even though the plan has been canceled. “Many people have very little reason to trust Sony going forward,” they wrote. Calling out Sony for “moving the business” before understanding the player base, Pirate Software also stressed these decisions are never the right choice.
Before Sony backtracked on its plan, in a series of apt tweets on May 5, Pirate Software had urged developers to make sure they know what they’re signing up for before joining hands with a publisher. “The last few days of watching Sony gut Helldivers 2 is a grim reminder of the pitfalls of working with a publisher. Make sure you know what you’re getting into before signing your game away,” they wrote. They also called the situation a “golden goose” being killed publicly.
For those unaware, on May 3, Sony announced it’s reinstating the previously suspended linking requirements for Steam accounts to PSN accounts starting May 6 for new Helldivers 2 players—and May 30 for those who began playing before the announcement.
While it may not seem like a big deal for those with a PSN account already, many regions don’t support the creation of PSN accounts. The rule not being enforced at launch allowed players to enjoy Helldivers 2 despite not having access to PlayStation’s services in their regions. So, if the dev enforced the rule, those players would naturally lose access to the game, hence the community-wide uproar.
As of now, Sony is no longer planning to go forward with its highly repulsed plan, so players on Steam should be able to continue accessing Helldivers 2 without any hiccups.
