Sony loosens its grip on PSN account linking for PC games, offering incentives for those who connect.
In a recent PlayStation Blog post, Sony announced a significant shift in its PC gaming strategy. Starting with the PC release of Marvel's Spider-Man 2, players will no longer be required to link a PlayStation Network (PSN) account to play select PC titles. This change addresses previous player concerns and applies retroactively to several already-released games, including Marvel's Spider-Man 2, The Last of Us Part II Remastered, God of War Ragnarök, and Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered. The impact on other single-player PC ports remains unclear.
However, Sony isn't abandoning its online ecosystem entirely. The company will offer in-game bonuses to players who do connect their PSN accounts. These perks include early access to suits in Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and one-time resource bundles for games like God of War Ragnarök. A full list of current incentives is detailed below:
PlayStation PC In-Game Content Incentives:
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2: Early unlock of the Spider-Man 2099 Black Suit and the Miles Morales 2099 Suit.
- God of War Ragnarök: Access to the Armor of the Black Bear set (previously only available in New Game+) and a resource bundle (500 Hacksilver and 250 XP).
- The Last of Us Part II Remastered: +50 points to activate bonus features, unlocking extras including Ellie's Jordan’s Jacket skin from Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
- Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered: Access to the Nora Valiant outfit.
Sony plans to collaborate with PlayStation Studios developers to provide further benefits for PSN account connections, including trophy support and friend management. The company hasn't confirmed whether other PC games will also drop the PSN linking requirement.
The reception to Sony's PC gaming initiatives has been mixed. While many appreciate the availability of previously console-exclusive titles, the mandatory PSN account linking faced significant backlash, particularly in regions where PSN is unavailable. This was notably highlighted by the brief, and quickly reversed, PSN account requirement for Helldivers 2 on Steam last year.
