Sony has announced a significant change in its strategy for PC gaming, responding to player feedback by removing the requirement to link a PlayStation Network (PSN) account for several of its popular titles. This shift begins with the upcoming PC release of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and extends to other titles including The Last of Us Part II Remastered, God of War Ragnarök, and Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered. This move indicates Sony's willingness to listen to its community, particularly those who found the PSN account linking process cumbersome or unnecessary for single-player experiences. However, it remains to be seen how this change will affect other PC ports like Until Dawn or Days Gone.
Despite dropping the mandatory account linking, Sony continues to entice PC gamers to join its online ecosystem by offering new incentives for those who choose to connect their PSN accounts. These perks include early access to special suits in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and resource bundles in God of War Ragnarök, among others. Here’s a detailed look at the incentives:
PlayStation in-game content incentives on PC:
**Marvel’s Spider-Man 2** - Early unlock suits: the Spider-Man 2099 Black Suit and the Miles Morales 2099 Suit.
**God of War Ragnarök** - Gain access to the Armor of the Black Bear set for Kratos at the first Lost Items chest in the Realm Between Realms (previously only accessible in a New Game+ run) and a resource bundle (500 Hacksilver and 250 XP).
**The Last of Us Part II Remastered** - +50 points to activate bonus features and unlock extras. Jordan’s Jacket from Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet as a skin for Ellie.
**Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered** - Gain access to Nora Valiant outfit.
Sony has also hinted at future collaborations with developers under the PlayStation Studios umbrella to introduce more benefits for PSN account holders. Currently, there is no information on whether other PC games in Sony's library will follow suit in dropping the PSN account requirement. Alongside these new incentives, Sony assures players that linking an account provides additional benefits such as trophy support and friend management.
The response to Sony's PC gaming initiatives has been varied. While many appreciate the opportunity to experience console-exclusive titles on PC, the mandatory PSN account linking has been a point of contention, especially in regions where PSN services are not available. This issue was notably highlighted when Sony attempted to enforce PSN account linking for Steam users of Helldivers 2 last May, only to reverse the decision shortly after due to significant backlash.
