Not all decisions made by gaming companies are popular. For every cross-play and cross-progression possibility, there is always the opposite of digital rights management software or, in the case of Sony, the decision to force PC players to have a PSN account to play its first-party releases on the platform. While it brings security and convenience, this policy also renders products inaccessible in countries without official PSN support—affecting hundreds of regions. Fortunately, Sony seems to be coming to its senses.
Via the PlayStation Blog, Sony has announced the removal of the PSN account requirement for several of their PC game releases. They include four single-player-focused games—two already released and two upcoming titles. These games are God of War: Ragnarok, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and the forthcoming The Last of Us Part II Remastered. This change is undoubtedly seen as a positive step in the eyes of the PC gaming community.
“An account for PlayStation Network will become optional for these titles on PC. Players who still opt to sign into a PlayStation Network account will also enjoy added benefits like trophies and friend management,” said the announcement.
Instead, linking a PSN account in these games will now be incentive-based. This means players will receive exclusive cosmetic items and early access to various weapons and equipment. For example, linking a PSN account in The Last of Us Part II Remastered will grant players a new costume for Ellie, inspired by Naughty Dog’s latest game—Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
Here are the full benefits:
| Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 | Early unlock suits: the Spider-Man 2099 Black Suit and the Miles Morales 2099 Suit |
| God of War Ragnarok | 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 |
While it appears that the PSN requirement for PC players is no longer going to be mandated, we won’t know for sure until future releases. But at the very least, for players already in the ecosystem, there is more to look forward to in terms of rewards.
The blog post also mentions that creators at the studios will work on “bringing more benefits to players who sign up for a PlayStation Network account,” so that’s something to think about as you try out the next big PlayStation release on PC.
