Sony Announces PC Games No Longer Require PSN Account Linkage

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 strategic shift, eliminating the requirement to link a PlayStation Network (PSN) account for several PC titles, starting with Marvel's Spider-Man 2's PC release. This addresses player concerns regarding the previous mandatory PSN account linking for PC games. This change impacts several previously released titles, 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.

While removing the mandatory linking, Sony still encourages PSN account connections by offering in-game bonuses for those who link their accounts. These include early suit unlocks in Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and one-time resource bundles for games like God of War Ragnarök. A complete list of current PC incentives is provided below:

PlayStation in-game content incentives on PC:

• 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 and Ellie's Jordan's Jacket skin from Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
• Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered: Access to the Nora Valiant outfit.

Sony plans to continue collaborating with PlayStation Studios developers to provide further benefits for PSN account holders on PC. The future of PSN linking for other PC games remains unannounced. Connecting a PSN account also provides access to features like trophy support and friend management.

The reception to PlayStation's PC game releases has been mixed. While many welcome the availability of previously console-exclusive titles, the mandatory PSN account requirement faced significant backlash, particularly in regions lacking PSN access. This was notably highlighted by the initial announcement (and subsequent reversal) of a PSN account requirement for Helldivers 2 on Steam in May 2023.