Sony Eases PC Gaming: No PSN Account Needed for Some Titles

Sony has announced a significant change in its approach to PC gaming by removing the requirement for players to link a PlayStation Network (PSN) account to enjoy some of its PC titles. This decision, detailed in a recent PlayStation.Blog post, will take effect starting with the release of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 on PC. This shift comes in response to feedback from the gaming community, who expressed frustration with the mandatory PSN account linkage. The change will apply to several previously released PC ports, including Marvel's Spider-Man 2, The Last of Us Part II Remastered, God of War Ragnarök, and Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered. While it's not yet clear how this will affect other single-player-focused PC ports like Until Dawn or Days Gone, the move marks a significant step towards enhancing player experience on PC.

Despite dropping the mandatory account linking, Sony is still keen on encouraging PC gamers to join its online ecosystem. The company has introduced new incentives for those who choose to link their PSN accounts. These bonuses include early unlocks for suits in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and one-time resource bundles for games like God of War Ragnarök. Below is a comprehensive list of the announced PC 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 PlayStation Studios to introduce more benefits for players who opt to sign up for a PSN account. However, there's no information yet on whether other PC games in Sony's library will follow suit and drop the PSN requirement. Alongside these new in-game bonuses, Sony reassures players that linking an account still offers additional perks like trophy support and friend management.

The response to Sony's PC gaming strategy has been mixed. While many gamers appreciate the opportunity to enjoy previously console-exclusive titles on PC, the mandatory PSN account linking faced significant backlash, especially in regions where PSN services are not available. The controversy reached a peak with the Helldivers 2 community last May when Sony initially announced that Steam users would need to connect a PSN account to play. However, due to the outcry, Sony quickly reversed this decision, demonstrating their willingness to listen to their player base.