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Do you need a PSN account to play Helldivers 2?

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A scene from Helldiver 2's opening cutscene.
Sony Interactive Entertainment

Helldivers 2 has been a huge hit this yea,r with a consistent player base since its launch in February and a peak of over 450,000 players. Fighting for Super Earth, players have been waging war against monstrous insects and deadly robots and laying down their lives for democracy. But the game’s reputation took a hit recently when it was announced that PC players would have to register for a PlayStation Network account to continue playing the game — a move that would have left players in parts of the world with no PSN support high and dry.

In  response, there was a major outcry (and review bombing of the game on Steam) in response, which led Sony and Arrowhead Game Studios to swiftly alter their policies to appease the player base. The entire ordeal has been a bit of a whirlwind, so it’s OK if you’re a little lost. Here’s what you need to know.

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Do you need a PSN account to play Helldivers 2?

No, you don’t need a PSN account to play Helldivers 2 right now.

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Sony and Arrowhead Game Studios ultimately reversed course on the update that would have required players to sign up for PSN.

“Helldivers fans — we’ve heard your feedback on the Helldivers 2 account-linking update. The May 6 update, which would have required Steam and PlayStation Network account linking for new players and for current players beginning May 30, will not be moving forward,” PlayStation stated on X. “We’re still learning what is best for PC players and your feedback has been invaluable. Thanks again for your continued support of Helldivers 2, and we’ll keep you updated on future plans.”

Helldivers fans — we’ve heard your feedback on the Helldivers 2 account linking update. The May 6 update, which would have required Steam and PlayStation Network account linking for new players and for current players beginning May 30, will not be moving forward.

We’re still…

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) May 6, 2024

The whole situation has revealed an issue for studios tackling live service games: It’s an unforgiving business model.

“When you make a live service game, you’re signing a risky contract. You might make a fortune, but you’ll forever be at the mercy of fans who can turn the valve off anytime they want,” wrote Digital Trends’ Senior Gaming Editor Giovanni Colantonio in an article breaking down the controversy. “It doesn’t matter if players are lashing out in good or bad faith. A small mistake could be all it takes to crush the community’s trust for good. Once you lose that, you don’t have a game anymore.”

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Sam Hill
Sam Hill
Gaming Guides Editor
Sam Hill is a journalist and the gaming guides editor at Digital Trends. He's also written tech guides for Input and has…
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