Sony Says You Won't Have to Link a PSN Account to Play Some of Its PC Games Anymore

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 significant shift in its PC gaming strategy. Starting with the PC release of Marvel's Spider-Man 2, players will no longer be required to link a PlayStation Network (PSN) account to play select titles. This change addresses player concerns regarding the mandatory PSN account linking previously implemented for several PC ports. This affects titles such as 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.

However, Sony isn't abandoning its online ecosystem entirely. To incentivize PSN account linking, the company will offer in-game bonuses to connected players. These include early unlockable suits in Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and one-time resource bundles for games like God of War Ragnarök. The full list of announced incentives is below:

PlayStation PC In-Game Content Incentives:

• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2: Early unlock of the Spider-Man 2099 Black Suit and the Miles Morales 2099 Suit.
• God of War Ragnarök: The Armor of the Black Bear set (previously only accessible 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 including Ellie's Jordan's Jacket skin.
• 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. The company also highlights that account linking provides access to features like trophy support and friend management.

The reception to Sony's PC gaming strategy has been mixed. While many appreciate the availability of previously console-exclusive titles, the mandatory PSN account linking faced significant backlash, particularly in regions where PSN isn't readily available. This was notably evident with the initially announced PSN requirement for Helldivers 2 on Steam, a decision later reversed.