"Some PSN Accounts No Longer Needed for Playstation PC Games"

Sony has recently announced a significant change for gamers: PSN accounts are no longer required to play certain PS5 games that have been ported to PC. This move comes with added incentives for those who choose to use their PSN accounts. Dive in to discover which games are affected and what perks are on offer.

Sony Making PSN Accounts Optional For Some PS5 Games Ported To PC

Sony is now making PlayStation Network (PSN) accounts optional for select PS5 games ported to PC. This policy shift will be implemented following the release of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s PC port on January 30, 2025.

The games that will no longer necessitate a PSN account for their PC versions include Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, God of War Ragnarok, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, and the upcoming PC release of The Last of Us Part II Remastered in April 2025. However, it's worth noting that PC ports of other titles like Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut and Until Dawn will still require a PSN account.

Incentives For Players With PSN Accounts

Even though PSN accounts are no longer mandatory for some PC ports, players who choose to sign in with their PSN accounts will enjoy additional benefits. Sony has outlined that these benefits include access to trophies and friend management, along with in-game bonuses for the specified games.

• 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

Sony has also hinted at future incentives, stating that "Game creators at PlayStation Studios will continue to work on bringing more benefits to players who sign up for a PlayStation Network account."

Sony Received Backlash For Forcing Players To Have A PSN Account

In 2024, Sony faced significant backlash after announcing that Helldivers 2 required its Steam players to link with a PSN account for "safety and security" reasons. This led to Helldivers 2 being delisted in over 170 countries where PSN is not supported. Following widespread complaints and negative reviews on Steam, Sony reversed this decision just three days later, admitting that they are "still learning what is best for PC players."

Similarly, the PC port of God of War Ragnarok in 2024 also drew criticism, with users expressing their discontent through negative reviews on its Steam page. Sony has yet to clarify why a PSN account is required for their single-player games.

Currently, PSN is only available in around 70 countries, leaving over 170 countries without support. This forces players in unsupported regions to create accounts in supported countries, raising concerns about privacy and security, especially given Sony's past data breaches.