The arrival of God of War Ragnarok on PC has been overshadowed by a heated debate surrounding its mandatory PlayStation Network (PSN) account requirement. This decision has raised eyebrows, especially considering the game boasts no online features. The controversy ignited immediately after launch, prompting the creation of a mod that circumvented the PSN demand on Nexus Mods. However, the mod’s developer swiftly removed it, citing concerns about potential retaliation from Sony due to its widespread popularity. The mod’s GitHub page was also taken down, leaving many players in a state of frustration.
The mod’s creator explained their decision in a statement to IGN, stating, “In short: that was my personal decision to remove the mod since it has become way too popular and people started promoting it on Steam forums, as well thus generating tons of attention. I just wanted to avoid the possible threats from the Sony side, even though the code has never touched any of their products in memory. You never know and it’s really a gray area to me.” Despite achieving critical acclaim as one of 2022’s top games, God of War Ragnarok’s Steam reviews currently reflect a ‘Mostly Positive’ rating. A significant portion of the 29% negative reviews explicitly point to the PSN requirement as a major issue.
Sony’s implementation of this mandatory PSN account policy for its PC releases began in May, with Helldivers 2 serving as the initial example. The game was met with a wave of negative reviews, forcing Sony to reassess its approach. More recently, the PC release of Ghost of Tsushima also included the PSN requirement, although it offered online features through its Legends mode. In contrast, God of War Ragnarok lacks any multiplayer or online components. Upcoming releases, such as the remastered version of Until Dawn, will also mandate a PSN account despite the absence of online features.
Beyond being perceived as an unnecessary addition, the PSN requirement presents a significant obstacle for players residing in regions where PSN is unavailable, including large parts of the African continent. This means that individuals who enjoyed the original God of War on PC may find themselves locked out of playing God of War Ragnarok due to the PSN mandate. While finding it might be a challenge, a version of the NoPSSDK mod is still accessible on Nexus Mods. However, the service warns that, as an archived file, it is no longer supported or maintained, making its use at your own risk. This situation highlights the frustration and confusion felt by players who are being compelled to use a service they may not even have access to in order to enjoy a single-player experience.
