Helldivers 2 Faces Negative Reviews on Steam Due to Account Linking Requirement
Helldivers 2, the multiplayer hit from Arrowhead Game Studios and Sony Interactive Entertainment, has been met with a wave of negative reviews on Steam following the announcement that all PC players will soon be required to link their Steam accounts to a PlayStation Network account. Anyone playing Helldivers 2 for the first time after May 6 or who already owns the game but has not yet linked their accounts will need to do so by June 4 to continue accessing the game.
The account linking requirement is intended to protect players from griefing and abuse and allows banned players the right to appeal. However, PC players are not pleased with the change and have taken to Steam and social media to express their anger.
In response to the backlash, Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt pointed players to a PlayStation Support page and said to reach out to them with any further questions. As such, it remains unclear whether the developers will reverse course on the account linking requirement. If they do not, players who have been enjoying Helldivers 2 on Steam are advised to make the most of the game before the change takes effect in June.
Reasons for Negative Reviews
PC players have expressed several reasons for their dissatisfaction with the account linking requirement:
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Privacy concerns:
Some players are concerned about the sharing of their personal information between Sony and Valve, the company behind Steam.*
Inconvenience:
Players find the requirement to link accounts to be inconvenient, especially those who have already invested significant time and resources into the game on Steam.*
Discrimination:
Players feel that the requirement unfairly discriminates against PC players, who are now required to have a PlayStation Network account to play a game that they purchased on a different platform.Developer Response
In response to the backlash, Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt pointed players to a PlayStation Support page and said to reach out to them with any further questions. This suggests that Arrowhead may not be in a position to reverse the account linking requirement on their own and that players may need to contact PlayStation Support directly to express their concerns.
Conclusion
The account linking requirement for Helldivers 2 has generated significant controversy among PC players, who are unhappy with the privacy concerns, inconvenience, and perceived discrimination that it entails. While Arrowhead has not yet reversed the decision, it remains to be seen whether they will be able to address the concerns of the player base and mitigate the negative impact on the game’s reputation.
