Sony has been the subject of controversy many times in recent years with the PSN (PlayStation Network) account requirement for PlayStation games offered to PC players: Now, Naughty Dog’s imposition of the same requirement for the highly anticipated The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered version has reignited the reaction of players. The game was announced for PC in early 2024, but this requirement has once again upset fans.

Why Sony isn’t learning lessons: What does the PSN requirement mean?

Sony’s requirement for a PlayStation Network account for games released on the PC platform was met with similar criticism for titles such as God of War Ragnarök and Helldivers 2. However, the continuation of this decision with The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered may alienate many players from the game.

Especially this account requirement causes the game to be unavailable for purchase in many countries where PSN is not active. Since there is no PSN support in more than 100 countries such as the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) and most of Africa, players are deprived of obtaining the game legally on these platforms.

The biggest reaction of players to this decision is the PSN requirement, especially in single-player games. This is seen as an unnecessary obstacle even for games that can be played offline. In the past, Sony removed the PSN requirement of Helldivers 2 after intense criticism following its release. However, this change was limited to that game. It seems that Sony will not take the same step for other games.

The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered has already been the target of criticism for this decision. Players continue to pressure Sony to remove this requirement until the game’s release. However, given the company’s past behaviour, it seems unlikely that this request will be responded positively.

What do you think about this? Do you think the PSN requirement is a reasonable policy or an unfair imposition on PC gamers? Share your opinions in the comments!