Helldivers 2 Devs Knew About PSN Requirement 6 Months Before Launch

Expert Verified By

Still Sold Game In Countries Without PlayStation Support!

Story Highlights
  • The Helldivers 2 developers have confirmed they knew about the PlayStation account requirement six months before launch.
  • This was also made clear to everyone on the Steam page from day one.
  • The director states he temporarily removed the requirement due to the unexpected influx of players on day one.

Sony has shot itself in the foot, taking down its big live-service golden goose after making a PlayStation account mandatory for Helldivers 2. This has resulted in negative reviews, refunds, and a crumbling reputation within 48 hours.

However, while Sony may be at fault, Arrowhead Game Studios has accepted part of the blame. According to CEO Johan Pilestedt, the team was already aware of this requirement prior to launch.

Why it matters: Many Steam players have been unable to play the co-op shooter after this restriction was implemented because PlayStation is supported in less than 70 countries worldwide.

Helldivers 2
Helldivers 2 Made The PlayStation Account Requirement Clear From Day One | Image via Steam

The CEO recently responded to various social media users after confirming efforts to come to a solution with Sony. When asked about his role in the situation, Johan Pilestedt confirmed that his decision was the reason this requirement was removed to begin with.

Over on the Steam store page, Helldivers 2 has always warned PC gamers about the need for a PlayStation account. However, since this co-op shooter experienced a surge of players that nobody saw coming, the requirement was lifted for the initial months.

He then elaborated that Sony had already informed developers about this policy six months before launch. This also confirms that every subsequent live-service release will require a PlayStation account.

We knew 6 months before launch that it would be mandatory for online PS titles.

-Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt

This begs the question of why the team decided to go ahead and sell Helldivers 2 in unsupported regions if this would always be the case.

Helldivers 2
Helldivers 2 Might Never Fully Recover From This Debacle

The CEO’s revelation has prompted similar responses from users, who this decision has dumbfounded. However, he asserted that the final call was Sony’s to make. As Johan Pilestedt put it, selling the game was not up to Arrowhead Game Studios.

Still, the team could have raised its voice against Sony, holding similar discussions before launch to avoid such a scenario.

This situation can only be described as unfortunate. Between an angry fandom and stubborn Sony, Arrowhead Game Studios seems to have caught the brunt of the backlash.

To the studio’s credit, it has stood by the community and continues to respond in what must be the most difficult time for this team.

Was our article helpful? 👨‍💻

Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋

How could we improve this post? Please Help us. 😔

Gear Up For Latest News

Get exclusive gaming & tech news before it drops. Sign up today!

Join Our Community

Still having issues? Join the Tech4Gamers Forum for expert help and community support!

Latest News

Join Our Community

104,000FansLike
32,122FollowersFollow

Trending

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Wins Game of the Year at Gayming Awards 2025

Dragon Age: The Veilguard has secured Game of The Year as well as two other awards at the Gayming Awards 2025.

GTA 6 Online Aiming To Feature 96 Players Per Server, Report Claims

Rockstar insider Fravilys claims that GTA 6 Online may feature up to 96 players on each server instead of the current 32 limit.

Microsoft Reportedly Killing Xbox One Backward Compatibility With Next-Gen Console

According to an insider, Microsoft is reportedly discontinuing Xbox One backward compatibility with the next-gen console, if it is a PC.

Stalker 2 Heading To PS5 Late 2025; PS5 Pro Enhancements Also Confirmed

Stalker 2 has been officially announced for the PS5 after several months of console exclusivity, with plans to launch the game in Fall 2025.

Ex-Naughty Dog Dev Moving To Japan To Form New Studio After Last of Us Multiplayer Cancelled

Following Last of Us Multiplayer title's cancellation, the game director left Naughty Dog and is moving to Japan to form a new studio.