Helldivers 2 will force PC players into having a PlayStation Network account

Helldivers 2 publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment announced that all new Helldivers 2 players will need to connect their Steam account to a PlayStation Network account to access the game.

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Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) took to the Helldivers 2 Steam blog with an update explaining that a technical issue at the game's launch forced SIE into making linking Steam and a PSN account optional, but that will now change. As of May 6, new Helldivers 2 players on Steam will be forced to link to a PSN account, and if they don't have one, they will be required to make one. Helldivers 2 won't be accessible if they don't.

According to SIE, linking a Steam and PSN account "plays a critical role in protecting our players and upholding the values of safety and security provided on PlayStation and PlayStation Studios games." Additionally, SIE wrote that linking the two accounts is the main way to "protect players from griefing and abuse" by banning players that are participating in that kind of behavior. Additionally, banned players will be able to appeal.

It should be noted that SIE detailed in the system requirements for Helldivers 2 that a PSN account would be required. However, that won't stop PC players from kicking up a fuss about being forced to make an account they don't necessarily want to, as indicated by the numerous unhappy responses to the news on PCGaming subreddit.

Some Redditors have claimed that SIE only wants to link Steam users to the PSN so Sony can bolster its PSN user numbers for shareholders, which could definitely be true to at least some degree.