Sony removes PSN account requirement for some of its PC ports

Sony has been steadily porting many of its acclaimed first-party PS4 and PS5 games to PC. However, one controversial requirement that Sony has mandated for many of its recent ports, in which players must require an existing PSN account in order to play, is now being made optional for some of its titles. Sony will still incentivise PSN logins with added trophy support and other benefits, however players wanting to experience Sony’s PC catalogue in regions in which PSN is not supported will now be able to do so.

“An account for PlayStation Network will become optional for these titles on PC“, writes SVP Head of Publishing Asad Qizilbash on the PlayStation Blog. “Players who still opt to sign into a PlayStation Network account will also enjoy added benefits like trophies and friend management“. Additionally, Sony is offering certain free cosmetic DLC for those who sign into a PlayStation Network account for many of its recent ports. The games receiving PSN login DLC and the rewards players can redeem are as follows:

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 – Early unlock suits: the Spider-Man 2099 Black Suit and the Miles Morales 2099 Suit
God of War Ragnarök – Gain access to the Armor of the Black Bear set for Kratos at the first Lost Items chest in the Realm Between Realms (previously only accessible in a New Game+ run) and a resource bundle (500 Hacksilver and 250 XP)
The Last of Us Part II Remastered – +50 points to activate bonus features and unlock extras and Jordan’s Jacket from Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet as a skin for Ellie
Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered – Gain access to Nora Valiant outfit

Such a change in approach to Sony’s integration of PSN for its PC ports was probably inevitable. While perhaps understandable considering Sony’s long history in the walled garden of console gaming, PC players tend to prefer as little DRM and login requirements as possible. The company already received some controversy last year when Helldivers 2, an otherwise largely well-received multiplayer shooter which had accrued a large and devoted audience, review bombed the game en masse when a PSN login requirement was temporarily made mandatory.

Unfortunately, the mandatory PSN login requirement has not yet been made optional across the board. Some other recent ports, such as Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut, still requires a PSN login to access the online multiplayer Legends mode. Gating neat cosmetic DLC behind a login requirement isn’t ideal for those who WOULD login to PSN but physically cannot due to their geographic location. However, at least these PC ports now have one fewer barrier to entry for those looking to play them. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will release on PC on the 31st of January 2025, with its PSN login requirement fortunately optional.