Threads
- God of War Ragnarok comes to PC with the same PSN requirement as its fellows.
- Sony’s current strategy region-locks games in countless countries, disappointing fans worldwide.
- Losing potential consumers and earning the wrath of fans is hurting no one but Sony in the long run.
In every era, competing platforms have existed that promise the best gaming experience. Then why do people seem to prefer one over the other? The answer isn’t as multi-faceted as it seems. The one who offered better games triumphed.
PlayStation is picked by many because of its lineup, especially the PS4, which still has plenty to offer. Thus, it was a pretty big deal when Sony decided to reward PC users with ports. Almost every PS exclusive is now on PC, including the latest God of War: Ragnarok, but I wish I could tell you things are all good.
Why it matters: Sony’s PSN requirement strategy leads to a region lock, and by doing so, the tech giant is hurting its own image and losing potential consumers.
Sony And The Peculiar PSN Requirement
Sony’s first-party titles are now consistently released on PC after a fixed time. Unfortunately, there’s a major catch: the absurd region lock. Let’s look at its history a little. Not too long ago, Sony released the magnificent Helldivers 2 simultaneously on PC, which took the world by storm and garnered worldwide fame.
Seeing this, Sony decided to put a little check on PC players by introducing the “PSN account is needed to play”. This led to people getting locked out of a game they legally bought, creating a dire situation. PSN account regions aren’t as widespread as Steam, and thus users in non-PSN countries lost their access.
Outrage ensued, hatred spread like wildfire, and mass refunds were issued, forcing Sony to back out. The damage was done, but at least the corporate giant caved. Unfortunately, it was a minor defeat. Sony came in strong next, prior to announcing its intent that the PSN requirement is here to stay. And as promised, it is.
Why is Helldivers 2 still not available my country after Sony promised to take back the psn requirments?
byu/KawaiiBakaNeko inHelldivers
Even God Of War: Ragnarok Is Region Locked
Sony recanted its decision for Helldivers 2 because it wasn’t pre-informed. However, starting with Ghost of Tsushima, it timely announced to “prepare yourself.” The long-awaited samurai action title came to PC, but people in non-PSN countries couldn’t enjoy it— legally, that is.
Of course, people vehemently opposed it, but Sony refused to back down. It was clear about its stance and wasn’t going to budge, not then, not now. The next entry in the “PS exclusives on PC” catalog was God of War: Ragnarok, and as expected, the PSN requirement stayed.
Ragnarok was officially released on PC a few days ago, but countless gamers are locked out of it. A severe backlash is currently trying to fight back against these circumstances, but you and I both know what little good it can do. The game’s sitting on thousands of negative reviews on Steam.
God of War: Ragnarok requires PSN Account, which means not available in 180 Countries. SONY IS Smoking something.
byu/kristijan1001 inSteam
Sony Is Hurting No One But Itself
Look at the bigger picture for a moment. The sheer popularity of the God of War reboot is insane, especially Ragnarok. I mean, it was a GOTY contender that went toe-to-toe with Elden Ring, what other proof is needed? A game of this magnitude and you think making it unavailable in hundreds of countries was somehow a good idea?
Who exactly is Sony hurting in the long run? People will protest for now, but they’ll eventually move on to other things, and Sony will lose potential customers.
And here we see, Sony shooting itself in the foot, again.
byu/Mr_idi0t_0 indankmemes
No matter how you look at it, Sony’s risking a heavy loss. Despite the region lock, Sony’s titles are still selling like hotcakes. Imagine the number without this restriction.
Or what, does the approval of a particular group mean everything for Sony, the rest of the world is nothing? Sony’s so full of itself that it doesn’t care if gamers around the world can’t play it, as long as the PSN-centered countries are happy.
Stuff Like This Leads To Piracy
I know I’m about to say something controversial, but these absurd decisions by big companies leave no choice for the affected but to resort to piracy. You’re more than willing to give Sony your money, but since it decided it doesn’t want your money, what else can you do?
When legal channels are purposely blocked, what other route remains? The desire to play a game and then be denied every opportunity makes you want to rebel. Look at how popular the “remove PSN” fan mod is becoming, and for good reasons. These anti-consumer decisions are forcing the hands of determined fans.
Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋
How could we improve this post? Please Help us. 😔
Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
Join Our Community
