Ghost of Tsushima is set to release on PC soon with Sony addressing major concerns. Last week, gamers rose up against a situation created by Sony. Helldivers 2 was under heavy scrutiny because of new rules. Initially, Sony stated all Helldivers accounts need to be linked with a PlayStation account. Many countries don’t have access to PlayStation Plus, so they were forced to revoke this decision after massive backlash. Now, with the release of Ghost of Tsushima on PC, Sony has again made some very interesting decisions with regarsd to PSN linking.
PSN Network requirements not mandatory
Sony has announced that PC players won’t need a PSN account to play the single-player version of Ghost of Tsushima. Players buying the game via Steam or any other store can play it hassle-free on PC. This addresses the biggest concern for Helldivers 2 players, who initially had to pay $30 only to later find out they couldn’t play without linking a PSN account. Fortunately, Ghost of Tsushima doesn’t have the same requirements and can be enjoyed without linking to PSN.
This applies only to the single-player core game. Apart from that, Sucker Punch Productions has confirmed an additional standalone game called “Ghost of Tsushima Legends.” This multiplayer mode requires linking a PSN account to play, making it a mandatory requirement.
Ghost Of Tsushima: Legends
After all the “Helldivers 2” mayhem, it seems like Sony decided to release the multiplayer mode as a standalone. The base game remains an offline single-player mode, with players defending against the Mongol invasion. The “Legends” multiplayer add-on allows players to team up in groups of 4 and participate in missions themed around Japanese mythology. Sony plans to entertain cross-platform parties, hence PSN linking is mandatory for everyone.
There’s a chance that the PSN requirements might be removed. Sony had planned out the “Legends” expansion pack months ago, before the Helldivers-PSN drama took place. Now that this issue has been brought to light, there’s a chance that Ghost of Tsushima Legends won’t require PSN linking. The difference between the Helldivers 2 drama and the Ghost of Tsushima launch is that Sony is more upfront with Ghost of Tsushima’s announcement. Helldivers users had already spent $30 before being aware of the PSN requirements. Hence, enforcing the PSN linking rule randomly after launch didn’t play out well.
Why is Sony forcing PSN on every title they launch on PC?
Sony is in an interesting situation, seemingly dominating both hardware and software departments. While Microsoft struggles with Xbox sales, the PlayStation 5 performs well. Additionally, Sony has invested significantly in software, with PlayStation Network being crucial for their multiplayer ecosystem, even on PC. In a world where Microsoft plans to feature their decade-long exclusives on the PlayStation Store, Sony is pushing their exclusives on PC users rather than Xbox users, taking on game studio publications head-on. Forcing PC users to invest in a PSN account allows Sony to avoid paying commissions to other stores like the Epic Store and Steam. This is crucial for growing any exclusive title, as exclusivity leads to monopoly and profits.
