In a surprising turn of events, Helldivers 2 has reversed its decision to require Steam players to link their accounts with PlayStation Network (PSN) after facing severe backlash. The game, known for its multiplayer bug-and-bot shooting gameplay, had received widespread criticism following the announcement, leading to a deluge of negative reviews and even its removal from sale in over 170 countries.

The controversy began when it was revealed that players would need to link their Steam accounts to PSN in order to continue playing Helldivers 2. This decision triggered a wave of frustration, particularly from those in countries where creating a PSN account was not possible. The negative reviews on Steam quickly surpassed 100,000, causing the game's rating to drop from "Mostly Positive" to "Mixed."

Developers Arrowhead had initially planned the account linking requirement for the game's launch but had delayed its implementation due to concerns about server capacity. However, players in non-PSN accessible regions had already been enjoying the game without needing a PlayStation account. As a result, reintroducing the account linking as a mandatory requirement only added to players' frustrations.

The situation escalated when some players were able to secure refunds for the game, despite surpassing Steam's usual two-hour playtime limit, by citing the change in account requirements. Johan Pilestedt, the head of Arrowhead, acknowledged the criticism, stating, "I guess it's warranted," and expressed the studio's intention to find a solution in collaboration with PlayStation.

Taking the mounting backlash into account, PlayStation made a U-turn on their decision and announced that the mandatory PSN account linking requirement would be dropped. This reversal was well-received by the gaming community, and Helldivers 2's Steam reviews started to climb back up, restoring its overall and recent review rating to "Mixed."

PlayStation's official Xitter account issued a statement, stating, "The May 6 update, which would have required Steam and PlayStation Network account linking for new players and for current players beginning May 30, will not be moving forward." They also acknowledged the players' fury, adding, "We're still learning what is best for PC players and your feedback has been invaluable."

With the decision to drop the account linking requirement, players can now continue playing Helldivers 2 on PC without being forced to create a PlayStation account. As the game begins to regain its reputation, it remains to be seen whether it can fully recover from the damage caused by the controversy. However, players can now enjoy the game knowing that their frustrations regarding data sharing, accessibility, and overall ease have been heard and addressed.