The situation has quickly escalated regarding the requirement for a PlayStation Network account to play God of War Ragnarök, which launched last Thursday. The game has already faced a wave of negative reviews, resulting in a “Mixed” rating. Many of the unfavorable comments stem from frustrations about the necessity of a PSN account for this single-player experience.
Despite the backlash, God of War Ragnarök is widely regarded as a remarkable game, as reflected in numerous honest reviews on Steam. It was also recognized as the “Most Wanted Game” at the Golden Joystick Awards two years prior to its release as a PlayStation exclusive. Following its launch, it garnered the highest number of nominations and awards at DICE 2023, winning seven out of twelve nominations, although it ultimately lost the Game of the Year award to Elden Ring.
The core issue appears to be that some players feel misled by the PSN requirement, despite it being clearly communicated prior to the PC version’s release. Sony explicitly mentioned this in their announcement, and various media outlets, including Gadgets Digi, highlighted the requirement. This was not a surprise, unlike the situation with Helldivers 2, where players were caught off guard by a post-launch restriction.
This requirement is not unprecedented; for instance, Ghost of Tsushima’s multiplayer mode also necessitates a linked PSN account. While Ragnarök is a single-player title, it is worth noting that Sony has confirmed that both Bloodborne and the Until Dawn remake will also require a PSN account upon their release, despite being single-player games.
Additionally, some confusion arises from the distinction between PSN and PlayStation Plus. PlayStation Plus is Sony’s subscription service, akin to Microsoft’s Game Pass, offering various benefits and access to purchase games through the PS Store. In contrast, the PlayStation Network (PSN) serves as Sony’s free online gaming platform.
One reviewer expresses frustration, stating, “The PSN requirement is absurd. It’s disappointing. As a devoted fan of the God of War series, I cannot support this extortionate tactic.”
The user voices concerns about the necessity of signing up and providing “PII” (personally identifiable information) along with uploading identification photos for “age verification.” While the user’s location is unclear, it’s worth noting that US accounts do not mandate such requirements for a PSN account, as I verified by creating a test account.
Sony only requests the following information to set up a PSN account:
- Country/Region
- State or Province
- Preferred language
- Date of Birth
- Valid email
- Password
That being said, there are valid complaints, particularly from individuals in regions lacking PSN access. It seems unreasonable to impose such requirements for a single-player game. In contrast, multiplayer titles like Helldivers 2 and Ghost of Tsushima have a more justifiable need for sign-in beyond mere data collection.
Fortunately, since we are discussing a PC version, the presence of mods is a significant advantage. Modders quickly released a straightforward modification on Nexus that removes the PSN requirement from the game. Users can simply copy a few DLL files into the game directory, launch it, and select “No” when prompted to link PSN and Steam accounts. This effectively resolves the issue, even for those in restricted regions.
