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Helldivers 2is in the middle of the controversy and fans think it is the latest victim of Sony’s corporate greed and complete disregard for the game community. Johan Pilestedt, Arrowhead Game Studios CEO and game director was always well aware of the backlash the game might get.

Helldivers 2 is being ridiculed because of Sony’s inconsiderate decision that would affect countless players.

The recent mandate to integrate or link accounts between Steam and Sony’s proprietary network is becoming a major problem. The service is not available in certain regions which led to the removal of the game and the backlash was already anticipated by the director.

Johan Pilestedt Expected the Backlash on Helldivers 2

It is unsurprising for the gaming community to voice their concerns and fight back against the questionable choices of game publishers like Sony. However, this issue is quite valid and the reaction is warranted. Pilestedt knew of the potential backlash of requiring players to sign in on PC with a PSN account for moderation and his hands are tied because of Sony’s leverage.

Thank you for the civil questions.

We signed HD2 8 years ago. It doesn’t specify details such as account linking.

There are always requirements from Publishers during development. This was one of them.

“Tell Joel to crank up the heat”: Helldivers 2 Fans are Getting Brave as they Goad Gamesmaster Joel to Make the War More Difficult

We did discuss it and it was deemed as important for PS to have it for an…

— Pilestedt (@Pilestedt)July 04, 2025

Initially, it was a requirement that was given by Sony months before launch but the unanticipated success led to the crash of servers and both developers and the publisher unilaterally decided to enable playing the game on PC without a PSN account.

It is unknown why Sony decided to change its decision months later and has made its priorities clear byabandoning the players who reside in the 177 regions where the network is unavailablerather than reversing the decision or expanding the network coverage.

The developers are on the receiving end of the hate Helldivers 2 is receiving from the gaming community.

“Tell Joel to crank up the heat”: Helldivers 2 Fans are Getting Brave as they Goad Gamesmaster Joel to Make the War More Difficult

The game director is extremelydisappointed by how one decision turned the entire gaming community againstthe studio with negative reviews when in reality the publisher is to blame. The reason for enabling this requirement once more is for the sole purpose of moderation yet players were comfortable playing without the need to do so months before, perhaps Sony is neck deep with its interest in gaining new territory outside its flagship home console platform.

Johan Pilestedt Is Taking the Fall for Helldivers 2

Some regions have stricter laws regarding the creation of a PSN account which can be a hassle for others and a major risk for personal security for most. Players who reside in the United Kingdom are obligated to offer at least a valid ID, active phone number, or a facial scanwhich even Pilestedt thinks is a little too much.

“Either way is a Chad move”: Helldivers 2’s Johan Pilestedt Wants a Baldur’s Gate 3 DLC Just Like Us!

The safety and freedom of the community are vulnerable to cyber-attacks and the player’s sensitive information could be stolen. The treatment that Arrowhead Game Studios is receiving from fans is quite unfair and unwarranted since they too are not fans of this new mandate.

However, this is something that is beyond their control. Perhaps there is still a chance to undo the decision since the entire situation is still fluid and subject to change, but the damage has already been done.

“Either way is a Chad move”: Helldivers 2’s Johan Pilestedt Wants a Baldur’s Gate 3 DLC Just Like Us!

Are you in agreement with Sony’s decision to require PC players to link their PSN accounts to playHelldivers 2on PC? Let us know in the comments below!

Rouvin Josef Quirimit

Content Writer

Articles Published :1209

Piqued by his interest in superheroes during the early days of Marvel movies, Rouvin fell in a rabbit hole of pop culture. His passion for movies led to video games and he fell in love with God of War, The Last of Us, Uncharted, Red Dead Redemption, and more great single-player games that paved the way for his career as a gaming writer.

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Arrowhead Game StudiosHelldivers 2Johan Pilestedt

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