The ongoing saga surrounding the controversial PlayStation Network (PSN) account requirement for Helldivers 2 on PC has taken another baffling turn. Even after publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) scrapped the much-maligned mandate, the hit cooperative shooter is still being delisted from various countries’ Steam storefronts where PSN is unavailable.
According to data from SteamDB, an unofficial tracker of Steam backend changes, Helldivers 2 has now been removed from purchase in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. This restriction comes on top of the game’s prior delistment in over 170 territories lacking PSN coverage.
Seemingly blindsided by the latest regional removals, Arrowhead Game Studio CEO Johan Pilestedt voiced frustration on the official Helldivers 2 Discord. “We have no idea what’s going on. Most devs are on a bank holiday and we just found out through the community. We want the game to be available worldwide.”
Pilestedt assured players that the studio is now working directly with SIE and Valve to get Helldivers 2 restored to all affected regions as soon as possible. The game had initially been pulled in March after Sony attempted to force all PC players to link a PSN account, even in areas where creating one was impossible.
Sony is still locking out divers from around the world.
And Helldivers CEO's reply to 3 more countries being region-locked.#Helldivers2 pic.twitter.com/9xCOuFu27m
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— Helldivers 2 Media (@Helldiversmedia) May 10, 2024
This heavy-handed policy sparked immense backlash, leading to a wave of negative review bombing on Steam from users outraged that they were being locked out of a game they purchased. Sony eventually caved to the pressure and walked back the mandate, making PSN account linking optional rather than mandatory.
However, Helldivers 2 still remains delisted in the original 170+ territories impacted despite Sony’s reversal. The latest seemingly random additions of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to theelist of restricted countries has only added to the confusion.
For its part, Arrowhead Studios has maintained a stance that Helldivers 2 should be readily available to all players worldwide regardless of region or PSN status. As the developers continue working to untangle the messy situation, the hope is that the acclaimed game can be restored across all Steam storefronts soon.
The Helldivers 2 PSN requirement saga has been an ongoing headache that appears far from over. But with the developers now actively advocating for a return to global availability, there is light at the end of the tunnel for impacted players eager to rejoin the war against the Terminids.
