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Helldivers 2 Removed from Purchase on Steam in over 150 Countries

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Re: Helldivers 2 Removed from Purchase on Steam in over 150 Countries

#121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Every Helldivers 2 player on Steam needs to create a Playstation Network account now, even if they don't own a Playstation. Without PSN account Steam users won't be able to play the game in a couple of days.

Yes, that is what is happening. But it is not an explanation for why , because by itself that action is going to reduce SIA's market and thereby revenue. There must be a technical/legal reason and other comments have already pointed out how the current system is both trashy for developers and legally risky.

Doesn't matter if different people are responsible for number of accounts and from revenue... One will push for this and other one likely have not even noticed...

Re: Helldivers 2 Removed from Purchase on Steam in over 150 Countries

#122

As a Helldivers 2 PC player who also owns a PS5, this new requirement doesn't bother me personally. However, adding a requirement (it was previously optional) is boneheaded, maybe illegal. It must be terrible to be Arrowhead; they have to sit by and watch while their player base implodes because of a Sony edict.

It was clearly advertised on the steam page, but also on launch you had a full screen banner that said you MUST sign in with a PSN account to play this game. It's just that until now you could click cancel and the game would still launch.

So no, nothing was "added".

Re: Helldivers 2 Removed from Purchase on Steam in over 150 Countries

#123
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Requirement was always there, just not enforced due to „technical issues”. https://web.archive.org/web/20231207163847/https://store.ste... > „Requires 3rd-Party Account: PlayStation Network” However, making it purchasable from countries not supported by PSN accounts was big error on their part.

https://direct.playstation.com/en-us/buy-games/helldivers-2-... Do I need a PSN account to play PlayStation games on PC? No, you currently do not need a PSN account to enjoy PlayStation Studios games on PC, but you will need a Steam account to redeem your voucher code. Some of our PlayStation Studios titles also offer incentives for linking your Steam and PSN accounts.

Irrelevant - the product page says otherwise and the game itself was explicit in telling you that a PSN account is required on launch.

Re: Helldivers 2 Removed from Purchase on Steam in over 150 Countries

#124
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Requirement was always there, just not enforced due to „technical issues”. https://web.archive.org/web/20231207163847/https://store.ste... > „Requires 3rd-Party Account: PlayStation Network” However, making it purchasable from countries not supported by PSN accounts was big error on their part.

true in legal terms. But it was hidden and the reason given for the change was a blatant lie. They were deceiving users until they could no longer refund. Something like that is often called a scam or fraud

>>But it was hidden

When you start the game, you literally get a full screen banner that says a PSN account is required to play and you must sign in. It's just that until now you could click cancel and the game would still launch.

How can anyone call it "hidden" is literally beyond me. It's not hidden on page 527 of the EULA or something - it's literally said explicitly on a full screen banner shown to every player who has started the game. Not to mention it's mentioned on the Steam store page.

Re: Helldivers 2 Removed from Purchase on Steam in over 150 Countries

#125

When I saw marketing material that looked like a carbon copy of Destiny I knew what to expect The game that plays you, too

Modern video games are scary like that. They arent designed for your fun necessarily, but rather addictive mechanism that keep you coming back. Obviously dopamine from slot machine mechanisms and winning. Oxytocin from online gaming... These companies know how to make addiction.

Not sure what you mean by modern, to me modernity started in the 1600s.

If you mean something like 'contemporary', then I'd like to mention that casino-like elements where rather common in the video game boom of the 1990s. Could for example listen to how old-fashioned Sonic sounded: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gsa_4s3CjmI

Re: Helldivers 2 Removed from Purchase on Steam in over 150 Countries

#126
This was known right from the launch. no surprises here.

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/553850/view/41968685...

Attention Helldivers,

Due to technical issues at the launch of HELLDIVERS™ 2, we allowed the linking requirements for Steam accounts to a PlayStation Network account to be temporarily optional. That grace period will now expire. See details below in this post.

Account linking plays a critical role in protecting our players and upholding the values of safety and security provided on PlayStation and PlayStation Studios games. This is our main way to protect players from griefing and abuse by enabling the banning of players that engage in that type of behaviour. It also allows those players that have been banned the right to appeal.

As such, as of May 6th, all new HELLDIVERS 2 players on Steam will be required to connect their Steam account to a PlayStation Network account. Current players on Steam will start to see the mandatory login from May 30th and will be required to have linked a Steam and PlayStation Network account by June 4th. PlayStation Network accounts are free and easy to set up using this link https://www.playstation.com/support/account/create-account-f...

We understand that while this may be an inconvenience to some of you, this step will help us to continue to build a community that you are all proud to be a part of.

Many thanks for your continued support of HELLDIVERS 2!

Sony Interactive Entertainment

Re: Helldivers 2 Removed from Purchase on Steam in over 150 Countries

#128
I still haven't forgotten the time that Sony deliberately and secretly infected millions of computers with a rootkit in order to enforce DRM that also introduced exploitable security vulnerabilities, and then lied about it, and then after the backlash shipped an "uninstaller" that just hid the rootkit better and introduced more exploitable security vulnerabilities.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_BMG_copy_protection_rootk...

I feel bad for Arrowhead, but let it be known that if you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas. Maybe next time they'll think twice before partnering with such a trash company.

Re: Helldivers 2 Removed from Purchase on Steam in over 150 Countries

#129

On Steam: If there's little yellow boxes in the right hand column, someone somewhere is reserving the right to ruin your day in some way. Helldivers 2 has three of them: DRM, Third party account, and third party EULA. Best avoid games with little yellow boxes, especially if you prefer just playing games vs legal drama. (And of course gog.com doesn't have any little yellow boxes)

Can confirm. I bought Freespace 2 in 2009 and it's still there in my account with no DRM.

Back then, PSN was free. Bought a PS3 over an XB360 because I didn't want to pay a subscription for the occasional multiplayer game.

Re: Helldivers 2 Removed from Purchase on Steam in over 150 Countries

#130

This was known right from the launch. no surprises here. https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/553850/view/41968685... Attention Helldivers, Due to technical issues at the launch of HELLDIVERS™ 2, we allowed the linking requirements for Steam accounts to a PlayStation Network account to be temporarily optional. That grace period will now expire. See details below in this post. Account linking plays a critical role…

> This was known right from the launch.

That Sony was selling the game to 150 countries with the intention of making all of those purchases unusable?

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