God of War Ragnarok's Steam Launch Met with Mixed Reviews Amidst PSN Account Controversy
God of War Ragnarok's recent PC release on Steam has sparked a wave of controversy, resulting in a "Mixed" user review score. Many fans are review-bombing the game in protest of Sony's mandatory PlayStation Network (PSN) account requirement. Launched last week, the game currently holds a 6/10 rating on the platform.
The PSN account mandate, announced prior to release, has left many players bewildered and angered. This requirement, deemed unnecessary for a single-player title, fueled the negative reviews flooding Steam.
However, a counter-narrative exists. Some players report playing the game successfully without linking a PSN account. One user stated, "I understand the frustration over the PSN requirement; it's annoying when single-player games force online features. But I played fine without logging in. It's unfortunate that these reviews might deter others from an amazing game."
Another review highlights technical issues potentially linked to the PSN requirement: "The PSN requirement ruined the experience. The game launched, I even logged in, but it froze on a black screen. It shows 1 hour 40 minutes of playtime, which is absurd."
Despite the negative sentiment, positive reviews praise the game's story and gameplay, attributing the negative scores solely to Sony's controversial policy. One player wrote, "The story is fantastic, as expected. The negative reviews stem almost entirely from the PSN issue. Sony needs to address this; otherwise, the game is excellent on PC."
This isn't Sony's first encounter with this type of backlash. A similar situation unfolded with Helldivers 2, where a PSN account requirement was met with strong opposition and subsequently reversed. Whether Sony will adjust its policy for God of War Ragnarok remains to be seen.
