Sony has recently announced a significant change for gamers: PSN accounts are no longer required to play select PS5 games on PC. This decision comes after the upcoming release of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 on PC, set for January 30, 2025. Read on to discover which games are affected and the incentives available for those who choose to use their PSN accounts.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and Other Games No Longer Require PSN Accounts to Play on PC

Sony has made the PlayStation Network (PSN) account optional for several PS5 games ported to PC. According to a recent blog post on PlayStation.Blog, this change will take effect following the release of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 on PC. The affected games include:

• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
• God of War Ragnarok
• Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered
• The Last of Us Part II Remastered (set for release in April 2025)

However, some titles like Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut and Until Dawn still require a PSN account for their PC versions.

Incentives for Players with PSN Accounts

While PSN accounts are now optional, players who choose to log in with their PSN accounts will receive additional benefits. Sony has outlined the following incentives:

• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2: Early unlock of the Spider-Man 2099 Black Suit and the Miles Morales 2099 Suit.
• God of War Ragnarok: Access to the Armor of the Black Bear set for Kratos at the first Lost Items chest in the Realm Between Realms, and a resource bundle (500 Hacksilver and 250 XP).
• The Last of Us Part II Remastered: +50 points to activate bonus features and unlock extras, including Jordan’s Jacket from Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet as a skin for Ellie.
• Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered: Access to the Nora Valiant outfit.

Sony also mentioned that PlayStation Studios will continue to explore additional benefits for players who opt into using a PSN account.

Sony Received Backlash for Forcing Players to Have a PSN Account

The decision to make PSN accounts optional follows backlash Sony faced in 2024 when they initially required a PSN account for Helldivers 2 on Steam. This requirement led to the game being delisted in over 170 countries where PSN is not supported, resulting in a wave of negative reviews and complaints. Sony reversed this decision just three days later, acknowledging that they are "still learning what is best for PC players."

Similarly, the PC port of God of War Ragnarok faced criticism for requiring a PSN account, with users expressing their dissatisfaction on its Steam page. Sony has not provided clear reasons for requiring PSN accounts for single-player games.

With PSN only available in about 70 countries, players in unsupported regions were forced to create accounts in supported regions, raising privacy concerns due to Sony's past data breaches. This move to make PSN accounts optional is a step towards addressing these issues and improving the gaming experience for PC players worldwide.