The digital release of the PC port for Ghost of Tsushima has been taken down from nearly 200 countries. This port requires an account with Sony’s PlayStation Network. The affected areas are not serviced by PlayStation Network and players are required to link a PSN account, although they may only play the single-player portions of the game. This requirement appears to be new for a Sony game, as PS4 ports of games like Horizon Zero Dawn and God of War could be played without linking to a PSN account. Sucker Punch, the game’s developer, confirmed earlier that “a PSN account is required for Legends online multiplayer mode and to use PlayStation overlay. It is not required to play the single-player game.”
Steam has refunded pre-orders for Ghost of Tsushima in 177 regions where the game has been removed from digital storefronts. The game’s multiplayer modes will not be available if the player does not have a PSN account. “We have removed the product from our store in your region and we will be refunding in full all customers who pre-purchased the game from countries unable to create PSN accounts,” said one retailer in a statement. Sucker Punch announced earlier this year that the game would be released for PC.
This requirement for linking to PSN is a departure from Sony’s previous requirements. In the past, players were not required to link to a PSN account when playing the single-player portions of PS4 ports such as Horizon Zero Dawn and God of War. In other news from the gaming industry, Square Enix recently announced an aggressive pivot towards multiplatform releases in their new medium-term business plan.
The game’s developer, Sucker Punch, has a history with Sony. Sony previously attempted to require players to link their Steam accounts to PSN to continue playing Helldivers 2 months after its launch. This move drew backlash and Sony later reversed the requirement, although the game is still only available in areas with PlayStation Network service
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