Sony has recently announced that players will no longer need a PlayStation Network (PSN) account to enjoy some of their PS5 games that have been ported to PC. This change will come into effect following the release of Marvel's Spider-Man 2’s PC port on January 30, 2025. Affected titles include Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, God of War Ragnarok, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, and the upcoming The Last of Us Part II Remastered in April 2025. However, not all games are making this shift; PC ports of Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut, Until Dawn, and other single-player titles still mandate a PSN account for play.
For those who choose to use their PSN accounts on PC, Sony is rolling out incentives to sweeten the deal. Players who sign in will have access to additional features such as trophies and friend management, along with specific in-game bonuses for the mentioned games:
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 - Early unlock suits: the Spider-Man 2099 Black Suit and the Miles Morales 2099 Suit
- God of War Ragnarok - Gain access to the Armor of the Black Bear set for Kratos at the first Lost Items chest in the Realm Between Realms (previously only accessible in a New Game+ run) 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, Jordan’s Jacket from Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet as a skin for Ellie
- Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered - Gain access to Nora Valiant outfit
Sony also hinted at future incentives, stating that game creators at PlayStation Studios are committed to providing more benefits for PSN account holders.
The move comes after Sony faced significant backlash in 2024 when they initially required a PSN account for Helldivers 2 on Steam, leading to its delisting in over 170 countries where PSN isn't supported. The backlash was swift, with numerous negative reviews prompting Sony to reverse the decision just three days later. Similarly, God of War Ragnarok's PC port received criticism for the same reason, yet Sony has not clarified why PSN is necessary for their single-player games.
PSN's limited availability, currently only in around 70 countries, poses a challenge for players in regions without support. These players are often forced to create accounts in supported regions, raising privacy concerns, especially in light of Sony's past data breaches.
