Sony's New PC Game No Longer Requires PSN Account

Summary

• Lost Soul Aside's PC version has seemingly removed the controversial PSN account linking requirement ahead of its 2025 launch.
• This will allow publisher Sony to sell Lost Soul Aside in countries that aren't supported by PSN, boosting the game's overall reach and sales potential.
• Sony's decision to drop the PSN account linking rule for Lost Soul Aside may hint at a more flexible approach for PlayStation's PC games going forward.

Exciting news for fans eagerly awaiting the release of Lost Soul Aside—Sony appears to have dropped the requirement for PC players to link their game to a PlayStation Network (PSN) account. This significant change means that when Lost Soul Aside hits the market in 2025, it will be accessible to a broader audience, particularly in regions where PSN is not supported.

Lost Soul Aside has been a standout project from PlayStation's China Hero Project, an initiative aimed at nurturing indie talent. Developed by Shanghai's UltiZeroGames over the span of nearly a decade, this hack and slash action RPG draws inspiration from the likes of Devil May Cry and promises exhilarating "dynamic combat." Sony, backing the project as both financier and publisher, plans to launch the game on both PS5 and PC. However, last year's introduction of mandatory PSN account linking for PlayStation games on PC stirred significant controversy among the gaming community.

The decision to remove the PSN account linking for Lost Soul Aside on PC is a pivotal one. Over 100 countries do not have access to PSN, which previously limited the sales and reach of PC games requiring it. Following the release of a new gameplay trailer in December 2024, Lost Soul Aside's Steam page initially indicated a PSN account requirement. However, an update to its SteamDB page the very next day revealed that this stipulation had been dropped.

Lost Soul Aside is now the second Sony-published game to bypass the PSN account linking rule on PC, following the uproar surrounding Helldivers 2. This move signals a potential shift in Sony's approach to PC gaming, suggesting a more flexible stance on the PSN requirement.

This development is undoubtedly welcome news for PC gamers in countries without PSN support, who can now look forward to experiencing Lost Soul Aside without the added hurdle. While the exact reasons for Sony's decision remain undisclosed, it's speculated that the company aims to maximize the game's global player base. This decision comes after other PlayStation titles like God of War Ragnarok saw lower-than-expected player counts on Steam following the introduction of PSN account linking.

As we approach the 2025 launch of Lost Soul Aside, this move by Sony could set a precedent for future PlayStation games on PC, potentially leading to a more inclusive gaming experience for players worldwide.