Not too long ago, PlayStation and Nixxes revealed they were porting Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 to PC via Steam, and I let out a collective groan. Not because the game was headed to PC—no, that was great news—but because PlayStation was continuing to push the PlayStation Network (PSN) requirement despite many regions not having access to the service. This meant that potential players would be left out of playing one of the best superhero games. However, as of January 29, 2025, PlayStation wised up and removed that requirement for four games.
Why? That’s a great question. I’d like to think it was due to PlayStation’s now sole CEO, Hideaki Nishino, putting his foot down. Nishino is the same person who stated that he wanted the brand to reach more PC gamers. Of course, removing the PSN requirement would go a long way toward achieving that goal. But that’s just speculation on my part, but the pieces do align.
Ever since the release of Helldivers 2 on PC, there’s been an ongoing back-and-forth between PlayStation and PC gamers. Many PC players were adamant that they didn’t want to sign into yet another service, while others were frustrated that they couldn’t play because PSN simply isn’t available in a vast number of regions. And if you tried to bypass the requirement, you risked finding yourself in a sticky situation. This controversy wasn’t limited to Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, as The Last of Us Part II Remastered, God of War Ragnarok, and Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered also required PSN access. Or did, but those requirements are being removed as well.
So now that PSN is optional—at least for these four games—how does Sony plan to get PC gamers on board with the service? Well, for starters, we have no idea if this change is permanent (please let it be), but for now, it seems PlayStation is trying to entice players with exclusive skins and rewards.
For example, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will grant PSN users on PC early access to the Spider-Man 2099 Black suit and the Miles Morales 2099 suit. Meanwhile, The Last of Us Part II Remastered will reward players with 50 points that can be used to unlock bonus extras, such as Jordan’s jacket from Naughty Dog’s upcoming Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet for Ellie.
And that’s the right way to go, at least to me. Make the PSN requirement optional, outside of games that include online access such as Ghost of Tshsuima, and give gamers a reason to want to access it, and let those in unsupported regions still purchase and play these games on Steam.
Now you’re getting it, PlayStation. It only took you how long to realize the easier solution was right in front of you.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is now available for PlayStation 5 and PC (Steam).
