The Last of Us Part II Remastered's PC release on April 3, 2025, necessitates a PlayStation Network (PSN) account, sparking controversy among potential players. This requirement, mirroring Sony's approach with previous PC ports of PlayStation exclusives, has drawn criticism. While bringing the acclaimed sequel to PC is a positive step, the PSN mandate is a potential deterrent.
The Steam page explicitly states the PSN account necessity, allowing players to link existing accounts. This seemingly minor detail has ignited backlash, reminiscent of the strong negative reaction to similar requirements for other PlayStation PC ports. In fact, Sony previously backtracked on a planned PSN requirement for Helldivers 2 due to significant player pushback.
Sony's rationale for this requirement remains unclear. While understandable for games with multiplayer components (like Ghost of Tsushima), The Last of Us Part II is a single-player experience, making the PSN requirement seem arbitrary. It's speculated that this is a strategy to encourage PSN adoption among PC gamers, a business decision that clashes with past negative user responses.
Although a basic PSN account is free, the added step of account creation or linking presents an inconvenience. Further, the PSN's global availability isn't universal, potentially excluding some players from accessing the PC port. This restriction is particularly jarring given the Last of Us franchise's emphasis on accessibility. The mandatory PSN account is a significant point of contention that could impact the game's reception on PC.
