God of War's Mixed Reception on Steam Raises Concerns over PlayStation Requirements

God of War Ragnarok's PC release on Steam has sparked a firestorm of controversy, resulting in a "Mixed" user review score. Many fans are review-bombing the game in protest of Sony's mandatory PlayStation Network (PSN) account requirement.

Steam Review Bombing Over PSN Requirement

Launched last week, God of War Ragnarok currently holds a 6/10 rating on Steam, largely due to the negative reviews triggered by the PSN login. This requirement has left many players frustrated and bewildered, especially given the game's single-player nature.

While some players report successfully playing without linking a PSN account, others express their frustration. One review states, "I understand the PSN anger; it's annoying when single-player games force online features. But I played fine without logging in! These reviews unfairly hurt an amazing game."

Another player describes a technical issue: "The PSN requirement ruined the experience. The game got stuck on a black screen after login, yet it registered 1 hour 40 minutes of playtime – absurd!"

Despite the negative reviews, positive feedback also exists, praising the game's story and gameplay. Many positive reviews attribute the negative scores solely to Sony's policy. One player wrote, "Great story, as expected. The negative reviews are almost entirely about PSN. Sony needs to address this; otherwise, the PC port is excellent."

This situation mirrors the backlash against Helldivers 2, where Sony's PSN requirement was eventually reversed. Whether Sony will respond similarly to the God of War Ragnarok controversy remains to be seen.