Summary
- The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered on PC will require a PlayStation Network (PSN) account, which has caused frustration among some prospective players.
- The game is set to be released on April 3, 2025.
When The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered arrives on PC later this year, players will need to have a PlayStation Network account to dive into the game. Sony's decision to require a PSN account for its PC ports of former exclusives has sparked controversy in recent years. Although bringing fan-favorite titles like The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered to Steam is exciting, the mandatory PSN account requirement has left some players less than thrilled.
The original The Last of Us, remastered as The Last of Us Part 1, has been available on PC since 2022. Following its successful launch, Sony is now set to release The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered on PC on April 3, 2025. This move is significant as the critically acclaimed sequel was previously exclusive to PlayStation, and the remaster was only available on the PS5. However, the requirement for a PSN account might dampen the enthusiasm for some fans.
The official Steam page for The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered clearly states that a PlayStation Network account is required to play the game. Players can link their existing PSN accounts to their Steam profile, a detail that's easy to overlook but potentially contentious. Previous PC ports of PlayStation games have faced similar backlash over this requirement. For instance, last year, the strong negative reaction led Sony to remove the PSN requirement from Helldivers 2 before it could be implemented.
Sony's Strategy to Increase PSN Account Creation
Sony's insistence on requiring a PSN account for PC ports, even for single-player games like The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, is aimed at encouraging more PC players to engage with Sony's services. While this makes sense for games like Ghost of Tsushima, which use PSN for multiplayer and the PlayStation overlay, it seems less justified for a single-player experience where network features and cross-play are not central. This move appears to be a strategic effort to expand Sony's user base, but it's a bold choice given past user feedback.
Creating a PSN account is free, but the process of setting up or linking a new profile can be cumbersome for gamers eager to start playing. Moreover, the PlayStation Network is not accessible in all countries, which could render the PC port unplayable for some fans. Given the The Last of Us series' reputation for championing gaming accessibility, such a restriction may be particularly irksome to some players.
