God of War Ragnarok's PC launch on Steam has been met with a mixed reception, primarily due to Sony's controversial PSN account requirement. This mandatory linking has triggered a wave of negative reviews, impacting the game's overall user score.
Steam User Reviews Reflect PSN Backlash
Currently boasting a 6/10 rating, God of War Ragnarok's Steam reviews are overwhelmingly negative, a direct response to Sony's decision. Many players feel the PSN requirement is unnecessary for a single-player game, leading to a "review bombing" phenomenon.
Interestingly, some users report successfully playing the game without linking a PSN account, suggesting inconsistencies in the implementation. One review highlights this frustration: "I understand the anger over the PSN requirement, but I played fine without logging in. It's a shame because these reviews will deter people from an amazing game."
Another user's review underscores technical issues linked to the PSN requirement: "The PSN requirement ruined the experience. The game got stuck on a black screen after login, and even though I didn't play, it shows 1 hour 40 minutes of playtime. Ridiculous!"
Despite the negative feedback, positive reviews exist, praising the game's compelling story and gameplay. These players acknowledge the PSN controversy as the primary driver of the negative reviews, stating the game itself is excellent on PC. One such review reads: "Great story, as expected. The negative reviews are mostly about PSN. Sony needs to address this; otherwise, the game is fantastic on PC."
A Recurring Issue for Sony
This situation mirrors Sony's previous experience with Helldivers 2, which also faced significant backlash and ultimately saw its PSN requirement revoked. This incident underscores the potential negative consequences of imposing online requirements on single-player titles. Whether Sony will respond similarly to the God of War Ragnarok situation remains to be seen.
