God of War Ragnarok Review Fallout: Mixed Steam Ratings Amidst PSN Backlash

God of War Ragnarok's PC release on Steam has ignited a firestorm of controversy, resulting in a "Mixed" user review score. The source of the outrage? Sony's controversial requirement for a PlayStation Network (PSN) account to play the single-player game.

Steam Review-Bombing Over PSN Requirement

The PC launch, while highly anticipated, has been overshadowed by a wave of negative reviews. Many fans, angered by the PSN requirement, have engaged in review-bombing, dragging the game's rating down to a 6/10.

Sony's decision to mandate a PSN account for a single-player title has baffled and frustrated players. The perceived intrusion of online features into a traditionally offline experience fuels the negative sentiment.

Interestingly, some players report successfully playing the game without linking a PSN account, highlighting the inconsistency and adding to the confusion surrounding the requirement. One review states, "I understand the PSN frustration; it's annoying. But I played fine without logging in. These negative reviews are hurting an amazing game."

Other reviews cite technical issues related to the PSN login, further exacerbating the negative reaction. One user commented, "The PSN requirement ruined the experience. The game got stuck on a black screen after login, and despite not playing, it registered 1 hour 40 minutes of playtime—ridiculous!"

Despite the negative reviews, positive feedback also exists, praising the game's quality and attributing the low rating solely to Sony's policy. A positive review reads, "Great story, as expected. The negative reviews are almost entirely about the PSN issue. Sony needs to address this; otherwise, it's a fantastic PC port."

This isn't the first time Sony has faced backlash for mandatory PSN account linking. A similar situation occurred with Helldivers 2, prompting Sony to reverse its decision after significant player outcry. Whether Sony will respond similarly to the God of War Ragnarok situation remains to be seen.