Helldivers 2 has experienced a significant surge in positive player evaluations following Sony's removal of geographical access barriers. Explore the details behind Helldivers 2's review score rebound, the PSN region lock controversy, and the newly unrestricted PlayStation titles.
Helldivers 2 Freed From Sony's Geographic Restrictions
Community Response Drives Review Score Improvement
Helldivers 2, the cooperative third-person shooter developed by Arrowhead Game Studios and published by Sony, has seen its Steam ratings improve dramatically within 48 hours as players celebrate its "freedom from Sony's restrictions." On Reddit, user Good_Policy352 received over 14,000 upvotes for encouraging community members to update their negative reviews in a post titled "MAJOR ORDER: Change Negative Review After Region Unlock."
The regional access controversy originated over twelve months ago when Sony implemented new PSN account requirements that limited game availability in certain territories. The company's attempt to mandate PSN logins for purchased games faced fierce opposition from players across multiple titles.
Helldivers 2's community responded to these restrictive measures with coordinated backlash, accumulating more than 200,000 negative Steam reviews before Sony reversed course. Despite this concession, PlayStation titles remained unavailable in select regions through digital PC storefronts, with refunds being offered to affected players.
Previously Restricted PlayStation Titles Return to Market
Major Franchise Games Regain Global Availability
Following sustained community advocacy, Sony has quietly rescinded its geographic restrictions. According to June 13 updates to Steam's database, premium PlayStation exclusives including God of War Ragnarök, The Last of Us Part II Remastered, and Marvel's Spider-Man 2 have had their regional limitations removed, expanding their potential player bases on Valve's platform.
Industry observers speculate whether the commercial performance of Stellar Blade impacted this policy change, particularly given developer Shift Up's rumored resistance to restrictions. Sony has yet to issue an official statement regarding these developments, and there's currently no confirmation that additional titles will receive similar treatment beyond the initial group.