Booting up The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered on PC this April? You'll need to do something that might feel a bit out of place first - sign into a PlayStation Network account. Yes, even just to play the single-player story.
If this sounds familiar, it's because we've been here before. Just last May, PC players discovered they couldn't dive into Helldivers 2 without linking a PSN account, sparking some serious pushback from the community. While Sony eventually walked that requirement back after players pointed out PSN isn't even available in 177 countries, they've been quietly expanding this requirement across their PC lineup ever since.
The thing is, this made some sense for Helldivers 2 - it's an online game where Sony claimed PSN integration helps with "safety and security." But The Last of Us Part 2? Besides some optional leaderboards in the new No Return roguelike mode, you're mostly going to be spending time with Joel and Ellie's story. Same goes for recent PC drops like Until Dawn and God of War Ragnarök - purely single-player experiences that somehow still need that PSN login.
Looking at Sony's recent moves, this seems to be their new normal. Ghost of Tsushima's upcoming PC port? PSN required. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 when it swings onto PC? You'll need that PlayStation account ready. For most of us, it's probably just an extra step during setup. But if you're trying to play in one of those 177 regions where PSN isn't available? You're basically locked out entirely.
The timing here is interesting - The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered hits PC via Steam and Epic on April 3rd, right as HBO's second season of The Last of Us kicks off. The remaster itself is pretty impressive - Digital Foundry's deep dive showed off some serious upgrades like better textures, improved shadows, and longer draw distances that make it the definitive way to experience the story.
But for PC players, especially those who've never needed a PlayStation account before, this extra requirement feels like an odd barrier between them and what Digital Foundry called "the best way to play a genuine classic."
