Thanks to Helldivers 2 Players, Sony Lifts PC Region Restrictions Post-Backlash

ByDavid Gilbert

Following a significant policy reversal by Sony, Helldivers 2 players have initiated a coordinated campaign to positively review-bomb the game’s Steam page. Particularly, the community’s capacity to mobilize around both criticism and approval based on corporate decisions was shown with this initiative. With this swift shift in player sentiment, is pushing for community-driven accountability in the live-service gaming landscape a sustainable model to pursue, particularly when corporate policies directly impact accessibility?

Helldivers 2 Players Launch “Positive Review Bomb”

A year prior, players engaged in negative review bombing, which occurred during the controversial PlayStation Network account-linking mandate, starkly contrasts with this recent collective action. This direct response by players addressed the removal of region locks that previously restricted access in numerous territories. That said, Sony not only lifted region restrictions but also eliminated mandatory PSN integration. Alongside Helldivers 2, other major PlayStation PC ports like God of War Ragnarok and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 benefited from this decision as well. Consequently, global access was restored for potential buyers in most regions after the earlier delisting affected 177 countries.

Additionally, an unofficial Major Order issued on the Helldivers 2 subreddit provided the movement’s formal structure. As a result, players who had left negative reviews solely due to region-locking concerns were instructed to update them to positive evaluations. Due to this change, the update was framed as a strategic operation celebrating liberation from corporate restrictions and anticipating an influx of new recruits. Within 24 hours, observers noted a discernible surge of positive reviews on Steam, with numerous updated reviews explicitly citing the restored global availability as their reason for recommendation.

Sony Drops Locks on Several Games

Helldivers 2 restricted countries
Screenshot of Helldivers 2, Restricted countries courtesy of SteamDB

However, keep in mind that measurable data on the exact scale of this reverse review bombing remains limited. According to Arrowhead CEO Shams Jorjani, this positive mobilization coincided with his teasing eventual release of the long-promised Review Bomb Cape, a cosmetic item commemorating the initial backlash. This distribution may also align with the studio’s commitment to deliver it once these region locks are addressed. Although the broad reinstatement signifies a substantial victory for player advocacy, it also potentially sets a precedent for how publishers respond to feedback regarding global accessibility and platform policies on PC storefronts. Currently, Helldivers 2 remains unavailable in eight specific countries due to undisclosed restrictions, including:

  • Belarus
  • Cuba
  • Iran
  • Japan
  • North Korea
  • Russia
  • Syria
  • Vietnam

This move resulted in over 180,000 concurrent players accessing the game, ultimately becoming PlayStation’s most-played single-player title on Steam. With other games like Ghost of Tsushima and Until Dawn still locked, does Sony’s selective lifting of restrictions for only these four titles indicate a hesitant, piecemeal approach to regional accessibility? If not, this decision could be occurring due to a comprehensive policy overhaul across the company’s PC catalog. Not only that, the success of Stellar Blade saw the player count double from previous PlayStation PC ports, proving how influential Sony’s decision was.

Indeed, Sony demonstrated how eliminating region locks can drive commercial performance and player engagement without mandatory PSN integration. Even with this progress, however, these eight countries remain excluded from purchasing the newly accessible titles. Whether this decision on restrictions is based on geopolitical sanctions or internal policies, Sony has yet to clarify. Consequently, the update represents a victory for player advocacy after a year of petitions and review-bombing, as its limited scope and lack of transparency underscore ongoing concerns about the company’s commitment to equitable global access.

From Blocked to Bombarded (Positively)

On Friday, it was reported that Sony officially lifted region restrictions for several major PC titles following the company’s quiet backend updates. Namely, Helldivers 2, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and God of War Ragnarök had their access restored in over 170 countries where these games were previously blocked due to unavailable PlayStation Network (PSN) services. Although this significant policy reversal was executed without a formal announcement, it was tracked via SteamDB changelogs.

Ultimately, this reversal directly responds to prolonged player backlash that began with Helldivers 2’s controversial PSN mandate and other delistings in non-PSN regions last year. Additionally, the explosive PC launch of Stellar Blade, which was released on June 11, took place during this accessibility expansion. While the game debuted without region locks, developer Shift Up negotiated with Sony to remove restrictions and optionalize PSN logins.

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