Summary
- Lost Soul Aside's PC version has dropped the controversial PSN account linking requirement before its 2025 launch.
- This significantly expands the game's market reach and sales potential, as it will now be available in countries without PSN support.
- This decision may signal a more flexible approach from Sony regarding PSN linking for future PlayStation PC releases.
New evidence suggests Lost Soul Aside, an upcoming Sony-published game, will launch on PC without the mandatory PlayStation Network (PSN) account linking requirement. This means PC players won't need a PSN account to play, and importantly, it opens up sales in over 100 countries currently unsupported by PSN.
Lost Soul Aside, a highly anticipated action RPG from Shanghai-based UltiZeroGames, is a product of PlayStation's China Hero Project. Nine years in development, this Devil May Cry-inspired title boasts dynamic combat and will release on PS5 and PC in 2025, with Sony handling publishing. However, Sony's previous mandate of mandatory PSN linking for its PC games drew considerable criticism. This requirement severely limited market access for titles, excluding regions without PSN support.
Lost Soul Aside, however, appears to be an exception. Following the December 2024 gameplay trailer, the game's Steam page initially listed the PSN requirement, but this was quickly removed, as shown in SteamDB's update history.
Lost Soul Aside: A Second Sony Title to Drop PSN Linking on PC
This is welcome news for PC gamers in unsupported regions. It also represents a significant shift in Sony's PC strategy. The only previous instance of Sony reversing a PSN linking requirement was during the Helldivers 2 controversy. After that incident, the requirement seemed cemented, but Lost Soul Aside's exemption suggests a more nuanced approach.
While Sony's reasoning remains unclear, the likely goal is maximizing player reach and sales. Previous PlayStation PC titles, hampered by PSN linking, saw disappointing results; God of War Ragnarök, for example, achieved less than half the Steam player count of its predecessor.
