Sony Lifts Regional PSN Restrictions on Major PC Games After Stellar Blade Success

image: Sony, Stellar Blade

Sony has quietly lifted regional sales restrictions for several of its major PC titles on Steam, making them available in a wider range of countries where they were previously blocked.

As noted by gaming news tipster Wario64 (via PC Gamer) and confirmed via SteamDB listings, titles like God of War Ragnarök, The Last of Us Part II Remastered, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and Helldivers 2 all had their regional restrictions updated on June 13.

These updates appear to have removed many of the limitations that previously prevented players in non-PSN-supported countries from purchasing the games.

While Sony hasn’t officially acknowledged these changes, the move appears to be a significant shift in policy following months of community criticism. The controversy dates back to earlier this year when Helldivers 2 was delisted in 177 countries due to the enforcement of a mandatory PlayStation Network (PSN) login, even in regions where PSN wasn’t available. That sparked massive backlash, including review bombing and negative press, eventually forcing Sony to roll back the requirement.

However, even after that reversal, regional blocks remained in place for other Sony-published titles. This latest development now suggests Sony is quietly course-correcting without making a big announcement.

It’s worth noting that PSN account requirements for some recently released games were already being treated more flexibly. Back in January, Sony stated that PSN login would be optional for Spider-Man 2, The Last of Us Part II Remastered, God of War Ragnarök, and Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered.

Some observers have speculated whether the success of Stellar Blade—which launched without regional restrictions—may have influenced Sony’s decision to rethink its approach. While that may be a stretch, it certainly adds pressure when other PlayStation titles are finding success on PC by being more accessible globally.

While the exact reasoning behind the sudden policy change remains unconfirmed, the removal of regional blocks is a welcome move for global PC gamers. It suggests Sony is slowly adapting to the nuances of PC distribution—perhaps learning from past missteps.