Good news, PC gamers: Sony has finally decided to stop forcing you to log in to a PlayStation Network (PSN) account just to play their single-player games. But don’t pop the champagne just yet—there’s a new twist. While you’ll no longer need a PSN account to access Sony’s first-party games, having one will now come with exclusive in-game perks. Because let’s be honest, nothing is ever truly free, is it?

This change kicks in on 30 January with the PC release of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, making the whole PSN account requirement entirely optional. The same will apply to other first-party titles, including God of War Ragnarök, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, and The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, which drops on 3 April 2025.

What’s the Catch? Freebies!

Sony’s new strategy is classic carrot-and-stick—drop the forced login, but dangle some juicy in-game rewards in front of players who do sign up. Here’s what you get if you choose to stay in the PSN ecosystem:

• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 – Early unlock of the Spider-Man 2099 Black Suit and Miles Morales 2099 Suit.
• God of War Ragnarök – Instant access to the Armor of the Black Bear set (previously locked behind New Game+), plus a small resource bundle (500 Hacksilver, 250 XP).
• The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered – 50 points to unlock bonus features, and Jordan’s Jacket from Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet as a skin for Ellie.
• Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered – Access to the Nora Valiant outfit.

So, if digital swag is your thing, there’s now a reason to stay logged in.

A U-Turn After the Helldivers 2 Backlash

This shift comes hot on the heels of Sony’s rather embarrassing backpedal over Helldivers 2. Initially, the company tried enforcing a PSN login requirement, only to be met with pitchforks and torches from the PC community. The backlash was so intense that Sony quickly reversed the decision, admitting they were still “learning what’s best for PC players.”

Prior to this, Sony had started sneaking PSN requirements into single-player games, including The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered and God of War Ragnarök. In fact, the latter sparked a bit of a PC modding rebellion, with one player creating a mod to remove the requirement—though it mysteriously vanished soon after, likely due to some very stern emails from Sony’s legal team.