Summary
- Lost Soul Aside's PC version will launch in 2025 without the previously announced controversial PSN account linking requirement.
- This significantly expands the game's market reach and potential sales, encompassing regions unsupported by PSN.
- This decision suggests a potential shift in Sony's approach to PSN account linking for future PlayStation PC releases.
New evidence confirms that the upcoming Sony-published title, Lost Soul Aside, will not require PlayStation Network account linking for PC players. This eliminates a major hurdle for PC gamers and significantly increases the game's potential market, including regions without PSN support.
Lost Soul Aside, a highly anticipated action RPG from the China Hero Project, has been in development for nearly nine years at Shanghai-based UltiZeroGames. The Devil May Cry-inspired game, focusing on dynamic combat, will be published by Sony on PS5 and PC. However, Sony's previous mandate of mandatory PSN account linking for PC releases drew considerable criticism. This requirement excluded over 100 countries lacking PSN support, limiting sales and player reach. Lost Soul Aside, however, appears to be exempt. Following the December 2024 gameplay trailer, the game's Steam page initially listed the PSN requirement, but this was quickly removed according to SteamDB update history.
Lost Soul Aside is the Second Sony-Published Game to Drop the PSN Account Linking Rule on PC
This is welcome news for PC gamers in regions without PSN access. It also marks a significant development for PlayStation's PC strategy. The only previous exception was Helldivers 2, following a similar controversy. The decision regarding Lost Soul Aside suggests Sony may be reconsidering its rigid approach to PSN linking.
The reasons behind Sony's decision remain unclear, but it's likely driven by a desire to maximize the game's reach and sales. The previous PSN linking requirement negatively impacted PC sales, with God of War Ragnarök seeing significantly fewer Steam players than its predecessor.
