PC enthusiasts are once again venting their anger at Sony over the restrictions the firm places on the local availability of its games, with the promising Lost Soul Aside the latest victim. While the platform holder does not own UltiZero Games, it is publishing the game on PS5 and PC under the PlayStation Studios banner. As such, it conforms to the same sort of availability restrictions past ports from Sony have shipped with.
The main drawback is Lost Soul Aside won't be able for purchase on Steam on 130 local storefronts, meaning PC users who hold accounts in those countries can't buy the game in their usual manner. Instead, they'd require another account tied to a profile associated with a region where the action title is available in order to buy it.
This restriction didn't go down well with PC owners the first time around, and the same is now happening with Lost Soul Aside. As the game goes live for pre-order on PS5 and PC, a ResetEra thread has been set up detailing the 130 nations where the title can't be bought. You can view the list of restricted countries through the link.
Many users are calling for these region-based restrictions to be lifted, pointing to how Sony recently softened its PSN login requirement to only an option that provides benefits in-game. This change isn't related to the availability of Sony's games; it's about where the hardware manufacturer has a local presence. You are able to buy PC titles from different regions, which would allow those facing the restriction to buy Lost Soul Aside. However, there's some hesitation due to previous comments suggesting fans not to do this.
On the PS5 at least, you can pre-order Lost Soul Aside now for £59.99 / $59.99, with a Digital Deluxe Edition offering further bonuses. Sony is also publishing Stellar Blade on PC, so these same restrictions will likely be replicated as Eve ventures to other platforms.
What do you make of this situation popping up again? Post your thoughts in the comments below.
[source resetera.com]
Comments 55
PC gaming is a cot damn headache lol.
Turns out PC doesn’t stand for personal computer as we all thought… it’s actually perennial complainers.
I await the expected “ThEy can JuSt mAkE An aCcOuNt sOmEwHeRe eLsE LOL” comments.
Imagine living in, say, the UK or the US and needing to make an account for Greece because Sony won’t sell their game to you there. I’m sure the same folks calling PC gamers complainers or entitled babies would be just as annoyed, if not more so.
I’m not a PC gamer, but come on. At least expend the slight mental energy to try and see it from their point of view, please.
Well this sucks big time..what sucks even more are the comments being posted here about fellow gamers. You guys are a massive disappointment.
@dskatter There's way more to it than just hitting a switch and letting the money flow. Digital infrastructure is not free and I'm sure there are plenty of security concerns involved as well that keep Sony from publishing their games everywhere.
PC gamers are never happy. Many times they're justified like with the recent NVidia 50-series issues, but there's also a ton of silliness.
"PC Users Furious"
This is definitely concerning I don't think I've ever seen them mad before 😨
@wildcat_kickz Thanks for helping to make my point! No one who is saying that PC gamers are just complaining takes that into account, they just act like those gamers are being unreasonable babies if they live in one of those unserviced countries.
That said…funny how other publishers don’t have an issue selling PC Steam games in almost every country…
@dskatter people have a meltdown over the slightest little thing these days, ive made japan accounts in the past because games aren't available in my location , I had to make two new online accounts to download an armour set for KCD2 , I didn't take to the Internet stamping my feet, it took me 5 min of my time ,ridiculous behaviour.
I'm sure if they want the game that badly they will just create another account, is this game being sold on the PlayStation store in those 130 countries? If so then I don't see why its not available on PC as well and if not then that would make sense as Playstation are just making it fair and match with their own store policies and availability.
@ButterySmooth30FPS sometimes I think ps5 gamers are never happy too.
@dskatter @Northern_munkey My intention isn't to be crass or unsympathetic. I totally understand the frustration, but when everything is the end of the world, nothing is. If something legitimately worthy of outrage comes along, it's completely devalued by every other small-potato issue that came before.
Unfortunately, the amorphous block that is PC gamers have a reputation of raising hell over everything and having full on meltdowns.
"This game is only available on Epic?? Hard pass!
"I have to create a Sony login? Review bomb every game made by the developer!
"Why don't people listen to me when I have legitimate concerns?"
"Because you've made an ass of yourself and no one wants to listen to you anymore."
@lazarus11 Bob lives in country A and wants to buy Sony’s game.
Sony doesn’t sell said game in country A, and would have to make an account in country B, (which probably has a different monetary system) to purchase said game. Bob has to jump through silly hoops in order to procure said game digitally, and of course making that account in a country Bob doesn’t reside in likely violates Sony’s TOS so the account could be vaporized at any time if they decide to.
You don’t think Bob is justified in being a little annoyed at this state of affairs, when 95% of other game sellers on Steam sell their games in both countries, but Sony insists on not selling theirs in country B?
@wildcat_kickz I’m not saying PC games are the most stable folks out there. But I AM saying that their annoyance in this situation is quite justified, regardless of past reactions/overreactions.
@Northern_munkey Certainly a large number of PushSquare commenters!
@ButterySmooth30FPS Large number of internet dwellers! We can all come together to agree on that!
@wildcat_kickz I see you deleted your original comment. Whilst I agree with you to a certain degree but i think that making the kind of comments being made here just makes ps5 gamers look just as bad. If this happened to ps5 gamers and pc gamers made the same comments there would be hell to pay. Latley some ps5 gamers that frequent this very site have shown a level of entitlement that to me is just embarrassing.
@dskatter Fair points, for sure. I just think there's something else going on beyond Sony just being a dick.
@ButterySmooth30FPS indeed.
@wildcat_kickz I’m willing to believe there might be!
I’m also willing to believe in Sony’s dickishness because Sony and I’m a cynical cuss.
@Northern_munkey You're right, I did delete my comment. After consideration, I found it unfair and mean. To your point, leaving it up would just feed the beast.
In my defense though, when console gamers complain about stupid s**t, I call them out on it, too.
@wildcat_kickz fair play to you for admitting it was a daft comment. I quite like you and we've engaged in some good chats recently and I am not adversed to calling people out on some of their bullsh*t too.
So, how many countries is the game available in on PC? I honestly didn’t realize how global Steam was.
I’m going to bring this back up whenever anyone says - PS6 can’t be digital only, there are too many gamers who don’t have internet access.
@Northern_munkey aw, thanks bud. I quite enjoy you as well. And yeah, I definitely deserved to be called out 😂
Sony aren’t in the business of throwing sales away, so there is obviously something outside of what they consider their affordable control. I’d be interested in finding out what those reasons are
This article and the comments are a prime example of how we all fight each other rather than dealing with the actual problem.
In this case the media (PushSquare) makes a headline that is primed to rile up the target audience (PlayStation fans) while it demonises ‘the other’ (PC Gamers).
The target audience take the bait and attack ‘the other’ who are then ridiculed. Then others come into defend and attack etc.
The result is a big fight in the comments section amongst each other while the real perpetrator (Sony) gets off freely because the media has effectively set the different groups to fight each other rather than looking up and fight above. (PushSquare isn’t bad btw, they just know how to get clicks and comments with well pitched articles).
Anyways, we all need to wake up.
A multi-billion-dollar mega corporation has just made an extremely anti-consumer move that is bad for the industry and hurts individual gamers.
Sony deserves bad press here, not PC gamers.
@wildcat_kickz This isn't merely just "making a new account". This is one of the biggest game publishers on the planet not being able to figure out how to sell their games in all the country's that even tiny publishers have figured out. I would say this is pretty warranted outrage.
@Kienda It's really sad that Sony prioritizes "PSN growth" over actually reaching new gamers.
You know what those other countries do instead? Pirate.
And people wonder why Sony games aren't doing well on PC - because Sony wants to inject its will on PC rather than actually play by PC rules and it's killing its reputation.
But, people here will continue to say "Can't make those PC gamers happy" or "Sony should just stop publishing games on PC." rather than expect better from Sony.
Some people actually want Sony to succeed in the PC space. It starts by actually listening to the userbase.
Its because of PSN it's either not available or allowed in those countries and they want it to be so they can boast about subscriptions to it's shareholders that's all its about. Helldivers 2 was the first game and still it's locked in those countries it would be Sonys biggest Live Service game right now but they proper f it up
HD2 players want a proper banning report system but we can't because they say without a PSN account they cant track griefers etc as Arrowhead never put a proper system in place because they knew from the start PSN was going to be a requirement but it's back fired
Honestly I'm just disappointed the game is going to PC at all. Console exclusives for life.
@dskatter I don't care enough about bob, to be bothered that he has to jump through hoops to buy a video game to he honest,bob should grow up i think, and accept that sometimes things aren't available in his country to buy , there's plenty of things available in the US id love to buy , but can't because they're not available in my country,bob should get a grip.
@dskatter It's called Nord VPN #not sponsored
@Kienda And what can we hope to accomplish for this issue?
@Kienda I'll remember that when I sign up for a Microsoft account to play Minecraft and Sea of thieves
I have never understood the motivation to play a game on a PC when it's readily available on consoles. Consoles are dedicated games machines which can nearly instantly play any game for that console. And for some reason the PC gaming market is a growing market. But most games that qualify for a Teen rating get released for consoles first.
Side note Lost Soul Aside is only releasing for the ps5, there is no ps4 release, despite the below page stating that.
I love how indignant everyone is here about the subject. If any of you were prevented from playing any of these games you would all throw the biggest hissy fit. Anyway, at the very least they have ditched the PSN requirement (for now). Which is a step in the right direction. Same with day and date release. So they aren't totally dropping the ball this time
@8bitOG I'm 37 and have bigger things to worry about than video games I can't play. For all the handwringing about playing nice with PC gamers, they'd tell us to kick rocks if we complained about not being able to play something.
@ButterySmooth30FPS you can't possibly read some of the comments in this thread and say people wouldn't gripe. Personally, I want everyone to be able to play together. I play with friends on console from my pc and vice versa all the time. It's nice to have the freedom to do so.
Sony alienating the Nepalese and Tuvaluan contingents is suicide
@8bitOG I didn't say people wouldn't gripe, just that I wouldn't.
And yours is an admirable attitude, but a rare one as well.
For anyone scoffing at the backlash - let’s see GTA VI not release in several Western countries due to 2K account GDPR regulations or something and see what the backlash is like. It smacks of snobbery to look down on the countries where these games aren’t available and frankly a very American attitude where the West is centred as the only important part of the world.
Didn't realise playstation isn't in these 130 countries.
Just curious. What is the reason they not sold the game for the selected country on the list?
Glad my country is not on the list though.
Really? I thought there was no need for a PSN account requirement lmao
Make exclusives exclusive again. Are PC sales really that tasty?
@Kienda I don't think this article was designed or worded in a way to rile up the readers. I'm usually very vocal about pushsquares past "click bait" articles and I didn't read anything untoward in this one or I'd probably have most of my comments deleted. That's not to say I agree with sonys business acrumen or how the pc community is responding either but in this instance I can't honestly accuse pushsquare of fanning the flames of discontent..you guys do a much better job amongst yourselves sometimes..
People in the comment section defending Sony and blaming PC owners.......
@dskatter I can understand it is a little annoying, but plenty of us in the UK and US use VPN or change our country to make services work for us. It really isn't that hard.
On the flip side, as you are so keen to show empathy and walk in another's shoes, look at it from Sony's perspective.
What these gamers don't understand is for Sony to operate in these territories they have to adhere to local laws and practises, that requires time and money. It is entirely up to Sony where to spread their resources and what countries to sell in, and they will spend that where they think they will get the most return.
It is pure entitlement to expect a company to sell in your region when they don't want or have to.
@Northern_munkey I tried to make clear I wasn’t against PushSquare. It is only the headline that was the click bait, the article was well formed and helped me understand the issue. Unfortunately it is just the way these things work. I work in marketing, the behaviour of many people is to read a headline then jump to the comments. Not everyone reads the full details of an article. This is why media outlets can manipulate narratives while still technically giving all the details.
@ButterySmooth30FPS what can we hope to achieve?
Well, maybe we could all learn to chill out and not fight each other and have reasoned debates and discussions rather than slinging mud.
We could mobilise a meaningful campaign that puts pressure on Sony in a positive way to open up their PC gaming to all gamers.
I’m not sure we are going to achieve gaming world peace here though. 😅
@Oram77 deflecting blame to Microsoft doesn’t change the fact Sony is doing anti-consumer moves.
The difference is Microsoft allows accounts to be made in many more countries. So do Ubisoft, EA and so forth.
Sony is limiting access simply because it can’t be bothered with the certain countries. (A whole 130 of them). And that’s the problem.
Steam is available in those countries. Sony is restricting people in those countries because of their own requirements.
That’s not good.
@Kienda Wasn't deflecting, just stating
I seem to recall that even PlayStation owners have had to create accounts for other territories in order to get some games or content. I have a few UK friends who created US accounts during the PS3 era for exactly that reason.
Yes, it's a bit silly on Sony's part, but is it really that big of a deal? You only need to do it once.
I've had to create several accounts that I didn't particularly want in order to play some games on both PlayStation and PC, the most recent being PayDay 3, which required me to create an account with Starbreeze before I could even get past the title screen.
Just take 5 minutes and create the account. 🤷🏻♂️
And just for the record, I'm sick of both PlayStation and PC gamers at the moment, despite gaming on both platforms myself. Elements of both sides exude arrogance, snobbery, elitism, and some of the worst fanboy traits; there's barely a week that goes by without one or the other petulantly whining about something that is ultimately insignificant, and sometimes I'm embarrassed to think that I'm associated with either.
As an ex PC gamer (because I refused to pay my left testicle for a GPU) I just can't figure out why Sony does this. It's not really about fraud or security if it's going through Steam (or any other PC storefront) because most other publishers have no issue selling their wares in those territories, and it's Steam who'll deal with any issues. Yes die hards will work around it, but they shouldn't have to jump through hoops just to play a sodding computer game.
Sometimes I wonder if Sony are just playing at it, they seem to miss opportunities to make serious wedge left right and frigging centre!
"PC users furious" when are they not
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