The_Wailing_Doom

@CallMeDuraSouka
Thank you for the recommendation! I'll try it now.

I would buy one of those cowards would sell me one. I have yet to see one in stock!

@breakneck
Oh that's a shame about the burned bridges.

Noooooo!!! Sony, rescue this studio and make more games like Until Dawn!!

@JAMes-BroWWWn
Game Pass is doing its part!

@StonyKL
One of us! One of us!!

@AndrehF
Bummer. I hope they fix that. In the meantime, I went from SMS 2FA to using an authenticator. I have to use one for so many things as it is (work-related and otherwise), it's not too big of a deal and is very secure.

@Weebleman @Jaz007
Arrowhead CEO, Johan Pilestedt, said on Twitter: “I have one final update for tonight. We have updated the max CCU cap to 700,000. Unfortunately, we expect the CCU to reach that level. We believe that the wait times will be much more bearable.”

CCU = concurrent user

The game is in great shape now. Instant matchmaking, login is smooth, and no wait queues that I've seen. Arrowhead should be very pleased with themselves. They are great addition to PlayStation Studios.

@Professor_Niggle
Oh.. Doh!! I don't know why I went to thinking you could equip strategems from others in your squad. The method you describe I am familiar with.

@Professor_Niggle
Lends you a strategem?!

@DualWielding
You have to go through the account recovery process in which second layer security is disabled and you have to create a new password. I had to go through this process because my passkey wouldn't work on my phone, which results in effectively the same scenario you describe.

@Khayl
Breaking news: As of right now, Arrowhead Games now boots inactive users from Helldivers 2. That should really help with the server issues because it stops the clowns who stay logged in all day.

"You have been disconnected due to inactivity."

@zhoont
Aye. I just updated my comment. I did the account recovery process and got in again. I had to change my password, but I was able to change it back to what it was previously, so that's nice. I went back to two-factor authentication. I'll try the passkey method again someday, but not any time soon. Sony has some kinks to work out still.

That's great. I will set that up right now.

Edit: What an awful experience. It set up so easy, but I can no longer sign in because my passkey is not being accepted for some reason. I get the option to sign in manually instead, but now my password won't work because I get prompted to use the passkey. Currently, I'm unable to sign in.

Update: I went through the account recovery process and went back to two-factor authentication, but this time using an authenticator instead of SMS. That's very secure as it is, so I'll just stay there.

Phil is "supportive" of physical media but then, despite Xbox being a major publisher that owns the games, they won't publish physical copies themselves? What's the logic here, if any?

@ShogunRok
Correction: "Lego Words" in the poll.

50% more XP means 50% more democracy!

I'm too busy spreading hot lead-wrapped democracy.

Careful with the wording, @get2sammyb. Microsoft never said Game Pass was profitable because they can't lie to shareholders. They've said "sustainable" and "financially viable," which are not the same thing.

@GilberTilbert
They haven't been. PS+ competes with Game Pass, but they won't copy Game Pass. They view Game Pass as "value destructive" and publisher CEOs agree, including that of ABK, because it's true.

@Stickleman
Game Pass absolutely isn't profitable, which is why Phil never says "profitable." He says "sustainable" and "financially viable," which are not the same thing and are meaningless when backed by a $3T company that can sustain immense amount of expenditure.

Plus, smart people know the Game Pass equation is (X-Y)-Z = profit, not X-Y =profit, as Phil's spin would have you believe.

X = Revenue from subscriptions

Y = Expenses including content for the service

Z = Lost revenue from cratering game sales

More non-answers from Fibbin' Phil. Why do people even care what he says? He spins and speaks very vaguely all the time.

It does seem Xbox will start treating other consoles like PlayStation treats PC and not go fully platform agnostic, releasing most titles a year or so later. That's much wiser. Microsoft can keep sustaining the financial hit of Game Pass until they see how adding ABK games can affect subscription numbers. It's obvious they'll still lose tons of money on Games Pass then because there is no way putting Xbox Studios games on platforms they normally would have not launched on would offset ABK and Bethesda game sales cratering on Xbox and any game that would have been multi-platform without Microsoft's meddling.

The game is excellent with real potential to improve to outstanding. Arrowhead and Sony are quite a team.

When the complete version releases, you can add at least one more sale. The game looks incredible.

@DukeeDukems
It indeed is their plan. It's the only way to make Game Pass more viable, though it won't help with Bethesda or ABK games, which will still take the Game Pass hit.

@Jamesblob
You get a standing ovation for that. Well said.

@Sakai
Your presence here answers your question, my friend.

Wow. Game Pass really backed them into a corner.

Good. The developers should focus on what they want to make and what they do well.

Not at all shocked by this. They kept buying up studios and that was clearly unsustainable. Sad for the workers who pay the price for executives' stupidity.

@cragis0001
There is nothing flawed about it.

@Randzilla All right. Thanks. I'll give Tales of Arise a try first since it is the newest and made for PS5.

I am definitely very excited to try the Tales games. I never played them. Do they have to be played chronologically or can I just start with Tales of Arise?

There are some rampant reading comprehension issues here. That is more sad to see than anything Sony just reported. There will still be first party releases, just not from "major existing IP." I'll repeat that: "major existing IP." Everything else will be new franchises or perhaps existing IP that is not considered major.

Sony considers games they fund and publish, like Helldivers 2, Rise of the Ronin, and Stellar Blade, first party, so I am not sure how that factors into their statements. In any case, PlayStation fans are eating good.

Spider-Man 2 is an excellent game that deserves every bit of its immense success. After Rebirth and Helldivers 2, I plan on swinging back into the game for new game+.

Excellent game!! The conclusion nails it.

@GKT
Wow. That is awesome!!!

@AdamNovice
Man, that match was EXCELLENT! The only match I like more than that is the Iron Man match with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 12.

Bret Hart is my favorite wrestler ever. I am excited to relive some of his classic matches.

Great success! PlayStation is killing it right now.

Never forget Bethesda titles would have come to PlayStation and sold best there if it were not for Microsoft's meddling. It's not a gift when Bethesda titles come to PlayStation; it's the status quo.

What a mess. Even addressing the situation directly won't be very helpful because Microsoft has repeatedly demonstrated you can't trust most of the stuff they say.

@mazzel
I'd just be happy with Push Square mentioning all platforms a game is available on instead of wording every article like the games are only on PS4 or PS5. I'd argue readers deserve all the relevant information, even if the site itself is geared towards one console ecosystem. In fact, I sent several polite messages to Push Square about this very simple and easy improvement they could make to their already top-quality site.

@Relygon
That is true. Perhaps Microsoft will "luck out" and get the Microsoft judge again.

@ED_209 I did. The first game kicked butt and the second looked even better. It's the type of game that really catches on with the PC playerbase, too.

@Relygon
While I don't want Xbox to leave the console market because competition is good for consumers, I also know Microsoft has deviated into unhealthy competition trying to buy their way to the top. If they remain in the console market, they'll use their dwindling console sales (mostly due to self-sabotage) to justify to regulators why they should be allowed to keep buying publishers. If they leave the console market entirely, which I doubt they'll do, they'll then use that as justification to regulators why they should be allowed to keep buying publishers. Consumers lose in both cases.

@BusyOlf @UltimateOtaku91
Wow!!! I want that bad, too!!!

Considering Arrowhead is a long term PlayStation partner and they are capable of creating a successful game out of a PlayStation IP in a market segment PlayStation wants to expand in, I don't think it will be too long until we see them join PlayStation Studios.

Helldivers 2 is a ton of fun! I'm doing my part.