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Helldivers 1 Impacted by Fallout from Helldivers 2 Backlash

Recent controversies surrounding Helldivers 2 spill over to negatively affect Helldivers 1, prompting a response from Sony.
Helldivers 1 Impacted by Fallout from Helldivers 2 Backlash

Highlights

  • Helldivers 1 faces backlash due to fallout from Helldivers 2 controversy over an account-linking requirement, which has been retracted by Sony.
  • Negative reviews for the original Helldivers surged following an announcement related to Helldivers 2, leading to discontent among fans.
  • The creative director of Helldivers expressed disappointment over fans review bombing the original game for issues unrelated to it.

Amid the chaos of the recent Helldivers 2 controversy, its forerunner Helldivers has also fallen victim to negative reviews from dissatisfied fans. Recent critiques of the original game stem from the account-linking requirement in Helldivers 2, a feature that Sony later retracted.

Earlier this year, Helldivers 2 was released to great acclaim, quickly becoming a standout Sony launch on PC. However, a post-launch update announcement for Helldivers 2 that would have mandated PC players to link their Steam and PSN accounts sparked a major controversy. This led to an influx of negative reviews and eventually compelled Sony to abandon the plan. Unfortunately, the fallout also affected the first installment, 2015's Helldivers, despite its non-involvement in the controversy.

Helldivers 2 creative director Johan Pilestedt expressed his dismay on Twitter regarding fans unhappy with the account linking update, resorting to leaving negative feedback for the original Helldivers game. He expressed deep disappointment with this turn of events and questioned whether the backlash against Helldivers 2 justified review bombing older games from developer Arrowhead and other Sony-published titles. Pilestedt clarified that Helldivers does not require PSN linking and should not be targeted by disappointed fans.

Fallout from Helldivers 2 Affects Helldivers 1

A glance at the recent Steam reviews of Helldivers: Dive Harder Edition clearly shows the impact of the sequel's controversial update. Currently, the 'Recent Reviews' section on Steam, comprising 1,136 reviews, displays a 'Mixed' rating. The influx of negative reviews seems to have commenced on May 3, coinciding with Arrowhead's announcement of the PSN account linking update for Helldivers 2. Further scrutiny of the recent negative reviews reveals a prevalent theme of criticizing PSN and Sony, indicating that the original game is being review bombed due to the Helldivers 2 controversy.

With Sony officially scrapping the account linking update, it is anticipated that the wave of negative reviews will subside for both Helldivers 2 and its precursor. As the PSN requirement has been abandoned, players in unsupported countries who were previously unable to access Helldivers 2 may soon regain entry to the game. Following the strong opposition from PC players against PSN account linking for Helldivers 2, the community eagerly awaits Sony's approach to multiplayer mode in Ghost of Tsushima for PC set to launch later this month.

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