Sony Releases PC Game Without PSN Requirement

Lost Soul Aside ditches PSN account linking for its PC release

Lost Soul Aside, a Sony-published action RPG slated for a 2025 PC launch, has reportedly dropped the controversial PlayStation Network (PSN) account linking requirement. This significant change expands the game's potential market, allowing Sony to sell the title in over 100 countries previously inaccessible due to PSN's limited regional support.

Developed by UltiZeroGames, Lost Soul Aside is a highly anticipated product of PlayStation's China Hero Project. This Devil May Cry-inspired hack-and-slash title, boasting "dynamic combat," has been in development for nearly nine years. While Sony is publishing the game on both PS5 and PC, the company's previous mandate for PSN account linking on PC releases sparked considerable player backlash.

The removal of this requirement for Lost Soul Aside was seemingly confirmed after its Steam page went live following a December 2024 gameplay trailer. While initially listed, the PSN linking requirement was subsequently removed from the SteamDB update history within 24 hours.

A Shift in Sony's PC Strategy?

This marks only the second time Sony has reversed its PSN account linking policy for a PC game, the first being Helldivers 2. This suggests a potential softening of their stance on the matter. The decision likely stems from a desire to maximize Lost Soul Aside's reach and sales, especially considering the underwhelming PC performance of other PSN-linked PlayStation titles, like God of War Ragnarok, which saw significantly lower player counts compared to its predecessor on Steam. The exact reasons remain unconfirmed, but increased accessibility is a strong indicator. This development offers a glimmer of hope for a more flexible approach to future PlayStation PC releases.