Bet you money the reason Sony is pushing PSN account sign-ins so hard is because they want to charge us for their PSN service to play their games in the Future

[Air Raider *EDF EDF*]

I've got a strong feeling that the push for mandatory PSN account sign-ins for Sony's games on Steam isn't just a convenience thing. It's laying the groundwork for something bigger, and not in a good way. Mark my words, it's only a matter of time before Sony starts charging us to access PSN services on PC to play their games.

Here’s why this feels like it’s headed in that direction:

Increasing Control Over Their Ecosystem
Sony has been following a trend of bringing their first-party titles to PC, which is great for gamers, but it's not all as it seems. Requiring a PSN account gives them tighter control over users and their data, much like how EA and Ubisoft mandate accounts for Origin and Ubisoft Connect. This is more than just a way to "sync progress"—it's about locking players into their ecosystem. Once you've created a PSN account and linked your purchases, it gives Sony leverage to introduce more features tied to PSN in the future—features they could easily slap a price tag on.

Setting the Stage for Paid Subscription Services
Look at what they've done with PlayStation Plus. The initial pitch was access to multiplayer and some cloud saves, but over time, it expanded into tiered services like PS Plus Extra and Premium, offering game libraries and additional features for a price. Now, imagine this creeping over to PC: access to Sony’s exclusive games on Steam could come with a catch maybe locked behind a future PS Plus or PSN subscription tier. This could easily evolve into a "you need PS Plus for cloud saves, multiplayer, or even to access certain features on PC." Remember when they bragged about Ps3 Online being free. I miss those days

The Data Goldmine
By funneling players through PSN, Sony gains direct access to your gaming habits, achievements, time played, and preferences. This data is invaluable for crafting personalized ads, recommending new products, or rolling out future service tiers. The more players they get linked to PSN, the more leverage they have to monetize that data, and as they build that infrastructure, you can bet they'll introduce new ways to extract money from PC players, not just console users.

The Precedent is There
Look at the path taken by Xbox with Game Pass, which started as a neat option for console gamers but is now a multi-platform ecosystem, integrating PC users too. It’s a great service, but don’t think for a second that Sony isn’t looking at the Game Pass model and licking their chops. This PSN sign-in push is the first domino in what could eventually turn into Sony's version of Game Pass. Except with a mandatory sign-in and likely added fees for PC players to access their exclusives or online services.

Why This is a Bad Sign:

Erosion of Ownership
Games used to be something you bought and owned outright. With mandatory sign-ins and potential service fees, we’re moving closer to a world where access to our games is contingent on ongoing payments. Even if you bought the game, what's to stop Sony from saying you need a PS Plus subscription to play it online or even access certain features? This feels like the beginning of a shift towards making gaming more of a service than a product.

Monetizing What Should Be Free
It’s already frustrating that we pay full price for games and are then asked to subscribe to services like PS Plus to access basic features or bonuses. If Sony rolls out a similar model for PC, it could lock these services behind a paywall, despite the fact that other platforms like Steam don’t charge for basic multiplayer or cloud save functionality. Why should PC players be forced into this kind of nickel-and-diming?

Loss of Consumer Freedom
Sony is essentially trying to replicate its console-based ecosystem on the open PC platform, and that’s concerning. PC gamers value the freedom of choice—whether it's choosing which platform to buy games on, using mods, or playing without extra hoops to jump through. Introducing PSN sign-ins is a step toward controlling and limiting that freedom, potentially opening the door to more restrictions and fees in the future.

This PSN sign-in requirement is a bad omen. Sure, right now it’s just “for syncing progress,” but it's only a matter of time before that sign-in becomes a gatekeeper for paid services. Once they’ve got everyone tied to PSN on PC, it’ll be much easier for Sony to start charging for things that used to be free or optional.

It’s happening down the pipeline, and it’s time to start paying attention. I wish Valve would be a bit more open about these developers who put their own client on games. Its dumb when I play a game and it opens Origin or Ubisofts thing. Valve is like the last saving grace but sometimes it feels like they should say something or enforce things with a bit more force.

[ProperCharva]

they're not that stupid if they do that no one is buying their games on pc simple as

[Grimzy]

Another conspiracy theory lol

[[H4H]Tenks]

I mean there is always a chance that any of these can happen but I'm pretty sure its to Raise there number of PSN accounts to look good to Investors when comparing the numbers against gamepass

[tfa]

No. I think they want to inflate their stats, sell user info and find out which pc users also have a Playstation console.

[Zentun]

Tin foil hat moment

[HoneyDrake]

They most likely want to create their own small universe, just how other companies did in the past and still do.

Look at Riot Games: they have a single launcher where their worlds are connected and you can play different genres from that alone, never leaving their circle. Your friends play League? You will see it while you play their card game, Valorant, their upcoming fighting game, etc.

Same for Epic Games and Fortnite: a single platform which has tons of features to keep people engaged, never leaving their grasp.

That's also the reason why they don't mind crossplay as much anymore, even pushing it in some cases: they want to reinforce their community by any means possible, so you keep paying inside their system.

[Sean8102]

I agree you are right that they could do these things if they wanted. But they would have to be shockingly out of touch to try to pull things like putting multiplayer behind a PSN sub on their PC releases, let alone things like cloud saves (and good luck justifying that when steam, epic, GoG etc all offer things like cloud saves for free to the dev). I feel pretty confident almost no PC player would sign up.

Microsoft tried it back in the day around the time Halo 2 for Vista came out. During the awful Games For Windows Live days.

They tried to have paid multiplayer on PC. From what I remember they put cross play (PC to 360) MP behind the GFWL Gold sub but left PC to PC MP free. But put things like voice chat and some others behind the sub.

The backlash was quite big and fast. They reversed the whole thing pretty quick. And as we all know thankfully GFWL is long gone.

If Sony was dumb enough to try something like that I think it would go down the same way.

I think the PSN account linking thing is more about gathering data than anything else like you said.

And when it comes to that you are either fine with it or not. All I'll say is actually look at the TOS for almost any modern game.

A LOT of which have been using Epic's "Epic Online Services" platform (which devs can use on all platforms/stores etc). Which collects gameplay data. I've noticed that become a common thing (how many games are using EOS). EOS can do things from matchmaking, cross play, anti-cheat (via Easy Anti Cheat which Epic owns) etc. I've gotten use to seeing a message about collecting gameplay data on first launch with new games.

https://dev.epicgames.com/en-US/services

[Bad Behavior Defender]

Originally posted by ProperCharva:

they're not that stupid

I would agree with you before concord was released.

[shiv]

I dont think it's about a paid subscription service. It is 100% about data harvesting. Selling user data is a massive money maker for businesses.. probably more profitable for sony than the game sales themselves.

[Tr3m0r]

Originally posted by Air Raider *EDF EDF*:

I've got a strong feeling that the push for mandatory PSN account sign-ins for Sony's games on Steam isn't just a convenience thing. It's laying the groundwork for something bigger, and not in a good way. Mark my words, it's only a matter of time before Sony starts charging us to access PSN services on PC to play their games.

Here’s why this feels like it’s headed in that direction:

Increasing Control Over Their Ecosystem
Sony has been following a trend of bringing their first-party titles to PC, which is great for gamers, but it's not all as it seems. Requiring a PSN account gives them tighter control over users and their data, much like how EA and Ubisoft mandate accounts for Origin and Ubisoft Connect. This is more than just a way to "sync progress"—it's about locking players into their ecosystem. Once you've created a PSN account and linked your purchases, it gives Sony leverage to introduce more features tied to PSN in the future—features they could easily slap a price tag on.

Setting the Stage for Paid Subscription Services
Look at what they've done with PlayStation Plus. The initial pitch was access to multiplayer and some cloud saves, but over time, it expanded into tiered services like PS Plus Extra and Premium, offering game libraries and additional features for a price. Now, imagine this creeping over to PC: access to Sony’s exclusive games on Steam could come with a catch maybe locked behind a future PS Plus or PSN subscription tier. This could easily evolve into a "you need PS Plus for cloud saves, multiplayer, or even to access certain features on PC." Remember when they bragged about Ps3 Online being free. I miss those days

The Data Goldmine
By funneling players through PSN, Sony gains direct access to your gaming habits, achievements, time played, and preferences. This data is invaluable for crafting personalized ads, recommending new products, or rolling out future service tiers. The more players they get linked to PSN, the more leverage they have to monetize that data, and as they build that infrastructure, you can bet they'll introduce new ways to extract money from PC players, not just console users.

The Precedent is There
Look at the path taken by Xbox with Game Pass, which started as a neat option for console gamers but is now a multi-platform ecosystem, integrating PC users too. It’s a great service, but don’t think for a second that Sony isn’t looking at the Game Pass model and licking their chops. This PSN sign-in push is the first domino in what could eventually turn into Sony's version of Game Pass. Except with a mandatory sign-in and likely added fees for PC players to access their exclusives or online services.

Why This is a Bad Sign:

Erosion of Ownership
Games used to be something you bought and owned outright. With mandatory sign-ins and potential service fees, we’re moving closer to a world where access to our games is contingent on ongoing payments. Even if you bought the game, what's to stop Sony from saying you need a PS Plus subscription to play it online or even access certain features? This feels like the beginning of a shift towards making gaming more of a service than a product.

Monetizing What Should Be Free
It’s already frustrating that we pay full price for games and are then asked to subscribe to services like PS Plus to access basic features or bonuses. If Sony rolls out a similar model for PC, it could lock these services behind a paywall, despite the fact that other platforms like Steam don’t charge for basic multiplayer or cloud save functionality. Why should PC players be forced into this kind of nickel-and-diming?

Loss of Consumer Freedom
Sony is essentially trying to replicate its console-based ecosystem on the open PC platform, and that’s concerning. PC gamers value the freedom of choice—whether it's choosing which platform to buy games on, using mods, or playing without extra hoops to jump through. Introducing PSN sign-ins is a step toward controlling and limiting that freedom, potentially opening the door to more restrictions and fees in the future.

This PSN sign-in requirement is a bad omen. Sure, right now it’s just “for syncing progress,” but it's only a matter of time before that sign-in becomes a gatekeeper for paid services. Once they’ve got everyone tied to PSN on PC, it’ll be much easier for Sony to start charging for things that used to be free or optional.

It’s happening down the pipeline, and it’s time to start paying attention. I wish Valve would be a bit more open about these developers who put their own client on games. Its dumb when I play a game and it opens Origin or Ubisofts thing. Valve is like the last saving grace but sometimes it feels like they should say something or enforce things with a bit more force.

I thought this would be a low effort troll and it's something I've been writing about lately almost on every point. I absolutely agree. It's obvious with the lack of console profitability that investors expect now that everything is digital and essentially still unregulated money pits. Consoles have to actually be manufactured and sold at a loss to make money on the back end. This is a very well written post.

I wish people actually were more open to speculation that doesn't just end in comments saying it's all overthinking and whatnot. Erosion of ownership is a huge issue and always has but now more than ever.

I strongly believe we are barely at a tipping point with recent game studio closures. There has been so much terrible misuse of data privacy for so long that only now somewhat gets attention from European privacy laws and regulations under GDPR.

The multi billion dollar skin scandals of just csgo and cs2 alone would be enough to seriously hurt valve and jeopardize platform viability if it was properly exposed. Most minors don't even legally have ability to consent to the misuse of data collection that isn't properly defined, let alone adults who can even select "Opt out." So many game studios legally have to give these options for certain types of data collection outside of fundamental bug fixes. It just isn't taken seriously but now fines are being imposed.

Time will tell and I think there's a fair chance some of this stuff may actually cause serious rewriting of what DRM is and is not. I think the consequences to these studios will continue to happen and it may not make studios happy. We shall see.

[Caz]

Originally posted by ProperCharva:

they're not that stupid if they do that no one is buying their games on pc simple as

Never underestimate the stupidity of corpo execs.

[Air Raider *EDF EDF*]

Originally posted by ProperCharva:

they're not that stupid if they do that no one is buying their games on pc simple as

You are really giving them a lot of credit. Amazing how much give people are willing to bend until it happens.

[Air Raider *EDF EDF*]

Originally posted by Grimzy:

Another conspiracy theory lol

Its only a theory until it becomes reality.

[Air Raider *EDF EDF*]

Originally posted by H4HTenks:

I mean there is always a chance that any of these can happen but I'm pretty sure its to Raise there number of PSN accounts to look good to Investors when comparing the numbers against gamepass

That is part of it, and everyones emails and any other information they can sell. Multiplayer seems like a starting point of them throwing on some sort of subscription.

[Air Raider *EDF EDF*]

Originally posted by Tr3m0r:

Originally posted by Air Raider *EDF EDF*:

I've got a strong feeling that the push for mandatory PSN account sign-ins for Sony's games on Steam isn't just a convenience thing. It's laying the groundwork for something bigger, and not in a good way. Mark my words, it's only a matter of time before Sony starts charging us to access PSN services on PC to play their games.

Here’s why this feels like it’s headed in that direction:

Increasing Control Over Their Ecosystem
Sony has been following a trend of bringing their first-party titles to PC, which is great for gamers, but it's not all as it seems. Requiring a PSN account gives them tighter control over users and their data, much like how EA and Ubisoft mandate accounts for Origin and Ubisoft Connect. This is more than just a way to "sync progress"—it's about locking players into their ecosystem. Once you've created a PSN account and linked your purchases, it gives Sony leverage to introduce more features tied to PSN in the future—features they could easily slap a price tag on.

Setting the Stage for Paid Subscription Services
Look at what they've done with PlayStation Plus. The initial pitch was access to multiplayer and some cloud saves, but over time, it expanded into tiered services like PS Plus Extra and Premium, offering game libraries and additional features for a price. Now, imagine this creeping over to PC: access to Sony’s exclusive games on Steam could come with a catch maybe locked behind a future PS Plus or PSN subscription tier. This could easily evolve into a "you need PS Plus for cloud saves, multiplayer, or even to access certain features on PC." Remember when they bragged about Ps3 Online being free. I miss those days

The Data Goldmine
By funneling players through PSN, Sony gains direct access to your gaming habits, achievements, time played, and preferences. This data is invaluable for crafting personalized ads, recommending new products, or rolling out future service tiers. The more players they get linked to PSN, the more leverage they have to monetize that data, and as they build that infrastructure, you can bet they'll introduce new ways to extract money from PC players, not just console users.

The Precedent is There
Look at the path taken by Xbox with Game Pass, which started as a neat option for console gamers but is now a multi-platform ecosystem, integrating PC users too. It’s a great service, but don’t think for a second that Sony isn’t looking at the Game Pass model and licking their chops. This PSN sign-in push is the first domino in what could eventually turn into Sony's version of Game Pass. Except with a mandatory sign-in and likely added fees for PC players to access their exclusives or online services.

Why This is a Bad Sign:

Erosion of Ownership
Games used to be something you bought and owned outright. With mandatory sign-ins and potential service fees, we’re moving closer to a world where access to our games is contingent on ongoing payments. Even if you bought the game, what's to stop Sony from saying you need a PS Plus subscription to play it online or even access certain features? This feels like the beginning of a shift towards making gaming more of a service than a product.

Monetizing What Should Be Free
It’s already frustrating that we pay full price for games and are then asked to subscribe to services like PS Plus to access basic features or bonuses. If Sony rolls out a similar model for PC, it could lock these services behind a paywall, despite the fact that other platforms like Steam don’t charge for basic multiplayer or cloud save functionality. Why should PC players be forced into this kind of nickel-and-diming?

Loss of Consumer Freedom
Sony is essentially trying to replicate its console-based ecosystem on the open PC platform, and that’s concerning. PC gamers value the freedom of choice—whether it's choosing which platform to buy games on, using mods, or playing without extra hoops to jump through. Introducing PSN sign-ins is a step toward controlling and limiting that freedom, potentially opening the door to more restrictions and fees in the future.

This PSN sign-in requirement is a bad omen. Sure, right now it’s just “for syncing progress,” but it's only a matter of time before that sign-in becomes a gatekeeper for paid services. Once they’ve got everyone tied to PSN on PC, it’ll be much easier for Sony to start charging for things that used to be free or optional.

It’s happening down the pipeline, and it’s time to start paying attention. I wish Valve would be a bit more open about these developers who put their own client on games. Its dumb when I play a game and it opens Origin or Ubisofts thing. Valve is like the last saving grace but sometimes it feels like they should say something or enforce things with a bit more force.

I thought this would be a low effort troll and it's something I've been writing about lately almost on every point. I absolutely agree. It's obvious with the lack of console profitability that investors expect now that everything is digital and essentially still unregulated money pits. Consoles have to actually be manufactured and sold at a loss to make money on the back end. This is a very well written post.

I wish people actually were more open to speculation that doesn't just end in comments saying it's all overthinking and whatnot. Erosion of ownership is a huge issue and always has but now more than ever.

I strongly believe we are barely at a tipping point with recent game studio closures. There has been so much terrible misuse of data privacy for so long that only now somewhat gets attention from European privacy laws and regulations under GDPR.

The multi billion dollar skin scandals of just csgo and cs2 alone would be enough to seriously hurt valve and jeopardize platform viability if it was properly exposed. Most minors don't even legally have ability to consent to the misuse of data collection that isn't properly defined, let alone adults who can even select "Opt out." So many game studios legally have to give these options for certain types of data collection outside of fundamental bug fixes. It just isn't taken seriously but now fines are being imposed.

Time will tell and I think there's a fair chance some of this stuff may actually cause serious rewriting of what DRM is and is not. I think the consequences to these studios will continue to happen and it may not make studios happy. We shall see.

People do not seem to care if its not affecting them immediately and then complain once its set in place. This mentality needs to change. Its about preventing things not waiting for it to happen then seeing the results.