Steam has begun automatically refunding gamers who purchased Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut in regions without PlayStation Network (PSN) access. This development follows a troubled introduction of mandatory PSN linking for some games, causing widespread dissatisfaction among players.
This issue surfaced as Helldivers 2 faced removal from sales in 177 countries due to similar PSN requirements, leading to significant user backlash. Concurrently, Sucker Punch, the developer of Ghost of Tsushima, assured that PSN signup was not mandatory for playing the single-player campaign on Steam.
However, digital platforms like Steam and Green Man Gaming are now reversing pre-orders from gamers in PSN-inaccessible countries. While Sony has yet to comment, the decision appears to be a preventative response to negative feedback from another title, Helldivers 2, which Sony eventually had to retract due to poor reception.
Gamers affected by these refunds have shared their frustrations across social media and the game’s subreddit, indicating widespread disappointment. The refunds are issued with a notice explaining the need for a secondary account, which cannot be created in the buyer’s country, thus necessitating the refund.
Reports confirm that this refund policy is also being applied on platforms like the Epic Games Store, and not just Green Man Gaming and Steam.
