Helldivers 2 Lifts Region Lock Amid Review Bombing Backlash

Helldivers 2 has experienced a significant boost in positive reviews after Sony lifted its regional restrictions. Learn more about the reversal of review bombing, the PSN region lock policy, and which PlayStation games are now accessible again.

Helldivers 2 Freed from Sony's Regional Restrictions

Review Scores Climb as Sony Removes Regional Lock

Helldivers 2, the cooperative third-person shooter from Arrowhead Game Studios and published by Sony, is receiving a wave of positive feedback. Players are celebrating the game's "liberation from Sony's restrictions." On Reddit, a post by user Good_Policy352 titled "MAJOR ORDER: Change Negative Review After Region Unlock" received over 14,000 upvotes, encouraging the community to update their negative reviews and welcome new players.

The regional lock controversy began over a year ago when PlayStation Network (PSN) introduced policy changes that limited access in certain regions. Sony attempted to enforce a PSN account requirement for players to continue accessing purchased games, which sparked strong backlash from the gaming community.

In response, Helldivers 2 players expressed their frustration through a massive review campaign, leaving more than 200,000 negative reviews on the game's Steam page. Sony eventually reversed its decision, though several PlayStation titles had already been delisted from PC storefronts in affected regions, and refunds were issued to players.

PlayStation Games Return Following Delisting Controversy

God of War Ragnarok, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, and Marvel's Spider-Man 2

After months of community pushback, Sony has quietly lifted regional restrictions on several games. Helldivers 2 was not the only title affected—according to Steam Database updates from June 13, other major PlayStation releases like God of War Ragnarok, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, and Marvel's Spider-Man 2 have also had their regional locks removed, expanding their potential player base on Steam.

Some speculate that the success of Stellar Blade and developer Shift Up’s resistance to restrictions may have influenced this change. However, Sony has not made any official statement, and there is no confirmation that additional games will receive similar treatment beyond the initial group.