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[sendit]

What do you guys do when there is a power outage? Complain that it was a mistake to have a private company provide power instead of generating your own?

 

[Panajev2001a]

I like there is so much strong resistance against PSN logins and against anything that could help Sony make services revenue on PC or anything that could be foundations for say their own successful PC store (which they could fumble it up like everyone else but Valve is anyways).

This is the strongest possible signal not to speed up the conversion of PS5 titles to PC, make day 1 multi platforms, etc… that it is a risk that could hurt their console business much more than the gains they make on PC. It could only be worth it to them if they had credible paths to services revenue (their own store, third parties being sold on their store powered by PSN+ tie in, cloud gaming offering, etc…).

This is a good follow up to the chat I was having with HeisenbergFX4 in a related thread, how much a PC customer is worth Sony vs the risk. If the ONLY thing PC gamers would buy is Sony games but resist anything else (anything related to PSN, anything related to the console services revenue or royalties from third party games) this would put a damp to it if Sony is smart. Even more so if people refuse the idea of a PlayStation PC Store because selling their games on Steam means Sony now makes only 70% for their own titles compared to 100% on their own platform.

That last point alone means that the profitability of PC titles for them is 30% lower than on consoles.

 

[Sunkrest]

Of course we were right. Don't allow this cancer to spread on my PC. Right now it's 'just a login bro' but in 10 years we will be paying for the privilege of playing online... Just no.

The more anti-consumer and neo-corp these AAA companies get, the more I retreat to older games. On a side note, Grandia is fucking amazing. Replaying it for the first time in over 20 years.

I'm the same. In the past I always thought that I should support all those talented developers working hard to create amazing games for me. My views changed around the time that stupid horse armor everyone laughed at got released.

Now I just play classics I pick up on GOG and Steam on sales. I buy one or two modern games a year but it needs to be really good, be a complete product and offer good value - like Baldurs Gate III and Elden ring.

 

[vkbest]

Steam does let you create local backups for any games you own. Time to buy a BluRay burner and get burning.

And you can do the same on PS4 and PS5

 

[FewRope]

PSN is only a small part of the problem.
Steam is responsible for the mess PC gaming is in right now and people shouldn’t be hypocritical about it.

There should be 0 logins required to access any games.

Take the fight to Steam, they are the source of the problem.

I can play my Steam games without any Internet connection on my PC, I couldn't play my PS5 games with the same problem. Sorry, but no

 

[squidilix]

Steam was ouages some hours each time Solds begining.

Can't access to connect to Steam and my library. So, I can't play with my games

Obviously, people will answer me.
"It's normal, it's the Steam sales"

Don't fking care, last time I cannot play PoE2 until 1-2 hours.

At least, at PlayStation 5, I can boot my console and playing Disc / Offline demat games.

 

[bitbydeath]

I can play my Steam games without any Internet connection on my PC, I couldn't play my PS5 games with the same problem. Sorry, but no

Why couldn’t you play your PS5 games without any internet connection?

That isn’t a thing unless you’re using a shared account online.

Edit: Oh, you probably meant on PC. Steam doesn’t work if their servers are down as that is required to login.

 

[Drew1440]

Do the PC games require access to PSN to function? If not it's another risk/point of failure that's not needed. It's sad to see nothing has changed fom the Simcity 2013 debacle.

 

[Skifi28]

What do you guys do when there is a power outage? Complain that it was a mistake to have a private company provide power instead of generating your own?

I generate my own. I own a green rat electricity farm where they run on wheels all day and night long.

 

[Thief1987]

The same pc gamers who are living in tents to buy 5k videocard?

 

[ArtHands]

Do the PC games require access to PSN to function? If not it's another risk/point of failure that's not needed. It's sad to see nothing has changed fom the Simcity 2013 debacle.

Sony 1st party Playstation games for PC used to have mandatory PSN login for a short while, but after PC players slapped Sony around, Sony caved and make PSN optional recently.

If they didn’t make PSN optional on PC for their 1st party Playstation games, PC players would have suffered the same fate as Playstation console players on Saturday. So PC players dodged a bullet

 

[Truthtellers]

 

[Cyberpunkd]

Sony does not seem to understand the PC audience. I'd wager it's only being dragged to the platform kicking and screaming by the continued healthy growth of PC gaming and relative stagnation of consoles.

Of course this is what happened. PC ecosystem with multiple configs, stores, CD keys, mods, etc. is anathema to everything every console manufacturer stands for - highly controller, curated experience.

 

[MikeM]

This is why I love my physical games

 

[rofif]

Right because no account mp games never hav downtime…

 

[moogman]

Steam does let you create local backups for any games you own. Time to buy a BluRay burner and get burning.

You can also register physical media on Steam, or just play it without Steam, as well as the latter allowing you to play while offline.

 

[rodrigolfp]

They could still get it for store access, but I don’t see any reason for game access itself.

It's called offline mode.

 

[ArtHands]

Of course we were right. Don't allow this cancer to spread on my PC. Right now it's 'just a login bro' but in 10 years we will be paying for the privilege of playing online... Just no.


I'm the same. In the past I always thought that I should support all those talented developers working hard to create amazing games for me. My views changed around the time that stupid horse armor everyone laughed at got released.

Now I just play classics I pick up on GOG and Steam on sales. I buy one or two modern games a year but it needs to be really good, be a complete product and offer good value - like Baldurs Gate III and Elden ring.

That's exactly how they got those console boys to start paying for money. Which is pretty smart of Sony

 

[StereoVsn]

That’s actually a correct take. There is no physical on PC thanks to Steam success, unlike consoles. During PSN outage I happily played Spyro with my son that I’ve installed from PS4 disc. A feat impossible with a steam game.

????

Steam supports offline play. Valve and Steam also do not mandate DRM and there are DRM free games on Steam. You can launch them without launching Steam app itself.

 

[ArtHands]

Just shows that no matter how modern we think we are, things get fucked from time to time. Locking everything out when the net goes down is a real disservice to everyone.

Online play should be free for every player. You want to lock content behind a subscription? Fine, just don't make people pay twice for internet fees.

No? Sony need those fees to maintain the servers and provide the online gaming services.

 

[Tiago Rodrigues]

These moments just prove that physical media still matters and that's not something i can do on PC in 2025 so maybe PC Gamer should stop pushing for that narrative.

 

[ShadyAcshuns]

No? Sony need those fees to maintain the servers and provide the online gaming services.

 

[rm082e]

These moments just prove that physical media still matters and that's not something i can do on PC in 2025 so maybe PC Gamer should stop pushing for that narrative.

I'm confused, so please help me understand what I'm missing here: If you had a physical disc for a game that required an online connection or account sign-in, you'd be in the same boat no? It sounds like the problem is the required online connection/sign-in to PSN, not the method that was used to install the game data on your SSD. During the outage, it's not like Gran Turismo 7 players who had a disc were able to play but people who bought it digitally weren't, right?

Both Steam and PlayStation support playing single-player games offline. I do this a lot. Obviously some games require an always-on connection, but that's game dependant.

 

[V1LÆM]

paying for multiplayer/online is so stupid.

consoles had the chance to stand against this like 20 years ago but nope.

 

[hinch7]

These moments just prove that physical media still matters and that's not something i can do on PC in 2025 so maybe PC Gamer should stop pushing for that narrative.

Doesn't really affect people playing on PC for the most part though. Steam has been around for over 2 decades and you can still play games in offline mode, even with no internet connection. Granted games don't have online only DRM.

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

Right because no account mp games never hav downtime…

It’s one thing though when a MP game goes down for some type of service and its a whole another level when you can’t sign into your PSN on a Friday night and can’t access any of your digital content

So yeah I 100% agree with the article Topher posted its super stupid as a PC gamer forcing me to log into a console service to play your games

Luckily my pro has a disc drive and I was still able to play some games offline but that’s not the point

 

[LazyParrot]

These moments just prove that physical media still matters and that's not something i can do on PC in 2025 so maybe PC Gamer should stop pushing for that narrative.

What's stopping you from backing up your PC games to physical media?

 

[BiohazardX95]

I am not trying to start anything or something. It's a genuine question: How easy and visible is this to the user of the PS5? If it is hidden somewhere in a menu and the user isn't actively told about this (which wouldn't surprise me), then it's not only his fault.

If I remember correctly, when You set up your ps5 first time it Will ask You if You want to set it as primary. And it's a very easy setting to change, it's under system > offline play.

 

[bender]

It’s one thing though when a MP game goes down for some type of service and its a whole another level when you can’t sign into your PSN on a Friday night and can’t access any of your digital content

Not excusing the issue but I could access all of my digital content during the downtime.

 

[rofif]

It’s one thing though when a MP game goes down for some type of service and its a whole another level when you can’t sign into your PSN on a Friday night and can’t access any of your digital content

So yeah I 100% agree with the article Topher posted its super stupid as a PC gamer forcing me to log into a console service to play your games

Luckily my pro has a disc drive and I was still able to play some games offline but that’s not the point

steam also had issues where it all died. Maybe just not for days but for hours.
Anyway. God protect the physical

 

[cinnamonandgravy]

login is only acceptable for online MP

otherwise youre getting dicked

 

[Rawbutt Jellybean]

I like there is so much strong resistance against PSN logins and against anything that could help Sony make services revenue on PC or anything that could be foundations for say their own successful PC store (which they could fumble it up like everyone else but Valve is anyways).

This is the strongest possible signal not to speed up the conversion of PS5 titles to PC, make day 1 multi platforms, etc… that it is a risk that could hurt their console business much more than the gains they make on PC. It could only be worth it to them if they had credible paths to services revenue (their own store, third parties being sold on their store powered by PSN+ tie in, cloud gaming offering, etc…).

This is a good follow up to the chat I was having with HeisenbergFX4 in a related thread, how much a PC customer is worth Sony vs the risk. If the ONLY thing PC gamers would buy is Sony games but resist anything else (anything related to PSN, anything related to the console services revenue or royalties from third party games) this would put a damp to it if Sony is smart. Even more so if people refuse the idea of a PlayStation PC Store because selling their games on Steam means Sony now makes only 70% for their own titles compared to 100% on their own platform.

That last point alone means that the profitability of PC titles for them is 30% lower than on consoles.

It's just a signal that PC users aren't pushovers. They aren't going to get away with releasing broken ports a year or more later and forcing users to play them through PSN.

Also 70% from PC users is still better than 0% if they go back to exclusives. There's no sign that they're stopping though so we'll probably see faster and better quality ports.

 

[laynelane]

I like there is so much strong resistance against PSN logins and against anything that could help Sony make services revenue on PC or anything that could be foundations for say their own successful PC store (which they could fumble it up like everyone else but Valve is anyways).

This is the strongest possible signal not to speed up the conversion of PS5 titles to PC, make day 1 multi platforms, etc… that it is a risk that could hurt their console business much more than the gains they make on PC. It could only be worth it to them if they had credible paths to services revenue (their own store, third parties being sold on their store powered by PSN+ tie in, cloud gaming offering, etc…).

This is a good follow up to the chat I was having with HeisenbergFX4 in a related thread, how much a PC customer is worth Sony vs the risk. If the ONLY thing PC gamers would buy is Sony games but resist anything else (anything related to PSN, anything related to the console services revenue or royalties from third party games) this would put a damp to it if Sony is smart. Even more so if people refuse the idea of a PlayStation PC Store because selling their games on Steam means Sony now makes only 70% for their own titles compared to 100% on their own platform.

That last point alone means that the profitability of PC titles for them is 30% lower than on consoles.

I think so long as Sony identifies PC as a different market than console, they'll continue with their current strategy. It makes senses economically too - especially if you add in double dippers. Where they could stumble is the implementation of their own store. I have no idea if there are any current plans for one, but many people are comfortable with Steam and other PC game providers. It would be an uphill battle on that front, for sure. As of now, it's a fine balance they've struck - ie. it's working so far but any significant changes to that strategy would likely be risky.

 

[Panajev2001a]

It's just a signal that PC users aren't pushovers. They aren't going to get away with releasing broken ports a year or more later and forcing users to play them through PSN.

To the PCMR with that kind of attitude I would say “Keep patting yourself on the back fierce PCMR lion “ , I was not attacking you or PC users. Keep up the good fight, I like the console model and this helps Sony not to get lost chasing it.

You would not accept mandatory PSN login requirements and/or pay for PSN+ even for day and date games that are super perfect at launch though, let’s not BS each other here.

Also 70% from PC users is still better than 0% if they go back to exclusives.

70% from those users, much more low price / deals sensitive than console gamers in general, currently is not taking away players from the PlayStation walled garden. More incentive to skip PlayStation such as day and date releases for more and more title to PC (on top of impacting the developer of the games which currently is shielded by Sony having a separate PC ports expert like Nixess with some time between console release and expected PC release doing the port) like you seem to want would, as we have seen with Xbox, hurt their console sales and user base may migrate.

Now you have traded users you would get 100% of higher ASPs from your first party titles revenue, that would buy subscriptions / PSN+ tiers, and about 30% for every third party sale and/or microtransaction for only 70% of generally lower ASPs, no subscription revenue (not a chance in sight right now of that either), and 0% of third party game sales.

This does not make sense. The decision is essentially between killing your profitable console business to increase profits on PC (I do not believe the delta is worth the gamble at all) or the status quo where titles eventually get on PC but with a long enough time window. You do not see Nintendo rushing to port all their games to PC and you do not see PS rushing to do day and date PC releases, only MS… that strategy did not help their console business and now their games are giving Sony revenue too.
I can understand why some people would like PlayStation first party games to be day and date on PC too, but fundamentally they might either be too optimistic and do not take the risk into account enough or just want to kill PS .

There's no sign that they're stopping though so we'll probably see faster and better quality ports.

One sign they are thinking about it differently is there… Spider-man 2 launched with little fanfare, they removed mandatory PSN login tie-in, etc…

 

[Rawbutt Jellybean]

To the PCMR with that kind of attitude I would say “Keep patting yourself on the back fierce PCMR lion “ , I was not attacking you or PC users. Keep up the good fight, I like the console model and this helps Sony not to get lost chasing it.

You would not accept mandatory PSN login requirements and/or pay for PSN+ even for day and date games that are super perfect at launch though, let’s not BS each other here.

Expecting people to pay $80 a year to get a functioning copy of Spiderman 2 day and date would be ridiculous lmao.

70% from those users, much more low price / deals sensitive than console gamers in general, currently is not taking away players from the PlayStation walled garden. More incentive to skip PlayStation such as day and date releases for more and more title to PC (on top of impacting the developer of the games which currently is shielded by Sony having a separate PC ports expert like Nixess with some time between console release and expected PC release doing the port) like you seem to want would, as we have seen with Xbox, hurt their console sales and user base may migrate.

Now you have traded users you would get 100% of higher ASPs from your first party titles revenue, that would buy subscriptions / PSN+ tiers, and about 30% for every third party sale and/or microtransaction for only 70% of generally lower ASPs, no subscription revenue (not a chance in sight right now of that either), and 0% of third party game sales.

This does not make sense. The decision is essentially between killing your profitable console business to increase profits on PC (I do not believe the delta is worth the gamble at all) or the status quo where titles eventually get on PC but with a long enough time window. You do not see Nintendo rushing to port all their games to PC and you do not see PS rushing to do day and date PC releases, only MS… that strategy did not help their console business and now their games are giving Sony revenue too.
I can understand why some people would like PlayStation first party games to be day and date on PC too, but fundamentally they might either be too optimistic and do not take the risk into account enough or just want to kill PS .

The fact of the matter is they care about or need PC sales otherwise they wouldn't have began porting in the first place. And it's only gotten quicker and with more frequency.

People buy PCs and Consoles for different reasons. It's not like if every Sony game was day and date that everyone would sell their PS5 and build a PC. Releasing games on PC reaches an audience they otherwise wouldn't reach which helps fund these bloated modern game budgets.

As for Nintendo, not every business has the same strategy. Maybe they change in the future but they haven't really hinted at anything yet other than those mobile games.

One sign they are thinking about it differently is there… Spider-man 2 launched with little fanfare, they removed mandatory PSN login tie-in, etc…

It launched over a year later in a poor state. Removing mandatory PSN login isn't a sign they're moving away but instead adapting to a different audience.

 

[bundylove]

I could not access the games I bought with my own money, not rented shit from PS+

We need to go back to Physical games or let people OWN their digital library.

Used to be once a month or a week to log in to verify the ownership of the game .

Now it has to do so every second to start.

Something tells me its done on purpose

 

[DryvBy]

Some PC gamers need a Windows login, have a login for Nvidia drivers, has a login for their computer case or mouse/keyboard to get all the features out of it, has a login for Steam, has a login for GOG and for Epic and EA and Bnet and everything's installed on different platforms or some games work better on one platform over the other (Fallout 1 on GOG vs Steam is different). But Sony asking for the same thing you gave Microsoft to use Windows at it's full function? Awwww naw! We're not giving up our spam email account. That's for spam, not gaming!

 

[Panajev2001a]

Expecting people to pay $80 a year to get a functioning copy of Spiderman 2 day and date would be ridiculous lmao.

The fact of the matter is they care about or need PC sales otherwise they wouldn't have began porting in the first place.

Why not get all the money instead of some of the money? Because corporate greed always means great ideas eh ?

And it's only gotten quicker and with more frequency.

People buy PCs and Consoles for different reasons. It's not like if every Sony game was day and date that everyone would sell their PS5 and build a PC. Releasing games on PC reaches an audience they otherwise wouldn't reach which helps fund these bloated modern game budgets.

Tell that to Xbox owners… come on you do not believe this really, do you? What is the basis to support this?

As for Nintendo, not every business has the same strategy. Maybe they change in the future but they haven't really hinted at anything yet other than those mobile games.

That’s right, they have a very self aware winning strategy for their profitable niche .

It launched over a year later in a poor state. Removing mandatory PSN login isn't a sign they're moving away but instead adapting to a different audience.

They removed it from all games. The end game Sony wanted and the reason they started risking with PC releases not being 4-5 years away of only some titles is because they hope for people on PC using PSN, leveraging that to push for subscriptions, and dreaming about a PS Store on PC to take sales away from Steam.

Failing to even get PSN tie-in adoption is a bad setback in those dreams.

 

[BennyBlanco]

Some PC gamers need a Windows login, have a login for Nvidia drivers, has a login for their computer case or mouse/keyboard to get all the features out of it, has a login for Steam, has a login for GOG and for Epic and EA and Bnet and everything's installed on different platforms or some games work better on one platform over the other (Fallout 1 on GOG vs Steam is different). But Sony asking for the same thing you gave Microsoft to use Windows at it's full function? Awwww naw! We're not giving up our spam email account. That's for spam, not gaming!

So now that youve outlined why these (commonly optional) logins for Nvidia and hardware RGB exist, I guess you can explain what function logging into PSN to play a single player game on Steam serves? And as pointed out in the OP, nobody would’ve been able to play those games while PsN was down.

Moot point anyway as Sony already capitulated.

 

[DryvBy]

So now that youve outlined why these (commonly optional) logins for Nvidia and hardware RGB exist, I guess you can explain what function logging into PSN to play a single player game on Steam serves? And as pointed out in the OP, nobody would’ve been able to play those games while PsN was down.

Moot point anyway as Sony already capitulated.

Oh I agree they're stupid and I'm against all of that junk. I was only mocking the hypocrisy. There's another thing where people get upset about DRM but actively buy all their games on Steam. It's just funny to me. I'm an old school PC gamer though so I find even logging into Windows to be stupid. But everyone is doing it now so it's just what it is now. I set up a junk email for every service.

 

[Killer8]

The only thing the PlayStation Network outage proved is how weak-minded people have become in 2025. The fact that people cannot go 24 hours without the service is mindboggling.

"Waaaaa, my wife's boyfriend was going to let me use the PS5 tonight, this was my only opportunity this month I had to use it and Sony took that from meeee waaaaa"

Shut the fuck up.

This chode for example could not even wait 24 hours to make a concern video for those sweet outrage clicks:



And then there were all the "we're moving to ____ " posts on social media:

PlayStation breaks silence on PSN down as fans say ‘we’re moving to Xbox’

PlayStation users are approaching 24 hours without being able to play their games online or offline, and as Sony breaks its silence in awkward style, some have had enough

www.dailystar.co.uk

As if every other service doesn't also experience some sort of downtime or fall victim to a hack which is out of basically anyone's control. Blame the hacker group. You got 4 extra days of access out of it for a minor inconvenience. Christ.

 

[Zacfoldor]

First world problems.

 

[Rawbutt Jellybean]

Why not get all the money instead of some of the money? Because corporate greed always means great ideas eh ?

Because some is better than the none they were getting before.

Tell that to Xbox owners… come on you do not believe this really, do you? What is the basis to support this?

Don't believe what? That people buy consoles for convenience and would continue to do so even if the games they wanted were on PC? https://newzoo.com/resources/rankings/top-ps5-games
You have to go to #11 (EA College Football 25) to find a game that isn't on PC.

That’s right, they have a very self aware winning strategy for their profitable niche .

They also have games that are much cheaper to make and sell much better. The strategy they use might not be viable for Sony and Xbox.

They removed it from all games. The end game Sony wanted and the reason they started risking with PC releases not being 4-5 years away of only some titles is because they hope for people on PC using PSN, leveraging that to push for subscriptions, and dreaming about a PS Store on PC to take sales away from Steam.

Failing to even get PSN tie-in adoption is a bad setback in those dreams.

It's more likely they wanted to test the waters and see if they could get away with forcing PSN. PC players are rejecting it but they still want to sell them the software lol.

Push for subscriptions how? They're already day and date and free online with Helldivers 2 and nobody is going to pay PS+ for single player games.

 

[justiceiro]

So funny seeing people that were so angry at the outage turns so compressible the moment they are compared to pc.

 

[ArtHands]

Oh I agree they're stupid and I'm against all of that junk. I was only mocking the hypocrisy. There's another thing where people get upset about DRM but actively buy all their games on Steam. It's just funny to me. I'm an old school PC gamer though so I find even logging into Windows to be stupid. But everyone is doing it now so it's just what it is now. I set up a junk email for every service.

Pretty sure an account for a service where the company can remember your details so they can provide the digital products you bought, is a necessity.

 

[ArtHands]

The only thing the PlayStation Network outage proved is how weak-minded people have become in 2025. The fact that people cannot go 24 hours without the service is mindboggling.

"Waaaaa, my wife's boyfriend was going to let me use the PS5 tonight, this was my only opportunity this month I had to use it and Sony took that from meeee waaaaa"

Shut the fuck up.

This chode for example could not even wait 24 hours to make a concern video for those sweet outrage clicks:



And then there were all the "we're moving to ____ " posts on social media:

PlayStation breaks silence on PSN down as fans say ‘we’re moving to Xbox’

PlayStation users are approaching 24 hours without being able to play their games online or offline, and as Sony breaks its silence in awkward style, some have had enough

www.dailystar.co.uk

As if every other service doesn't also experience some sort of downtime or fall victim to a hack which is out of basically anyone's control. Blame the hacker group. You got 4 extra days of access out of it for a minor inconvenience. Christ.

Yah they can always choose to play on other platforms in the meantime too. Other platforms that don’t suffer any global major outage that last for a day, that’s stopping everyone from playing their digital games.

 

[bender]

Yah they can always choose to play on other platforms in the meantime too. Other platforms that don’t suffer any global major outage that last for a day, that’s stopping everyone from playing their digital games.

 

[Clear]

Why not get all the money instead of some of the money? Because corporate greed always means great ideas eh ?

Is it really a matter of greed to be running a successful business and then try and branch out and serve a different clientele?
Seems reasonable enough to me!

Failing to even get PSN tie-in adoption is a bad setback in those dreams.

Not really. Its not a problem for their massive existing user-base on console, and any extra members they get on PC looks good for MAU. Its a win-win.

People have got this backwards. Sony always stand to gain more by mandating PC users have a PSN sub than not. If a percentage of the market has an issue with that, then its no skin off Sony's nose.

Because, In simple terms, they aren't going to undercut their primary pitch to placate an audience that isn't receptive to it. That'd be stupid.

Sorry to spell this out, but PC get served because its a massive market, not because PC gamers are considered to be especially valuable. And one of the advantages of dealing with a massive market is you can fuck off a section of it, and still shift enough units to make it a viable money-maker.

They flip-flopped on Helldivers mandatory req because the messaging got fucked up. They won't make the same mistake again.

 

[ArtHands]

First world problems.

From a third world company.

Not even Nintendo has such an outage.

 

[YeulEmeralda]

My ISP does maintenance work fairly often but they keep it at 4am so nobody is really bothered.