The Last of Us Part II Remastered's PC release on April 3, 2025, necessitates a PlayStation Network (PSN) account, sparking controversy among potential players. This requirement, also present in previous PC ports of PlayStation exclusives, has drawn significant backlash.

While Sony's move to bring acclaimed titles like The Last of Us Part II to Steam is welcomed, the mandatory PSN account is a point of contention. The Steam page explicitly states this requirement, allowing players to link existing PSN accounts. This mirrors similar requirements for past PC ports, leading to strong negative reactions. In fact, last year, the backlash against a PSN requirement for Helldivers 2 was so intense that Sony reversed the decision before implementation.

While PSN account requirements are justifiable for games with multiplayer components (like Ghost of Tsushima's PC port, which uses PSN for multiplayer and the PlayStation overlay), The Last of Us Part II is a single-player experience. The need for a PSN account for a single-player game is perplexing, likely a strategic move to encourage PSN adoption among PC gamers. Although a basic PSN account is free, the added step of account creation or linking is inconvenient. Furthermore, PSN's unavailability in all regions presents a barrier to access for some players, contradicting the series' reputation for accessibility. This requirement could alienate a portion of the potential PC player base.