Sony has banned the Steam sale of Horizon Forbidden West in more than 150 countries. Guerrilla’s open-world adventure doesn’t require a PSN account to play, yet it has been blocked, leaving more questions than answers.

The release of PlayStation games on PC has opened new opportunities for Sony to reach a market long eager to experience these titles outside the console ecosystem. However, the excitement has been dampened by recurring issues, including the requirement to use a PSN account, which has sparked friction with PC players and led to game bans in multiple countries. Now, a year after its PC launch, Horizon Forbidden West has been restricted in 177 countries with no clear explanation.

Another case of Japanese games being blocked on Steam

This isn’t the first time a Japanese game has faced Steam restrictions. When Helldivers 2 was released, the multiplayer shooter was initially celebrated as one of Sony’s standout online games. But in May 2024, the game was blocked in several regions, triggering a wave of review bombing and forcing Sony to respond.

The issue: Horizon doesn’t need a PSN account

The reason for the Helldivers 2 restrictions was tied to PSN, a service unavailable in certain countries like Iraq, Gibraltar, and Armenia. However, Forbidden West doesn’t require a PSN account at all, either as a necessity or an option. Unlike Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut, which allowed players to skip linking a PSN account if they stuck to story mode, Horizon has no such requirement to begin with.

According to SteamDB (via HobbyConsolas), the game was updated on January 21st, adding numerous countries to its “Restricted Purchase” list. These include previously affected regions as well as new ones such as Samoa, Vietnam, Venezuela, and even Vatican City. So no, Pope Francis won’t be battling sentient machines in Guerrilla Games’ acclaimed title.

What’s behind the restriction?

Without the PSN issue, the reason for this ban remains unclear. The situation becomes more concerning when considering that three more PS5 exclusives are slated to launch on PC within the next four months. Today marks the release of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, which doesn’t require a PSN account, followed by Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and The Last of Us Part 2. None of these games include online functionalities, yet they might also face similar restrictions.

We’re left waiting for an official explanation from PlayStation. Whether this is a Steam-related error is yet to be determined, but it’s evident that the developers aren’t at fault. During the Helldivers 2 controversy, Arrowhead Studios’ CEO publicly encouraged review bombing to pressure Sony into action, clarifying that neither he nor his studio had any role in the decision.

Source: 3djuegos