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The announcement explained that account linking was crucial for safeguarding players, preventing griefing, abuse, and enacting bans on malicious behavior. Yet, the implementation was poorly received, primarily because it forced players to connect their PC accounts to PSN, even if they had no intention of using PlayStation services.
Notably, players had until June 4th to complete this linkage; failure to do so would mean losing access to the game entirely. This generated immediate outrage, especially in countries where PlayStation Network is unavailable or limited, effectively blocking access in over 177 nations.