Stellar Blade’s PC Debut Faces Steam Roadblock in Over 120 Nations, Surprising Even Its Developers

The gaming community buzzes with anticipation as the PC version of Stellar Blade gears up for its release on June 11. However, a recent announcement has introduced a significant hurdle: the game will be unavailable on Steam in upwards of 120 countries, a revelation that took even its creators, Shift Up, by surprise.

This unexpected limitation was first highlighted in a social media post, prompting a flurry of confusion and frustration from fans. Players shared their own screenshots to emphasize the game’s unavailability in various regions. In response, Shift Up quickly clarified that owning a PlayStation Network (PSN) account isn’t required for the PC edition, a clarification that seemed to catch them off guard amid the outcry.

A closer look at SteamDB corroborates these extensive regional restrictions, especially in territories where Sony’s PSN is not operational. This situation draws parallels to the controversy surrounding Helldivers 2, which faced a substantial backlash last year due to its mandatory PSN account stipulation. Following an eruption of negative feedback, that title was pulled from sale in 177 countries, prompting developers to recalibrate their strategy.