New PC Mod for God of War Ragnarok Eliminates Controversial Feature

A recently released mod for the PC version of God of War Ragnarok effectively removes the contentious requirement to link a PlayStation Network (PSN) account, a feature that has faced considerable backlash from fans. Following its Steam launch on September 19, God of War Ragnarok joins the ranks of other first-party PlayStation titles now available on PC. However, the release hasn’t been without its challenges for Santa Monica Studios' acclaimed sequel.

In May, when PlayStation announced that the 2022 version of God of War would be making its way to PC, many fans expressed their frustration over the mandatory PSN account-linking requirement for Ragnarok. This feature, which has also appeared in previous PC ports like Ghost of Tsushima, sparked controversy for several reasons. One key issue is that PSN is not accessible in numerous regions, rendering games like God of War Ragnarok and Ghost of Tsushima effectively unavailable on Steam. Additionally, privacy concerns have emerged due to Sony’s history of data breaches.

Despite its Steam rating climbing to "mostly positive," God of War Ragnarok received mixed reviews upon its launch, with the PSN linking requirement often cited as a significant drawback. Fortunately, players can now bypass this limitation with a mod called NoPSSDK, available for download on NexusMods, as highlighted by PCGamer. This mod allows players to reject the game's request to link their Steam and PlayStation accounts, giving them the option to continue playing offline without any hassle.

How the Mod Works

The mod's official description states that it is a "tiny library" designed to eliminate the need for the PlayStation PC SDK runtime in God of War Ragnarok. Its creator emphasizes that it does not alter any game code; rather, it simply adds a new .dll file. When users install the mod for the first time, they will see a prompt asking if they want to connect their Steam account to their PSN account. By selecting "no," players can proceed without any further complications.

While PCGamer reports that the mod works seamlessly, some users have encountered difficulties in getting it to function properly. The mod’s creator advises players experiencing issues to delete a specific file, details of which are provided in the official NexusMods description. However, it’s essential to keep in mind that modifying any game, including God of War Ragnarok, can lead to various complications and should be done at the player's own risk.

Following the backlash over the forced PSN requirement in Helldivers 2 earlier this year, this feature has become a contentious topic surrounding future PlayStation PC releases. Although the studio retracted the requirement for Helldivers 2 in response to significant criticism, upcoming titles like Ghost of Tsushima, God of War Ragnarok, as well as anticipated releases such as Until Dawn and LEGO Horizon Adventures, all require players to link their Steam and PSN accounts to access the games.