Earth Defense Force 6 Eases Multiplayer Access for Players

Earth Defense Force 6 has recently announced a significant change: players are no longer required to sign in and link their Steam accounts with Epic Games to access the game’s online multiplayer mode on PC. This latest installment in the niche sci-fi third-person shooter franchise sees players defending Earth from alien invasions.

After being exclusively released in Japan for two years, EDF6 made its Western debut in July 2024 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC. While fans were mostly pleased with its arrival on consoles, the PC version faced considerable backlash.

Upon launch, Earth Defense Force 6 received a wave of negative reviews on Steam, often referred to as a “review bomb.” While criticisms were aimed at the game’s graphics and performance issues, the primary source of frustration stemmed from the unexpected requirement to link an Epic Games Store account for online play. This demand for a third-party account to access multiplayer on Steam sparked significant outrage among players, prompting developers to take action.

In a recent update posted on EDF6’s Steam page, the developers announced that the latest version of the game no longer requires players to sign in to an Epic Games account. Those who update to the new version can now participate in online missions without any account linking, and players can unlink their Steam accounts from their Epic Games accounts if they choose.

Multiplayer Now Accessible Without Third-Party Linking

The removal of this controversial requirement has been welcomed by many players. They expressed relief and excitement at the prospect of playing the game with friends without needing to connect their Steam accounts to another service. The update also provided clear instructions for players who had previously linked their accounts on how to unlink them.

The initial account linking requirement drew comparisons to the infamous Helldivers 2 PSN linking controversy, which similarly resulted in review bombing upon release. In response to public outcry, Sony ultimately retracted the PSN account linking requirement for Helldivers 2 on Steam.

While Earth Defense Force 6 players are grateful for the removal of this contentious feature, some still voice concerns over persistent desyncing issues and crashes affecting the gameplay experience.