Why Helldivers 2 Was Delisted From Steam in 177 PSN-Unsupported Countries—and What Changed

Yes, Helldivers 2 was removed from sale on Steam in roughly 177 countries and territories in May 2024 because PlayStation Network was unavailable in those markets. The restriction followed Sony’s plan to require PSN linking for PC players. Sony abandoned that plan after a major backlash, but the regional sales restrictions did not disappear immediately. Most were later lifted, although availability remains country-specific and should be checked directly on Steam.

What happened to Helldivers 2 on Steam?

This was primarily a regional sales delisting, not a worldwide Steam ban. On May 5, 2024, Steam users in approximately 177 countries and territories where PSN was unavailable could no longer buy Helldivers 2 through their local Steam storefront. Contemporary reports used slightly different totals, including “over 150” and “over 170,” because the affected country and territory lists varied by source. SteamDB records and reporting from PC Gamer documented the change.

#	Preview	Product	Price
1		PlayStation Helldivers 2 [ 5]	$44.40	Buy on Amazon
2		Ghostrunner 2 - PlayStation 5	$17.87	Buy on Amazon
3		Hell Let Loose: Vietnam - PlayStation 5	$39.99	Buy on Amazon
4		Deep Rock Galactic SE - PlayStation 5	$12.18	Buy on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

A sales delisting did not automatically remove the game from every existing owner’s Steam library, nor did it mean every owner was banned from playing. It mainly prevented new purchases in affected regions.

The timeline: PSN linking, delisting and reversal

Sony’s archived announcement described PSN linking as a way to support player safety, moderation, bans, anti-abuse enforcement and appeals. The announcement also said the requirement had initially been optional because of technical issues. The archived update contains the original dates and rationale.

#1 Best Overall

PlayStation Helldivers 2 [ 5]

• Join the Helldivers and fight with friends for freedom:
• Immerse yourself in the battle for freedom - We need brave citizens traveling through the galaxy to free unpredictable, hostile worlds and spread our message of peace, freedom and guided democracy - in fast, fast-paced and wild missions.
• Become a legend - As part of the elite troops of Over-Earth, you have the entire power of the military at your disposal. Rise in the ranks as you complete vital missions, turn the tide in battle and protect the front.
• The Galactic War - As the Galactic War rages on multiple fronts, campaigns are fought, won and lost. Our enemies abandoned by the flag fight us at every turn, but we will not rest until every being has its freedom!
• Pre-order now for three armour sets: "TR-7 Brand Ambassador" - SUMY Corp advertising armor. As part of a hugely successful marketing campaign for Frozen Yogurt, "TR-62 Knights" - Designed to provide justice even in the darkest corners of the galaxy. & "Cavaliers of Democracy TR-9" - Carriers of this armour do not ride a horse, but are carried into battle on the faithful horse of freedom.

$44.40

Buy on Amazon

Why did PSN affect Steam availability?

Steam distributed the PC game in many countries where PSN was not officially available. That created a basic compatibility problem:

1. Sony planned to require PC players to link a Steam account to PSN.
2. Players in PSN-unsupported countries could not reliably satisfy that requirement.
3. Sony consequently restricted new sales in many of those markets.

In other words, the problem was not that Steam could not sell the game. It was that Sony’s planned account requirement was incompatible with every market in which the PC version had already been sold.

Was Helldivers 2 banned by Steam?

That wording is misleading. Sony Interactive Entertainment was the publisher and the central policy actor behind the PSN requirement. Steam displayed and enforced the resulting regional store restrictions, but contemporary reporting characterized the change as arising from Sony’s publishing or distribution requirements—not as an independent disciplinary ban imposed by Valve.

Arrowhead Game Studios developed Helldivers 2 and publicly discussed finding a solution, but its leadership indicated that it did not have final authority over Sony’s account policy. Engadget’s timeline and Windows Central’s follow-up explain the division of responsibility.

Rank #2

Ghostrunner 2 - PlayStation 5

• Blood will run in this post-apocalyptic cyberpunk future that takes place after the fall of the Keymaster, a tyrant who ruled over Dharma Tower, the last refuge of humanity.
• The player has the power to shape the future of humanity and take on the violent cyber ninja AI cult that has taken shape outside Dharma Tower, making for a truly epic and unforgettable experience.
• The game introduces new skills, allowing players to be more creative and take on even the most demanding encounters with greater accessibility.
• The player progression system has been completely redone, providing opportunities to experiment and customize gameplay.
• The game is a must-play for fans of the original Ghostrunner and anyone looking for an intense and immersive action experience.

$17.87

Buy on Amazon

Did existing owners lose access?

The regional sales restriction primarily affected people trying to buy the game after the change. It was not a universal revocation of existing Steam licenses. Someone who already owned Helldivers 2 generally needed to look in their Steam library rather than assume that the store delisting had removed the game.

There were important exceptions and complications. A player who requested and received a refund no longer owned that copy. Keys could have separate activation regions, and moving countries, family sharing, gifting or future downloadable content could involve different eligibility rules. The planned PSN deadline was also abandoned, so it should not be presented as a requirement that was ultimately imposed on all Steam owners in this incident.

Why did players review-bomb the game?

The backlash was aimed mainly at the policy change, not necessarily at a sudden deterioration in the game itself. Players objected to:

• A new account requirement announced after launch.
• The possibility of losing access in countries without PSN.
• Mandatory account creation and concerns about personal data.
• The perceived unfairness of changing conditions for existing purchasers.

Contemporary reports cited more than 200,000 negative Steam reviews during the protest. That figure measures the scale of the consumer reaction; it should not be treated as a technical review of the game’s performance or design. PC Gamer covered the review campaign.

Rank #3

Hell Let Loose: Vietnam - PlayStation 5

• Fight in epic 50 vs 50 multiplayer battles. Play as the North Vietnamese Army or the US Armed Forces.
• Immersive jungle warfare recreates the real-world intensity of the battle. 6 distinct game modes: Offensive, Warfare and 4 alternative new game modes.
• 6 large-scale maps – all with lighting and weather variants and extreme terrain. Emergent gameplay encourages the use of the chain of command to build teamwork and deploy a unique set of tactics and weapons for each battle.
• Multiple vehicles including helicopters and patrol boats. Build tunnels as the NVA and deploy your forces in stealth to ambush the US Armed Forces.
• Enhanced player movement improves in-battle functionality. Revamped tutorial and player onboarding. Updated interface and user experience.

$39.99

Buy on Amazon

What did Sony reverse?

Sony reversed the mandatory PSN-linking plan. It did not instantly restore Steam sales in every affected country. For a period after the reversal, many regional restrictions remained, which is why “Sony backed down” and “the game immediately returned everywhere” are not interchangeable statements. Ars Technica reported on the reversal, while Windows Central documented the restrictions that persisted afterward.

Is Helldivers 2 still unavailable in those countries?

Not in the same way as in May 2024. By 2025, SteamDB-based reporting indicated that Sony had removed restrictions from most of the affected PC games, including Helldivers 2. GamesRadar reported that eight markets were still restricted at that time: Belarus, Cuba, Iran, Japan, North Korea, Russia, Syria and Vietnam. That was a dated observation, not a permanent official Sony list. See the 2025 report.

For an individual country in 2026, the reliable practical test is the current Steam listing. Sony’s product page confirms the game’s current platform presence, but it does not provide a complete country-by-country Steam availability table. PlayStation’s product page and the official Steam listing are the appropriate starting points.

How to check availability in your country

1. Sign in to the Steam account that will make the purchase.
2. Open the official Helldivers 2 Steam page.
3. Look for a purchase option. A regional-unavailability message means the game cannot currently be bought through that storefront.
4. If you already own the game, check your Steam library instead of relying on an old delisting article.
5. Record the date of the check, because regional availability can change.

Should you use a VPN or foreign PSN account?

No. A VPN is not a reliable or clearly legitimate workaround. It can conflict with Steam or PlayStation terms and create payment, tax, currency, activation, refund and account-enforcement problems. It also does not guarantee that PSN services will work in your actual country.

Rank #4

Deep Rock Galactic SE - PlayStation 5

• Play cooperatively with up to 4 players online
• Choose one of 4 unique customizable classes
• Explore procedurally generated cave systems with fully destructible environments
• Eweild tons of high-tech gadgets and weapons
• Bonus content: 4 premium art cards, Double-sided fold out poster, Welcome letter from Mission Control, Includes Dark Future Pack and Mega Corp Pack

$12.18

Buy on Amazon

Do not create a PSN account using a country where you do not live merely to bypass regional availability. Use accurate residence and region information, and contact official support if your account or purchase is affected.

What about third-party keys?

A key is only worth considering if it is explicitly valid for your country and comes from a reputable authorized seller. Even then, activation is not the same as guaranteed long-term support. A key may not solve regional restrictions, downloadable-content eligibility, future account checks, payment disputes or refund problems. Gray-market keys are not an official solution to Sony’s regional distribution decisions.

Can you request a refund?

You can submit a request through Steam and explain the specific regional or account-access problem, but approval is not guaranteed. Steam’s standard refund policy considers purchase time and playtime, while exceptional decisions and local consumer-law rights can vary. Check Steam’s current refund policy before applying.

Remember the trade-off: an approved refund removes the game from the account. A person who later regains access to the store may need to purchase it again.

The answer in one sentence

Helldivers 2 really was delisted from Steam in about 177 PSN-unsupported countries in May 2024, following Sony’s planned PC account-linking requirement; Sony later canceled that requirement, most regional restrictions were eventually lifted, and the current answer depends on the player’s country and Steam storefront.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1

PlayStation Helldivers 2 [ 5]

Join the Helldivers and fight with friends for freedom:

$44.40

Bestseller No. 2

Ghostrunner 2 - PlayStation 5

$17.87

Bestseller No. 3

Hell Let Loose: Vietnam - PlayStation 5

$39.99

Bestseller No. 4

Deep Rock Galactic SE - PlayStation 5

Play cooperatively with up to 4 players online; Choose one of 4 unique customizable classes

$12.18

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.