Key Takeaways
- Modder removes PSN login remover mod for God of War due to potential legal liabilities.
- Sony hasn’t taken legal action against modder, but potential financial risks exist.
- Mod was posted by another user on Nexus, other download links exist online.
The PSNlogin remover mod for God of War: Ragnarökcreator has taken his mod off Nexus Mods, fearing its legal liabilities.
Modder iArtoriusUA has said he decided on the removal after he received a lot of unwanted attention from his mod. While it doesn’t seem like Sony’s legal team has reached out to the modder, he thought it was “better to be safe than sorry.”
Sony may have struggled to prove that the modder committed any illegal activity. If they had decided to pursue legal action, it’s uncertain what avenue would have sufficed, given that no conventional piracy or copyright infringement occurred.
It’s unclear whether the modder is a U.S. citizen, in which case U.S. federal law would require that his conduct was performed for profit and/or caused significant financial damage to Sony. Otherwise, Sony could argue that his actions somehow contributed to a breach that would allow future piracy.
Federal law bars any copyright infringement that was perpetrated for commercial advantage or private financial gain.
Sony has neither acknowledged the mod’s existence nor removed it, but iArtoriusUA’s fear is well-placed, as any legal dispute is likely to involve incredible financial burdens.
Until the Japanese giant makes a statement, any statements about the mod’s legality, or otherwise, are pure conjecture.
Despite iArtoriusUA’s backpedaling, the mod is now up again on Nexus and will likely remain available on multiple websites.
Good For Thee, Not Good For Me
As the Sony Helldivers 2 controversy concluded and the God of War Ragnarök one started, many console players have criticized PC players for complaining about Sony’s practices when they’re not novel on the platform— which is true, sort of.
Sony‘s login isn’t one of a kind, but it’s one of a kind from a company whose data breaches and fragile cybersecurity are the stuff of legend. The biggest attack to date saw hackers making away with an estimated 100 terabytes of data, although the exact file size hasn’t been confirmed.
PC gamers are nothing if not obsessed with their privacy and data, making this match one made in the deepest depths of hell. After all, who wants yet another barrier between them and their game?
Prior instances of third-party login requirements have only been accepted begrudgingly. Players have consistently complained about installing launchers and creating accounts for games that don’t need them. Still, these were established PC titans who turned heel, Sony’s not.
These anti-player practices might be too close to a shot near their foot as they’re trying to appeal to a new audience.
While Sony certainly is not the first, they might have been the ones to finally break the PC player’s back— while trying to win them over, no less. Despite many refunding and review bombing Ragnarok, Sony has, thus far, remained steadfast in their PSN login policy.
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