PlayStation quietly drops free download you don't need PS Plus for

PlayStation users can claim a free download for one of 2024’s best games, and you don’t need a PS Plus subscription to make it yours.

The year 2024 was a great year for PlayStation gamers, having been treated to the likes of Astro Bot, the Silent Hill 2 remake, and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, to name a few.

One other game, which let’s be honest, was one of the surprise hits of 2024, is the multiplayer co-op shooter from Arrowhead Game Studios, Helldivers 2.

In our review of Helldivers 2, we said: “It’s pure, silly cooperative fun that offers a tailored experience for all kinds of players, whether you’re looking for something casual or your next big challenge.”

Recently, several popular PlayStation console exclusives have been ported to PC on Steam, which should be a joyous time for fans. However, the requirement for a PSN account to be linked to Steam hasn't gone down well with many gamers.

The frustration is understandable because it shouldn't be essential to link a PSN game to Steam to play a title you’ve paid for, especially when it’s single-player games like God of War Ragnarök and The Last of Us Part II Remastered.

I suppose the case could be argued that multiplayer PlayStation first-party titles may require a PSN account to be linked to Steam for crossplay purposes, but then, it’s still debatable.

One such game is the aforementioned Helldivers 2, which required a linked PSN account to Steam, resulting in a review-bombing campaign.

Thankfully, the PSN requirement was eventually dropped for PlayStation first-party titles across the board, including Helldivers 2, with Sony making it an optional choice.

As brought to our attention by Push Square, in a typical tongue-in-cheek manner, befitting of Helldivers 2’s humour, Arrowhead Game Studios has paid homage to the review bomb campaign by giving everyone a free in-game cape cosmetic.

So, how does this cape pay homage to the review-bombing campaign, I hear you ask? As mentioned in the article from Push Square, the pattern on the cape reflects the decline graph of the negative Steam user reviews.

The free ‘Pillars of Freedom’ cape can be claimed via the in-game inbox over the next few days. Helldivers 2 is out now on PC and PlayStation 5.