Sony lifts Stellar Blade PC region lock on Steam and Epic Games Store after release of demo

PlayStation PC ports often have region lock and PSN account restrictions, which frustrate many gamers. While Ghost of Tsushima and Helldivers 2 remain unavailable in some nations, Stellar Blade won't face the same obstacle. After the Stellar Blade PC demo arrived on May 30th, the region lock requirements disappeared. More buyers can now pre-order the title on Valve's marketplace and the Epic Games Store.

Gamers knew that after its one year of PlayStation exclusivity ended, the Stellar Blade PC version would debut on June 11th. However, the announcement of a demo on the game's official X account was a surprise. In the same post, players learned that the trial would be accessible in 250 regions. When the title appeared for pre-order weeks earlier, gamers noticed purchases were blocked in over 100 countries.

Sony caused controversy when it forced sign-ins to PSN accounts with prior Steam games and Epic Games Store releases. It eventually backtracked, but the region lock persisted in many countries where PSN is unavailable. Stellar Blade developers promised to investigate the issue, and it appears they have found a solution. That said, gamers in nations like Russia and Syria remain excluded.

The Stellar Blade demo introduces players to the initial stage of the game, complete with a boss battle. During roughly 40 minutes, gamers can also explore a post-apocalyptic world and face off with another boss. Progress in the demo will apply to the full version on the June 11th Stellar Blade release date.

Initial reactions to the Shift Up-developed title among desktop gamers are positive. The Stellar Blade PC requirements are reasonable, and players are encountering smooth performance on most systems. The lack of a region lock and PSN account login should also boost its sales and Steam player count.