If you're in one of the 132 countries where PlayStation Network isn't available, Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls may not even show up as a purchasable title on PC when it launches. Sony appears to be requiring players to link a PSN account to play the game on Steam, and that requirement automatically locks out every region where PSN doesn't operate.
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The same move that backfired with Helldivers 2
Here's the thing: Sony has done this before. Back in 2024, Helldivers 2 launched on PC with a mandatory PSN account-linking requirement that restricted sales to roughly 70 countries where PSN was actually available. The backlash was swift and severe enough that Sony reversed the policy entirely within months. That reversal was a rare, public capitulation from a major platform holder.
Now, with Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls set to launch on August 7, 2026 across PS5, Steam, and the Epic Games Store, the same policy appears to be back. The game's Steam listing carries a footnote stating that an internet connection and a PlayStation account are required for online play. That language, combined with SteamDB data showing the game blocked in 132 countries, paints a pretty clear picture.
Which regions are actually affected
The blocked countries aren't small markets. PSN's absence covers large portions of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, with notable examples including Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Egypt, and Pakistan. These are regions with real, growing gaming communities, and blocking access to a major Marvel-branded fighting game on day one is a significant commercial and reputational decision.
The 132-country figure comes from the game's Store Packages data, which tracks regional availability. That number represents a majority of the world's countries, which means more nations are locked out than locked in.
Why Sony keeps doing this
The likely justification is cross-play. Linking PC accounts to PSN allows Sony to run unified multiplayer between Steam players and PS5 players, which is a standard feature for fighting games in 2026. Cross-play is genuinely useful, and Sony has a structural interest in keeping its network at the center of that experience.
The key here is that the technical goal is reasonable. The execution is the problem. Requiring PSN as a hard gate, rather than an optional cross-play feature, is what turns a network feature into a regional exclusion.
What the timing says about Sony's current position
This situation lands in an already uncomfortable week for Sony. The company recently confirmed it will stop producing physical PlayStation game discs after January 2028, a move that drew its own wave of criticism from players who prefer physical ownership. Doubling down on a policy that was already reversed once, during the same news cycle, is a bold choice.
The Steam page for Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls remains visible and accessible globally, even in blocked regions. Players in affected countries can see the game but cannot purchase it, which may actually generate more frustration than a clean regional block would.
What players should do before August 7
If you're in an unaffected region and planning to pick this up on launch day, the open beta is worth checking out first. The Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls open beta guide covers dates, times, and the full playable roster so you know exactly what to expect. And if you want a full breakdown of every confirmed character heading into launch, the complete Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls roster guide has everything confirmed so far, including what the Year 1 DLC pass adds down the line.
Sony has until August 7 to clarify or reverse course. Given what happened with Helldivers 2, that window is shorter than it looks.
