Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls is reportedly unavailable for purchase on Steam in 132 countries. Players believe that this is due to Sony’s PSN account requirements for their PC releases.
Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls Joins Sony’s List of Region-Blocked PC Releases
Sony Has Yet to Confirm If PSN Account-Linking is the Reason
Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls is once again drawing criticism over its regional availability after players discovered that the game remains unavailable for purchase on Steam in 132 countries and territories just a month before its launch. The restriction has been in place since the game's Steam page first appeared earlier this year, but with release now approaching, players in affected regions are questioning whether Sony Interactive Entertainment intends to lift the restriction.
Although Sony has not publicly explained the regional restrictions, SteamDB's list of affected countries closely aligns with territories where PSN is not officially supported. The game’s Steam store page states that a PSN account is required to play, which led many to believe the restriction stems from Sony’s policy of limiting sales in regions where players cannot officially register for PSN accounts.
Sony, however, has yet to confirm if this is the reason behind the restriction.
Nonetheless, the issue has prompted a grassroots campaign from players calling on Sony to reconsider the decision. Fans have begun using the hashtag #TokonForall across social media to point to the issue. There are even petitions with nearly 1,000 signatures urging Sony to make the game available in unsupported PSN regions.
It remains unclear, though, whether this will influence Sony’s plans. The company has previously reversed controversial policies—most notably the mandatory PSN account-linking requirement for Helldivers 2—but only after massive public backlash and overwhelming negative user sentiment.
In May 2024, Sony announced plans to enforce mandatory PSN account linking for the Steam version of the co-op shooter several months after launch. The backlash became widespread, particularly because the game had already been sold in countries where PSN was unavailable.
After a wave of negative Steam reviews and criticism, Sony reversed this requirement, but only for Helldivers 2. Subsequent PlayStation-published releases continued requiring PSN accounts, with Sony instead restricting sales in unsupported regions before launch.
Titles such as Horizon Zero Dawn, God of War Ragnarök, and Stellar Blade all launched on PC with PSN integration, though Sony has changed its approach in some cases. For example, the company eventually removed the PSN requirement for several single-player games, including Horizon Zero Dawn, while still offering optional account linking that grants in-game bonuses.
Multiplayer-focused releases, meanwhile, have generally continued to require PSN accounts.
PSN Requirement is for the Safety of Players, Ex-Chief Financial Officer Explained
Sony has previously defended this practice, particularly for games with online functionality. During the company’s November 2024 corporate strategy discussion, then-Chief Financial Officer Hiroki Totoki said account requirements were intended to ensure that players could enjoy live-service titles "safely." His remarks came in response to investor questions following the Helldivers 2 controversy.
Whether that explanation fully applies to Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls remains open to debate. Unlike many of Sony’s single-player PC ports, the upcoming fighting game can be taken online. Linking PSN to Steam could simplify matchmaking and moderation. At the same time, though, critics argue that tying online functionality to PSN effectively excludes players in regions where Sony has not officially launched the service, despite Steam being available in those markets.
As of publication, Sony Interactive Entertainment has not issued an official statement addressing the Steam regional restrictions or indicated whether they will change before Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls launches on PC and PlayStation 5 in August 2026.
Source:
SteamDB | Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls on SteamDB
Steam | Marvel TōkonFighting Souls on Steam
Sony | Q2 FY2024 Consolidated Financial Results
Sony | Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered In-Game Bonus for Those Who Link Their Accounts to PSN
