Hey everyone,
Like many of you, I’ve been holding out hope for HELLDIVERS 2 to make its way to GeForce Now. As a fan of cloud gaming and a huge admirer of what Arrowhead is doing, it’s frustrating to see such a promising title locked out of one of the most accessible platforms for PC gamers. So I wanted to open up a more nuanced discussion about what’s really going on here — and whether there’s any hope for the future.
Right now, Sony (PlayStation’s parent company) has a firm grip on cloud access to its published games — and they’re not keen on loosening it. The reasoning is pretty straightforward:
Let’s flip it. There’s a strong case that putting HELLDIVERS 2 (and other PS-published games) on GeForce Now is not only inevitable — it’s smart business:
Here’s my prediction: Sony won’t budge on GFN access soon, but pressure will build. If Microsoft continues adding titles to xCloud, and if GFN’s user base keeps growing (it passed 25M recently), it’ll eventually become too big to ignore.
We might see a compromise in the form of:
I want to believe HELLDIVERS 2 will eventually land on GFN — because it deserves to be played by as many people as possible. But until Sony rethinks its stance on cloud gaming as a threat rather than a new opportunity, we’ll be stuck waiting.
Would love to hear what you all think — is this just business, or is it shortsighted gatekeeping?
See you in the drop zone (eventually
)
Daind
Like many of you, I’ve been holding out hope for HELLDIVERS 2 to make its way to GeForce Now. As a fan of cloud gaming and a huge admirer of what Arrowhead is doing, it’s frustrating to see such a promising title locked out of one of the most accessible platforms for PC gamers. So I wanted to open up a more nuanced discussion about what’s really going on here — and whether there’s any hope for the future.
The Current Reality: Sony’s Stance on Cloud Gaming
Right now, Sony (PlayStation’s parent company) has a firm grip on cloud access to its published games — and they’re not keen on loosening it. The reasoning is pretty straightforward:
- Console Sales Matter: Sony sees cloud gaming as a threat to its PlayStation ecosystem. If you can stream HELLDIVERS 2 on a potato PC via GeForce Now, why would you need to buy a PS5 or a high-end gaming rig?
- Walled Garden Strategy: Keeping their games exclusive or locked to their own services (like PlayStation Plus Premium cloud streaming) gives Sony more control and more recurring revenue.
- GeForce Now is Too Open: Unlike xCloud or PlayStation Now, GFN allows you to use your own licenses from Steam or Epic. That’s great for consumers, but not great for Sony, who’d rather rent you a walled-off version of the same game.
Why It Should Come to GFN
Let’s flip it. There’s a strong case that putting HELLDIVERS 2 (and other PS-published games) on GeForce Now is not only inevitable — it’s smart business:
- Player Accessibility: More players = more purchases. Simple. Not everyone has a PS5. Not everyone has a powerful gaming PC. But many have internet connections capable of 1080p streaming. Why gatekeep the fun?
- Long-Tail Sales: After the initial hype dies down, cloud access could keep titles like HELLDIVERS 2 alive with new audiences. It extends a game's lifespan and relevance.
- The Market Is Moving That Way Anyway: Whether Sony likes it or not, the future is cloud. NVIDIA, Microsoft, even Amazon and Netflix are investing heavily. Sony’s resistance might delay the wave, but it can’t stop it.
What the Future Might Look Like
Here’s my prediction: Sony won’t budge on GFN access soon, but pressure will build. If Microsoft continues adding titles to xCloud, and if GFN’s user base keeps growing (it passed 25M recently), it’ll eventually become too big to ignore.
We might see a compromise in the form of:
- Selective Titles: Like how Death Stranding (published by 505 Games, not Sony) made it onto GFN.
- Delayed Access: GFN might get games 1–2 years after launch — similar to how Sony ports to PC.
- Sony’s Own Cloud Service Expansion: They may finally open it up across more devices beyond PlayStation and PC, competing directly with GFN and xCloud instead of blocking them.
Final Thoughts
I want to believe HELLDIVERS 2 will eventually land on GFN — because it deserves to be played by as many people as possible. But until Sony rethinks its stance on cloud gaming as a threat rather than a new opportunity, we’ll be stuck waiting.
Would love to hear what you all think — is this just business, or is it shortsighted gatekeeping?
See you in the drop zone (eventually
)Daind