Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, the upcoming fighting game developed by Arc System Works and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, will not be available in 132 countries on Steam at launch. While no official explanation is provided on the game's Steam store page, the restrictions appear to be linked to the absence of PlayStation Network (PSN) services in these regions.
The list of restricted countries, which includes Jamaica, Iran, Belarus, Egypt, and Nigeria, mirrors the 132 countries that were previously blocked from purchasing Helldivers 2 on Steam. This similarity suggests a pattern in Sony's approach to releasing its PC titles.
The most likely reason for this widespread regional blocking is the game's planned crossplay functionality between PC and PlayStation 5. To utilize crossplay, players on PC are required to link their PSN accounts. The unavailability of PSN in these 132 countries would therefore prevent PC players in those regions from accessing this feature.
However, this explanation has drawn criticism, as players could theoretically opt out of crossplay if they wished. The timing of these restrictions also coincides with reports that Sony may be shifting its strategy, potentially publishing only live-service games on PC while moving away from single-player titles on the platform. This move could further impact player access and signal a broader change in Sony's PC publishing policies.