Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls is currently unavailable on Steam in 132 countries, and the culprit is almost certainly Sony’s PlayStation Network account linking requirement, as detailed in the original report from IGN.
The block follows a pattern that Steam players have grown all too familiar with. Sony has increasingly mandated PSN account linking for its PC ports, a policy that previously caused the delisting of Helldivers 2 in non-PSN regions. Marvel Tokon itself was only recently revealed during a State of Play, and its fighting game roster includes Carnage, Green Goblin, and Magneto.
The PSN Linking Mandate
Sony’s rationale for PSN linking on PC is ostensibly about cross-play, cross-progression, and unified friend lists. In practice, it means Steam users in countries where PlayStation Network isn’t available are completely locked out. The list of affected regions typically includes many African, Middle Eastern, and some Asian countries—precisely those where PSN has no legal presence.
While the requirement is often visible on store pages before launch, the enforcement can feel arbitrary. Helldivers 2 launched without the mandate and became a massive hit, only for Sony to retroactively enforce PSN linking months later, sparking review-bombing and a partial rollback. Other titles like Ghost of Tsushima and God of War Ragnarok have also faced regional restrictions on Steam due to PSN.
What’s Actually Blocked?
In 132 countries, the Steam page for Marvel Tokon now displays a notice that the game is “not available in your region.” Players cannot purchase, download, or access any content. There’s no workaround via Steam keys, as the PSN check occurs at the account level. This is a hard block, not a soft warning.
The Broader Pattern on PC
Sony’s PC strategy has been a tug-of-war between expanding its audience and protecting its console ecosystem. By forcing PSN accounts on Steam users, the company collects valuable user data and funnels players into its own ecosystem—even if it means leaving tens of thousands of potential customers behind. It’s a trade-off that prioritizes control over reach.
Sony’s approach to PC releases has been inconsistent, from allowing some titles to launch without PSN on day one to suddenly enforcing the requirement post-launch. The company’s reluctance to fully open its ecosystem has sparked debates reminiscent of earlier platform restrictions that locked players out of services like EA Access on PlayStation.
GamerHeadlines Takeaway
Marvel Tokon’s regional block is the latest reminder that buying a game on PC doesn’t always mean universal access. Sony’s PSN requirement, while understandable from a platform-holder’s perspective, continues to frustrate players in underserved regions. Until Sony invests in expanding PSN’s footprint or loosens the linking mandate, its PC ports will remain fragmented—and the backlash won’t fade.
