I get that linking a PSN account is kind of annoying, but what about it warranted the uproar that it received? Genuinely asking, not concern trolling or whatever.
The problem is that they sold the game in a lot of countries where you couldn't register a PSN account, including a few countries in the EU. In specific cases like Ukraine you have to own the console to be able to register a PSN account.
They've changed the Steam game entry to not allow selling in those countries, but some people from them already bought the game. PSN is only available in like 1/3 of all the countries Steam supports. And if you use a VPN or something, they can ban you for breaking ToS.
If the ban was for cheating, then it's very much "cool". Cheating in an online game should earn you a ban from all online games, period. Any other argument is akin to saying "people who do not cheat deserve a worse experience than those who do."
> Cheating in an online game should earn you a ban from all online games, period.
That implies a level of consolidation and control that I'm definitely not comfortable with. No, I don't think botting in RuneScape should mean I can't play Helldivers 2.
On each individual level yes it is warranted like singular reviews or a few comments around. Due to number of concerned customers it does get big and as such grows to rather big uproar. But for me adding extra step I don't need justifies a review and a few comments. Not that I ever bought the game.