My Christmas nightmare: 23 steps to get a Sony PC game running for my child

Sci-Fi, Dystopian & Simulation Game
1

I’m losing my mind over how complicated it’s become to set up a game for kids these days!

Back when I was young, you’d just open the box, pop in the disc, and start playing. Now? It’s a whole ordeal.

I bought my kid a PC game for Christmas. Should’ve been simple, right? Wrong! Here’s what happened:

  1. Bought the digital license
  2. Kid installed it
  3. Surprise! Need a Sony account
  4. Had to make a child account
  5. Forgot my own Sony login
  6. Battled with MFA
  7. Re-verified my email
  8. Created the child account
  9. Verified the kid’s email
  10. Proved I’m an adult with a credit card
  11. Dealt with mysterious errors
  12. Tweaked child account settings
  13. More verification steps
  14. Finally got the game running

It felt like I was applying for a mortgage, not setting up a video game! Is this really what Sony expects PC gamers to go through?

I’m all for safety, but this is ridiculous. Most Steam games aren’t this bad, thankfully. But I’ll definitely think twice before buying anything that needs this much setup again.

Anyone else dealt with this kind of headache? How do you handle overly complicated game setups for your kids?

2

Man, that sounds like a total nightmare. I’ve definitely run into similar issues before, especially with console games and their online accounts. It’s crazy how complicated it’s gotten just to play a game these days. Honestly, for PC gaming I usually stick to Steam or GOG. They’re way less of a hassle to set up, especially for kids. Sony’s process sounds like overkill.

3

Wow, what a process. Game companies really overcomplicate things nowadays.

I usually stick to Steam for PC games. Way less hassle.

Maybe Sony’s trying too hard with security?

4

Sony’s setup sounds like a real pain. I’ve run into similar issues with other platforms too. It’s wild how complicated gaming has become these days. I mostly stick to Steam for PC games now. Much simpler to get up and running.

5

Yeah, game setups can be a real pain these days. Steam’s usually easier, but Sony stuff is another level. Guess they’re trying to be super careful with kids’ accounts. Still, 23 steps is pretty extreme!

6

Geez, that’s a real pain in the neck. I’ve had similar headaches with other platforms too.

Sometimes I wonder if these companies even test their setup process. It’s like they forget real people have to use this stuff.

For PC games, I usually stick to Steam or GOG. Way less hassle. Sony’s clearly gone overboard with their security measures here.

7

Oof, that’s rough. Sony’s process sounds like a real hassle. I’ve had similar experiences with some other platforms too. It’s crazy how games have gone from plug-and-play to needing a whole setup routine. Makes you miss the simpler days sometimes.