Microsoft reaches out to PlayStation

I’ve never been a big Microsoft Windows fan. I used MS-DOS throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s, but I never liked Windows. I’d used Windows 3, 3.1, and 3.11, but I thought each one was slow and uninteresting. That’s why when the rumors spread in 1994 that the next version of Windows would “do away” with MS-DOS, I thought “if Windows 3.2 will be anything like Windows 3.1, I would rather keep using DOS.” And that’s why I ditched Windows, went full-time on Linux, and started the FreeDOS Project in June 1994.

I’ve never looked back. For a brief time, I was forced to use Windows at work. The interface was prettier, but I still preferred Linux. It cemented my decision that I was not a Microsoft fan. I’ve never run any Microsoft software since then.

Back in the early 2000s, I had an opportunity to play the original Halo and Halo 2 on XBox. And I had to admit it: Halo was kind of fun. For a shooter, it had a decent plot—and of course, lots of action. But that was a friend’s XBox, not mine, so those two Halo games were the limit of my dip into the Microsoft game world.

Until a few weeks ago, when I realized Halo was now available on PlayStation 5.

A bit of background: when I swore off Windows and went “all in” with Linux in the mid 1990s, that meant I couldn’t play PC games anymore. So I bought a PlayStation. The first PlayStation came out in 1994, so by the time I made the switch to Linux, there were lots of PlayStation games to play. Since then, when I’ve played games, I’ve probably played them on some iteration of a PlayStation.

So I have a PlayStation 5, and now Halo is on PlayStation 5. I thought “I liked the original, I’ll give it a try.” If anything, it will be a fun diversion over the next week while I ran through the single-player campaign. I bought the game via the PlayStation Store for $50, and downloaded it.

And I was immediately greeted with a message that I needed to have a Microsoft account to play a Playstation game:

To play Halo: Campaign Evolved, you’ll need to sign in with a Microsoft account and link it to your account for PlayStation Network.

On the next screen, follow the instructions to use another device (such as a phone or tablet) to complete the linking process.

This is another instance of Microsoft extending itself into areas beyond Windows. Why do I need a Microsoft account to play a PlayStation game? I don’t have a Microsoft account, and as a Linux user, I’m unlikely to ever want a Microsoft account.

And I’m not the only one. After a little looking around online, I found a Reddit thread where others were also peeved about needing a Microsoft account to play a PlayStation game. A few examples of similar complaints:

It’s been infuriating. I have an Xbox with Gamepass Ultimate and a PS5 . I wanted to play co-op with my son with him on the Xbox and me on the PS5. The game is included in Ultimate, and I bought a new copy on the PS5, and both games can’t be running at the same time! They are two different instances, each paid for separately, and MS won’t let them both run at the same time.

and:

I can’t play or even launch the menu offline. And it’s not mentioned on the box at all—I just checked; it just says “requires downloadable content.” I’m taking it back, I don’t care.

and:

My issue with it is that there is no mention on the store listing or anywhere until you launch the game. With PS refund rules, simply downloading the game removes your refund ability. So, if you decline, you’re stuck.

That last one really got me, because I had the same issue. I contacted PlayStation to ask for a refund, PlayStation Support responded that because I’ve downloaded the game, I am not eligible for a refund. To be clear: PlayStation Store didn’t tell me I had to have a Microsoft account to play Halo, and PlayStation won’t refund because I already downloaded the game (to play it). So I lost $50.

Some might say “just create the Microsoft account, linking it to PlayStation takes like 5 seconds.” And while that may be true, I’m infuriated about yet another instance where Microsoft is trying to extent its reach beyond Windows. I don’t want a Microsoft account.

I looked it up, and linking a Microsoft account with a PlayStation account is a one-way process. You can’t undo it, and need to go through a process for Microsoft to unlink it for you. And they might not do it anyway: “Account unlinking cannot be completed on your own and must be handled by Halo Support. Follow the steps below to request an account unlink.” … “After you submit your request, a support agent will review your case, determine eligibility, and follow up with next steps.”

So thanks, but no thanks. I’d rather take this as a loss and a $50 lesson never to trust Microsoft again.