Damn, Totoki had It all planned. Obligatory PSN linking just before the shareholder meetings, so he could flex the MAU numbers skyrocketing lmao
Sony aint stabbing their console, just to leave It all on the table.
The PSN linking will still be obligatory in the future, they will get it their way.
Slowly, step by step, first give some capes for linking (they will give the preorder bonuses), then lock some features of the game like crossplay, behind the linking, and when PSN is ready all around the globe (we know that Sony is expanding into Africa anyways), then they will one day just make it obligatory and people will be so used to it, that they will not care.