Shady isn't the word I would use.
Communication could have been better - I missed that, too. But the information was out there. And the requirement having been waived due to the difficult server situation at launch sounds plausible.
Still, the requirement seems foremost in the interest of Sony - number padding #enshitification. Though the report and ban infrastructure argument has some merit.
Personally, I'm critical of singling out #helldivers2 for 3rd party accounts.