Helldivers 2 to Remain Focus for 'Loooong Time,' Says Arrowhead CEO

Arrowhead, the developers behind the hit game Helldivers 2, have directly addressed player concerns about potentially abandoning the game to focus on their next project, tentatively named "Game 6." In a recent statement on the official Helldivers Discord, CEO Shams Jorjani reassured fans that Helldivers 2 remains the company's top priority following the game's successful launch and the introduction of the full-scale Illuminate invasion.

Jorjani emphasized the impact of the community's support, stating, “The wonderful thing is that thanks to the amazing support of you FINE people Arrowhead's future is quite bright and we have the freedom to explore some really cool concepts that we couldn't have otherwise. Game 6 (our next project) will happen the way it will happen thanks to you.” However, this comment sparked some worry among fans, fearing a shift in focus away from Helldivers 2. Jorjani quickly clarified, “Nah. It's ALL Helldivers 2 for now. A very, very small team will spin up something later this year and go at it slowly. Helldivers is our main focus and will be for a loooong time.”

When asked about the longevity of Helldivers 2 content updates, Jorjani responded optimistically, “As long as you folks keep playing and buying Super Credits we can keep it going.” He pointed out the importance of the game's virtual currency, used to purchase Premium Warbonds, and acknowledged the turnaround from last summer's challenges to the current positive outlook.

In a significant follow-up, Jorjani addressed a fan's request for Arrowhead's next game to be available in all regions, avoiding the region-locking issues faced with Helldivers 2. He stated, “The next game is 100% funded by ourselves so we'll call 100% of those shots.” This suggests that Arrowhead plans to self-publish their next project, potentially ruling out involvement from Sony or other publishers and indicating it will not be Helldivers 3.

Discussing the development process, Jorjani contrasted the upcoming Game 6 with the "rough" eight-year development of Helldivers 2. He stressed the importance of perfecting the core elements early on, saying, “For the most part of the development cycle games plain suck. Very seldom are they truly fun from the get-go. And for Helldivers taking eight years to make it was rough for the longest time. But it came together in the end. The ONLY way to know is to playtest playtest playtest. For our next game we're doing things in a much smarter way and nailing a lot of the core s\*\*t early on (as you should) then make the rest.”

These comments align with previous statements from Arrowhead developers who expressed their desire for Helldivers 2 to remain active for years to come. The game has already achieved significant success, being the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game with 12 million copies sold in just 12 weeks. Despite facing challenges such as PSN account requirements on Steam and community feedback on game balance, the enthusiasm at Arrowhead remains high.

Alex Bolle, production director on Helldivers 2, reinforced this sentiment in a recent interview with IGN, saying, “we want it to be around for years and years and years to come.” He elaborated on the team's motivation and the creative opportunities within a live environment, stating, “The more we figure out how to thrive in a live environment, and we still have a way to go to figure out a lot of things around that, the more we can let creativity loose on new systems that we would've never thought about a year ago when we released.”

Adding to the excitement, recent leaks, including one from PlayStation itself, suggest that Super Earth will soon become a playable map as the Illuminate invasion reaches our home planet.