After an eventful year, Helldivers 2 devs hope "it will be less of a bumpy road when it comes to release accuracy" - but Arrowhead is still "prepared to take risks"

2024-12-16

GamesThird Person ShooterHelldivers 2After an eventful year, Helldivers 2 devs hope “it will be less of a bumpy road when it comes to release accuracy” - but Arrowhead is still “prepared to take risks"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Arrowhead Game Studios)

Helldivers 2

After taking home two trophies atThe Game Awards 2024and boasting three wins during theGolden Joysticksearlier this year, too,Helldivers 2is no stranger to success - and Arrowhead Game Studio says it now knows what the community wants more than ever.

The new faction is hereFind out all about theHelldivers 2 Illuminatefaction and what you need to take them down.

The new faction is here

Find out all about theHelldivers 2 Illuminatefaction and what you need to take them down.

Speaking in a recent interview with GamesRadar+, game director Michael Eriksson explains that the developers behind the smash-hit shooter are far more confident than they were when Helldivers 2 first dropped back in February. “We do feel a lot more confident than when we launched the game,” admits the lead. “I don’t think it’s a secret that we were not prepared for this, for the amount of attention and success.”

Eriksson continues, looking back at the game’s launch and how Arrowhead handled things then: “So it’s definitely true that internally, some of the processes were not working as well as they should be working. We lacked some key people in some places, just because it’s a big beast to control when you have this massive of a hit. In that period after launch, we did make some mistakes, just because of this chaotic nature.”

Changes have come since then, however, and the studio has a better grasp on everything now: “But we’ve managed to go a long way now into controlling this beast, and we have way better processes set up to make sure that we test things before we release and so forth. I think our release accuracy has gotten way, way better.” That doesn’t mean that it’ll all be perfect from here on out, however - devs are human, after all.

“With that said,” says Eriksson, “I do think that when you’re in our position, and when we’re trying to build the game with the community - sometimes we will fail even though we’re doing our best. And I say fail, but let’s say we don’t exactly get the results that we want. But then we have our players that can tell us what they want and what they like and don’t like.” Fans are what’s most important to Arrowhead.

“That means the world to us,” describes the lead, “because those are the people we’re making the game for. We can use that information to get to where we need to be quickly. And it’s so helpful for us. So hopefully it will be less of a bumpy road when it comes to release accuracy, but we’re still prepared to take risks, to deliver on everything that the players want, and hopefully, there will be a smooth ride going forward.”

Production director Alex Bolle agrees. “It definitely got better from a production standpoint,” he explains, looking back at Arrowhead’s progress as well. “Yeah, we’ve made mistakes. It’s like trial and error, the low lows and the high highs, and understanding the player has been something super fun and interesting, because again - very privileged position where we have so many players, not everyone wants the same.”

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

According to Bolle, it’s all about striking a balance. “It’s kind of finding the magic recipe to make the game we want and they want - but who is ‘they?’ It’s something we talk about: ‘the potion that will match everyone’s needs.'” While it’s impossible to “match everyone’s needs,” devs can “create different content” - much like Arrowhead. That’s where big patches such as Helldivers 2’s recentIlluminate updatecome in.

“This update is pretty much that,” says Bolle. “It’s content for a certain type of player. This content is for the more hardcore players.” Withmelee weapons, cars, and a third faction that’s back with a vengeance, it offers challenging content with a little bit of everything players have asked for mixed in - and I’d argue that while nothing can ever “match everyone’s needs,” this update comes pretty damn close to doing so.

Marvel Rivals director on Helldivers 2 nerfs and how a little “psychology” could help us cope: “sometimes it’s good to frustrate the player

CATEGORIESPC GamingPS5PlatformsPlayStation

Most Popular

Elder Scrolls modders have released a playable part of the ambitious Project Tamriel, which aims to recreate all of the beloved RPG’s regions in Morrowind

Disney Plus' new Spider-Man show is no longer canon in the MCU because it was “not fun” to put limitations on its story

Master Chief’s absence from Halo Wars wasn’t Bungie’s fault, it was a move to make players “care about everybody else” in the RTS

One of Sonic 3’s writers threatens us with a good time in a future movie: “We gotta get Big the Cat in there in some capacity”

This nifty gadget turns any M.2 SSD into a portable drive, but it’s great for when you’re upgrading your PC too

League of Legends co-creator responds to report that Arcane was a “financial miss,” says “people think we make things like Arcane to sell skins, when in reality we sell skins to make things like Arcane”

After hours of number-crunching, one Marvel Rivals player has laid out the true meta – and Iron Fist’s ranking feels alarming

James Gunn says his DC shows will likely stick to the “one episode a week” schedule moving forward: “It affords a quality show an opportunity to be discussed”

Just two weeks after its theatrical release, Lord of the Ring: The War of Rohirrim is heading to digital

Escape the horrors of family time this holiday with Slitterhead’s first ever discount

GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”

GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS

1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

Nemesis board game models and tokens laid out on a board

1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”

Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”

3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”

Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”

4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”

5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”

Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”

1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”

Shadow brandishes a gun in Sonic The Hedgehog 3

1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”

2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”

Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”

3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”

Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”

4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”

5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”

Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”

1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”

Squid Game season 2

1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”

Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”

2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”

Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”

3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”

Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”

4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”

Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”

5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”

Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Contents