GamesHelldivers 2Helldivers 2’s engine was “discontinued” 6 years ago: “Our crazy engineers had to do everything, with no support"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesHelldivers 2Helldivers 2’s engine was “discontinued” 6 years ago: “Our crazy engineers had to do everything, with no support"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 is the new must-play shooter in town, and it turns out the engine it was built on is already extinct.
Responding to 80 Level’s article on Twitter, creative director and Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt confirmed that the team did, in fact, build its latest game using an engine that effectively no longer exists, and explained the difficulties that arose as a result. “This is true,” he says. “Our crazy engineers had to do everything, with no support to build the game to parity with other engines.”
This is true. Our crazy engineers had to do everything, with no support to build the game to parity with other engines.And yes. The project started before it was discontinued. https://t.co/mz61TnYNGNFebruary 21, 2024
This is true. Our crazy engineers had to do everything, with no support to build the game to parity with other engines.And yes. The project started before it was discontinued. https://t.co/mz61TnYNGNFebruary 21, 2024
He adds that the team had already begun to create Helldivers 2 using Autodesk Stingray before it was no more. “And yes. The project started before it was discontinued,” he writes.
As well as Helldivers, Autodesk Stingray was used to bring various Warhammer games to life, including Warhammer: End Times - Vermintide, its 2018 sequel Vermintide 2, andWarhammer 40k: Darktide.
Now in the hands of players, Helldivers 2 has proven to be so popularit’s managed to surpass the PC concurrent player numbers of heavyweights like Destiny 2 and GTA 5. Arrowhead has admitted it’s"struggling to keep up"with the game’s colossal player count and has repeatedly been raising the player cap to help with server stability.
In ourHelldivers 2 review, we found the game to be a “fiercely challenging and visually breathtaking cooperative shooter where failure is funny and success feels magnificent,” though “there’s a sense the game’s full potential is yet to be realized.”
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Helldivers 2 isn’t just good co-op, it’s a masterclass in designing comedy games.
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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2
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”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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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”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
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1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
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2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
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3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
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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”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
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5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
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3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
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4
Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
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5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”