Arrowhead CEO: Helldivers 2 Our Main Focus for a Long Time, Driven by Player Support

Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead has reassured fans that it remains fully committed to the game, despite excitement about its next project, known as "Game 6." CEO Shams Jorjani addressed concerns in the official Helldivers Discord following the launch of the full-scale Illuminate invasion.

Jorjani emphasized the positive 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 statement led to some fans worrying that Arrowhead might be diverting resources away from Helldivers 2.

To clarify, Jorjani firmly stated, "Nah. It's ALL Helldivers 2 for now. A very, very small team will spin up something later this year and go at it sloowly. Helldivers is our main focus and will be for a loooong time." He also mentioned that content updates for Helldivers 2 would continue "as long as you folks keep playing and buying Super Credits," the game's virtual currency used to purchase Premium Warbonds.

Jorjani reflected on the challenging development cycle of Helldivers 2, which took eight years to complete, and highlighted the importance of playtesting. He said, "For the most part of the development cycle games plain suck... The ONLY way to know is to playtest playtest playtest." For Game 6, Arrowhead plans to focus on nailing the core elements early on, a strategy they believe will lead to a smoother development process.

In response to a fan's suggestion about avoiding region-locking for their next game, Jorjani noted that Game 6 would be "100% funded by ourselves," indicating that Arrowhead will have full control over its distribution. This also suggests that Game 6 will not be a sequel to Helldivers, as it won't be developed in partnership with Sony.

Despite the challenges and controversies surrounding Helldivers 2, such as the PSN account requirement U-turn and community feedback on game balance, Arrowhead remains dedicated to its long-term vision for the game. Alex Bolle, production director on Helldivers 2, told IGN, "we want it to be around for years and years and years to come," expressing enthusiasm for continuing to innovate and add new features.

Recent leaks, including one from PlayStation, hint at the upcoming addition of Super Earth as a playable map, signaling more exciting developments on the horizon for Helldivers 2 players.