07 February 2024 , 11:00
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PlayStation’s bug-busting online shooter is expected to stick around for a while, so developer Arrowhead Game Studios has allocated the resources to support it.
With the Helldivers 2 release time now swiftly approaching, players who plan on picking it up on PS5 and PC later this week understandably have questions about the shelf life of this bug-busting live service shooter. Luckily, developer Arrowhead Game Studios has already started to discuss how it plans to handle post-launch content support for its long-awaited sequel – and it’s sure to be music to the ears of anyone hoping Helldivers 2 sticks around for a fair old while.
Speaking in the official Helldivers Discord channel (and reposted here on Reddit) game director Johan Pilestdt talked briefly about Helldivers 2’s future. “We are constantly going to add more stuff to the game,” his post read. He then went on to mention that new “enemies, objectives, biomes, etc” are planned to be added following the game’s initial launch period. Most interestingly, though, Pilestdt also confirmed that all this content mentioned is “always going to be free” as the studio continues to “expand the experience”.
This is our first official confirmation that Helldivers 2 will receive at least some post-launch support of a sizeable degree in the hopes of making it a viable contender in the live service game space. Soon after Pilestdt addressed fans in the Discord a new PlayStation Blog post further cemented such plans, with game writer Stephen Flowers explaining that “the galaxy will look very different a few months from now than it does today” while hinting at future story updates.
Fight like hell
Helldivers 2 marks PlayStation’s first big foray into the live service shooter space, at least until the arrival of future attempts such as Concord and Fairgame$ as highlighted during last year’s PlayStation Showcase livestream. And while I have fears about this particular direction, it’s good to see a studio like Arrowhead commit to giving Helldivers 2 its best chance possible at connecting with players through the inclusion of free future content.
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Currently, neither PlayStation nor Arrowhead is on record as stating whether or not Helldivers 2 will include either a free or paid-for battle pass. Instead, it’s an in-game feature called Warbonds that serves as the game’s primary way to monetise. Warbonds feature pages of unlockable cosmetic content, unlocked either using medals earned from missions or an optional currency known as Super Credits. Warbonds never expire, unlike battle passes, though, so there’s no real need to rush.