As 2025 arrives, the studio behind one of last year’s standout titles shows no signs of slowing down, suggesting a new slate of projects is already in the works. Johan Pilestedt, chief creative officer at Arrowhead Game Studios and a driving force behind the Helldivers series, appears to be hinting that the long-term strategy for Helldivers 2 could involve gradual growth through updates, potentially evolving into its own successor.
As many gamers can attest, summer vacations often involve fending off The Illuminate; meanwhile, Arrowhead has successfully navigated the pricing backlash surrounding its Killzone crossover gear with near-mastery.
The developer promptly addressed a fan’s inquiry on Twitter about the possibility of Helldivers 2 allowing 8-player cooperative play at some point, sharing a straightforward update before Christmas. Pilestedt flatly rejected the proposal, citing insurmountable technical hurdles: “the sport’s engine, community structure, user interface, efficiency, and issue tracking can’t currently accommodate eight players without significant delay.”
While acknowledging the potential need for substantial investment, he emphasized that such a factor is not insurmountable, noting that the feasibility of this idea is frequently discussed within our studio. While the subsequent bit may possibly draw the most attention,
Although prompted by a joke about the potential release of Helldivers 3 in 2032 with an eight-player limit and swimming features, Pilestedt responded: so you might be right. Besides possibly swimming, it’s unlikely that one could effectively carry out a tactical operation while submerged in water wearing a heavy plate carrier, rifle, and assisting weapons.
The controversy surrounding the recent match has sparked a lively debate among fans and enthusiasts in the sports community’s online forums, with users weighing in on various aspects of the game and its outcome. Despite being released less than a year ago, there is considerable support for ongoing development, with fans eagerly anticipating significant updates from the developers at Arrowhead in the near future.
While some acknowledge limitations, they often overlook the significance of a writer’s historical context in shaping their work? I’m in favor of expanding existing elements within the game rather than creating a third option. It would be a shame if we miss out on substantial new features – more players, vast maps, increased enemy variety, etc. – simply because we’re not willing to adapt and evolve.
While fans are debating the topic among themselves, Pilestedt has been actively discussing another potential feature for Helldivers 2: full-sized miniguns. He penned a response to at least one Reddit user who posted a video featuring a person firing what appeared to be a Nerf minigun, pointing out: “Miniguns as carried weapons are notoriously problematic; you can see this in every video showing individuals hip-firing a minigun – they’re often thrown backwards by the intense recoil.”
“To effectively address this issue, consider relocating gamers to a safer distance from the firing line.” The inclusion of this provision might have unintended consequences that were not fully considered at the time of its introduction. Unfortunately, the backpack journal is also mandatory, and it appears that the current sport cannot accommodate a weapon occupying two slots, necessitating an earlier resolution to make room for a potential minigun addition. Despite all that has been accomplished, the 5.5mm minigun is poised for deployment.
A community member asked if we had alternative design solutions for the most effective method to incorporate a minigun in Helldivers, and encouraged others to share their thoughts on the matter; it seems as though someone has already proposed the concept of a gun that works with stamina drain-based recoil.
