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You don’t need me to tell you howHelldivers 2, the 3rd-person co-op shooter, has been a major success. If you were wondering about some of the game’s behind-the-scenes aspects, you may now get a glimpse into the process.
Evolution is not just a concept but a necessity for survival. Arrowhead Studios, the brains behind the acclaimedHelldiversfranchise, understands this all too well. Recently, Johan Pilestedt, the CEO of Arrowhead Studios, shed light on the staggering differences between the original and its sequel.
Pilestedt on Maintaining the Franchise’s Chaos in Helldivers 2
According to Pilestedt, transitioning from the originalHelldivers‘ top-down perspective to a third-person viewpoint was a significant challenge for the developers. They needed to retain the visceral combat experience of the first game while transitioning that chaotic essence into the equally required innovative solutions.
“we struggled with this early on”: Helldivers 2 CEO Johan Pilestedt Reveals One Pitfall of ‘maintaining the chaos’ of the Arrowhead Studios PlayStation Franchise
InHelldivers 2, each player has a unique perception of unfolding events, and this aspect required a lot of attention, particularly infostering collaboration and cooperation. To address this, the team introduced dynamic “watering hole” locations strategically placed to encourage players to gather. According to Pilestedt:
A good co-op game forces players to play together, but a great one makes players want to play together.
Delving into the development process, Pilestedt explains how the team referenced the core gameplay mechanics and progression loop of the originalHelldivers.
They initially strayed fromHelldivers 1, but took a few steps back to build upon its foundational elements. Retaining core aspects like intense combat, friendly fire, and the contrast between human fragility and tough enemies was crucial forHelldivers 2.
“Yeah in retrospect it might have been a bad call…”: Helldivers 2 CEO Johan Pilestedt Admits Regret Over ‘too complex for players’ Feature Cut From the Game
Similarly, the powerful tools known as stratagems, which are inspired by real-life and pop culture, went through lots of tweaks to make the game feel more real and immersive. Pilestedt explains that stratagems are often based on real-world stuff but spiced up with ideas from war movies and other media.
They kept tweaking and adding new stratagems based on what players said and the team’s own ideas.
The Exo-44 Walker that came about by the team saying “Wouldn’t it be awesome to have a mech?” Then the process started.
An important aspect was making sure the mech was believable in the game’s universe. From that POV, they fleshed out how the mech would be, its armament, strengths, and weaknesses.
![[REDACTED] Review (PS5) – Innovation Caught the Escape Pod Faster Than We Did](https://i2.wp.com/fwmedia.fandomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/05095712/redacted-review-768x432.jpg)
How Friendly Fire Adds Complexity and Playfulness
One of the most significant aspects present in bothHelldiverstitles isfriendly fire,which always stays on, leading to both challenges and laughs.
Pilestedt explained that this choice was driven by the desire for believability in the game world. If your bullets can harm enemies, and enemies can harm you, then it only makes sense that your bullets can also harm your teammates.
Friendly fire adds complexity to gameplay, and the occasional mishap allows for playfulness and humor that feels believable in the game’s setting.
Do you feel Pilestedt’s approach toHelldivers 2paid off? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Vibha Hegde
Critic/Gaming Writer
Articles Published :594
Vibha is an avid gamer that has been writing about video games for several years. When they’re not complaining about the lack of a Bloodborne sequel or brushing up on the Yokoverse lore, Vibha is busy watching 3-hour video essays on horror games they’re too scared to play themselves.
