Helldivers 2 must balance bug fixing and new content to stay relevant, developer says

Arrowhead has a steady line it needs to walk with Helldivers 2. The developer needs to ensure it both fixes any bugs (not Terminids, the glitchy kind) while also adding new features and content to the game in order to “stay relevant”.

That's coming from Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt, who responded to a post on reddit (thanks IGN) saying the “competitiveness of this industry” meant the team had to ensure it did both to ensure the longevity of its game.

“Arrowhead is independently owned by people working at the studio and not swayed by shareholders in the traditional sense,” the Helldivers 2 head said. “Of course we are in a great partnership with Sony where we agree on targets to hit etc. But there isn't a forcing function or requirement per se.

“We want to deliver the best in the industry and we are calibrating our efforts of fixing vs new stuff.”

The developer said it was “easy to say 'just fix, don't add'” – but that wasn't how things worked. “We are figuring it out, the demands and expectations on the studio [are] high, all eyes are on us, and we have a sole purpose – to make this the best live game you've ever played. We just need to find our stride and balance,” he continued. “It's a hot topic at the studio, and I'm sorry for the sloppy mistakes we've made as of recent.”

In a subsequent post, Pilestedt went on to state his original comment was not meant to be seen as defensive. Rather, he simply wanted to highlight how the “games industry is a complicated beast”, adding: “The pressure is real.”

“We need to stay relevant and keep everyone entertained while fixing stuff,” he wrote. “The expectations from our friends at PlayStation are pretty simple: 'make [a] great game for players. We trust you.

“Nobody is forcing us. But at the same time, the pressure is real 🤔 😅 it's very abstract.”

Helldivers 2 is maintaining its strong presence on the video game scene, however. The powers that be recently challenged players with eradicating two billion Terms to resupply forces. And, while at first that may have seemed like a rather lofty number, intrepid players managed to successfully squash the buggy beasts in less than 24 hours.

“Helldivers, Terminid planets run red with liberty thanks to this inspiring display of pre-emptive self-defence,” the Helldivers 2 social media team proclaimed earlier today, adding that all loved ones had been informed of such bravery.

I wonder what Games Master Joel has planned for us next…