Helldivers 2, the highly anticipated cooperative action game, began its commercial journey with great success in February, but faced a drastic decline in player reception due to a series of changes that displeased the community. The main point of controversy was the decision to require all players to log in to a PlayStation Network account, even those playing on PC. This change generated an immediate negative reaction that led Sony to reverse its decision in just three days.
They had to face the big boss of Sony, Hermen Hulst
At its lowest point, Helldivers 2 reached an alarming score of only 19% on Steam, a clear indication of widespread dissatisfaction among players. Shams Jorjani, current CEO of Arrowhead, referred to this period as his “summer of pain,” and explained that he had to present the situation to Hermen Hulst, CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, acknowledging that there were no short-term solutions, but there were long-term plans to improve the game.
To address the crisis, Arrowhead implemented a 60-day recovery plan that culminated in a significant update, which included improvements to grenades and turrets, along with the long-awaited inclusion of anti-tank mines. Thanks to these efforts, Helldivers 2 achieved up to 76% positive reviews on Steam.
Jorjani expressed his admiration for the trajectory of No Man’s Sky, another title that faced a similar situation of a failed launch. The game’s story has inspired Arrowhead to work hard on updates to regain the community’s interest. Despite the initial difficulties, the atmosphere in the studio has improved, and the team feels optimistic about the future of the game and its player base.