Summary
Arrowhead Game Studios has revealed that it plans to take a rather unconventional approach forHelldivers 3. The studio has seen tremendous success withHelldivers 2, and it seems the multiplayer co-op shooter’s sequel will build on these foundations in a very literal sense.
Helldivers 2became an unexpected live-service phenomenon when it launched earlier this year. The game’s incredibly fun co-op gameplay loop and satirical lore compelled millions of players across PS5 and PC to jump in, and the hype grew so gargantuan thatHelldivers 2crossed the 12 million sold milestonein just four months. There were some hiccups, though, likeHelldivers 2’s PSN account-linking controversy on Steam and the controversial balancing changes in August 2024’s Escalation of Freedom update. These were thankfully walked back, and after the recent Omens of Tyranny update,Helldivers 2is chugging along quite well.
Now that Omens of Tyranny has introduced the Illuminate enemy faction, not much is known aboutwhat fans can expect fromHelldivers 2in 2025and beyond. However, a recent tweet from Arrowhead COO Johan Pilestedt confirms that the studio wants to bin the usual sequel format by"growingHelldivers 2intoHelldivers 3.“This was part of a response to a fan’s comment about potential features for a hypotheticalHelldivers 3, such as eight-player co-op functionality and swimming. While Pilestedt dismissed the possibility of swimming in theHelldiversuniverse, he curiously didn’t do the same for eight-player co-op.
Pilestedt’s cheeky evasion may allude to Arrowhead planning toincreaseHelldivers 2’s co-op squad sizein the future. Beyond eight-player co-op, though, the confirmation of Arrowhead expandingHelldivers 2’s scope until it resembles a sequel is significant. It not only reinforces the notion that Arrowhead is wholly committed toHelldivers 2, but also opens up the possibility of the game receiving major changes at the grassroots level. Case in point,Helldivers 2is powered by an outdated game engine dubbed Autodesk Stingray, which was discontinued in 2018.
Switching to a newer, more commonly used game engine may be one of Arrowhead’s top considerations, as it’ll help streamline support pipelines forHelldivers 2and allow the studio to take on more developers. The prospect isn’t that unfathomable either, asFortnitewas moved to Unreal Engine 5from Unreal Engine 4 in late 2022. However, every game engine comes with a unique set of quirks, so only time will tell if an engine shift is even technically possible forHelldivers 2.
Helldivers 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Do you believe in freedom? Can you stand in the face of oppression – and defend the defenceless? Wage war for peace. Die for democracy.Join forces with up to three friends and wreak havoc on an alien scourge threatening the safety of your home planet, Super Earth, in this multiplayer co-op shooter for PS5 and PC from Arrowhead Game Studios.Step into the boots of the Helldivers, an elite class of soldiers whose mission is to spread peace, liberty and Managed Democracy using the biggest, baddest and most explosive tools in the galaxy.Helldivers don’t go planet side without proper backup, but it’s up to you to decide how and when to call it in. Not only do you have a host of superpowered primary weapons and customizable loadouts, you also have the ability to call on stratagems during play.Helldivers 2 features Arrowhead’s best cooperative gameplay yet. Collaboration will be vital: Teams will synergize on loadouts, strategize their approach for each mission and complete objectives together.1Enlist in Super Earth’s premier military peacekeeping force today. We are heroes… we are legends… WE ARE HELLDIVERS.
