Helldivers 2: Arrowhead's Main Focus for the Long Haul

Arrowhead Game Studios, the developers behind the popular *Helldivers 2*, have reassured players that they are not abandoning the game for their next project, known as "Game 6." Following the game's successful launch and the recent full-scale Illuminate invasion, CEO Shams Jorjani took to the official Helldivers Discord to address fan concerns.

Jorjani expressed gratitude for the community's support, stating, "The wonderful thing is that thanks to the amazing support of you FINE people Arrowhead's future is quite bright and we have the freedom to explore some really cool concepts that we couldn't have otherwise. Game 6 (our next project) will happen the way it will happen thanks to you." However, this statement led to some fans worrying that Arrowhead might be diverting resources away from *Helldivers 2*.

Jorjani quickly dispelled these concerns, emphasizing, "Nah. It's ALL Helldivers 2 for now. A very, very small team will spin up something later this year and go at it sloowly. Helldivers is our main focus and will be for a loooong time." He further elaborated on the longevity of *Helldivers 2*, saying, "As long as you folks keep playing and buying Super Credits we can keep it going. Last summer we were kinda screwing the pooch so it looked like we wouldn't be able to keep the train going for a long time - but we turned the ship around, you support us a lot so it's looking bright."

In response to a fan's request for Arrowhead's next game to be available in all regions, Jorjani revealed that "Game 6" will be entirely self-funded, indicating that Arrowhead will have full control over its distribution. This suggests that "Game 6" will not be a sequel to *Helldivers 2* and will not involve Sony or any other publisher.

Jorjani also discussed the development approach for "Game 6," contrasting it with the challenging eight-year development of *Helldivers 2*. He noted, "For the most part of the development cycle games plain suck. Very seldom are they truly fun from the get-go. And for Helldivers taking eight years to make it was rough for the longest time. But it came together in the end. The ONLY way to know is to playtest playtest playtest. For our next game we're doing things in a much smarter way and nailing a lot of the core s\*\*t early on (as you should) then make the rest."

These comments align with previous statements from Arrowhead developers, who have expressed their desire for *Helldivers 2* to remain a vibrant game for years to come. Notably, *Helldivers 2* has achieved remarkable success, becoming the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game ever, with 12 million copies sold in just 12 weeks. Despite challenges such as the PSN account requirement controversy and fluctuating community reactions to game updates, Arrowhead remains committed to *Helldivers 2*.

Alex Bolle, production director on *Helldivers 2*, shared with IGN their vision for the game's future, stating, "we want it to be around for years and years and years to come. How do we stay true to the Helldivers 2 fantasy, challenging enough that we keep making amazing new features and new systems and all that while we stay true to who we are? And I think it's something that is so motivating for the years to come."

Bolle also highlighted the creative potential of working on a live game, saying, "The more we figure out how to thrive in a live environment, and we still have a way to go to figure out a lot of things around that, the more we can let creativity loose on new systems that we would've never thought about a year ago when we released. I've worked on live games before and it's where you feel like you have something you can figure out: what if I would do this cool thing I've seen in other games and adapt it to our sauce, that still makes it true to ourselves? I'm looking forward to this moment."

Recent leaks, including one from PlayStation, suggest that a new playable map, Super Earth, may soon be introduced as the Illuminate invasion reaches our home planet.