Helldivers 2 Might Have Ended Up As A Free-To-Play Recreation

Helldivers 2 was, at one level, going to be a free-to-play recreation that will have been “completely” totally different than what we bought in 2024. And this pivot is a part of the rationale why Helldivers 2 has some nasty efficiency issues.

When Helldivers 2 launched on PS5 and PC early final 12 months, it shortly turned an enormous hit for PlayStation and builders Arrowhead. And since then, the sci-fi co-op shooter has remained standard as extra updates have expanded the sport, including new weapons, enemies, areas, and extra. However in current months, gamers have complained about efficiency points and technical issues.  Arrowhead’s CEO, Shams Jorjani, isn’t shying away from these criticisms and is instantly addressing them within the official Helldivers 2 Discord server. And it’s right here that he additionally revealed that at one cut-off date, Helldivers 2 was a a lot smaller recreation that was deliberate to be free-to-play and never a paid expertise.

On September 25, whereas speaking to followers about Helldivers 2 and its ongoing efficiency points on console and PC on Discord, Jorjani defined that the shooter had plenty of built-up “tech debt” from varied pivots that occurred throughout improvement.

“[Helldivers 2] started as a AA game,” said the CEO. “[It] then grew in scope, then pivoted to a launch title for PS5, then pivoted to F2P, then back to premium ( I might have the order messed up) – so the goal posts were moved a few times – so the foundations of this big tower were made for a little bungalow on the beach.”

So far as I do know, that is the primary time it’s been formally confirmed by anybody at Arrowhead publicly that Helldivers 2 was at one level deliberate to be free-to-play. It’s fascinating to consider now, and in accordance with Jorjani, that model of the sport would have had a “completely different content pipeline” and would have seemingly been a really totally different recreation in comparison with what we truly bought.

“I wasn’t with Arrowhead back then so I don’t know – but the model was always to give away as much nice stuff for free and monetize other things,” mentioned Jorjani. “It would have been a completely different angle. It [would have] required a completely different content pipeline.”

Making all of those adjustments and pivots throughout improvement led to plenty of tech debt, which the CEO says is a giant cause the sport’s efficiency is “so-so.” However they’re planning to enhance issues sooner or later, with the CEO telling followers within the Discord that enhancing the sport is like cleansing out a storage.

“Tech debt is like a garage filled with stuff you just chucked in,” mentioned the CEO. “We really need to put up shelves in the back to get organized.” This isn’t the primary time he’s talked in regards to the recreation’s tech debt inflicting points. Earlier this month, he reiterated that Helldivers 2 wasn’t in an ideal place and that the crew wanted to get their “shit in order” and repair it.