HellDivers 2 is working overtime to be one of the greatest flash-in-the-pan video game successes. Both developer and distributor seem to be collaborating on its demise.
A few months ago, HellDivers 2 was a fantastic break from all the other microtransaction-laden multiplayer online combat games by actually being fun. Developer Arrowhead Games and distributor Sony have done all they can to interrupt and extinguish that fun. Arrowhead found a way to get the users to stop talking about "Joel," the Galactic War, the Bugs, the Bots, or much of anything except how shitty the game works and plays. Releasing untested new missions and selling worthless Warbond equipment packs, most news about the game seems to center on the drama around "Pilestedt," a company executive who just demoted himself from CEO to spend more time screwing up the game and their ongoing distraction battles with Sony, alternating with love stories about Sony.
It was amazing to see how fast a generally non-toxic, helpful, and really fun community sprang up around the game and how those same players defended each other when Sony wanted to kick many of them out. Now, instead of chasing players away with threats of PlayStation Live, the game is just being made tedious and unfun. I won't be trying again until their next patch comes out, and I was thinking of re-installing another squad-based space bug-smashing game, Deep Rock Galactic. I have never heard any drama from their developer and, happily, can't remember who it is. I remember them being very helpful on Discord.
We should hear more from SEAF than we do Arrowhead. Sweet liberty.
Previously:
• Helldivers 2's new enemy revealed: Sony
• Sony backs off PlayStation Network login requirement for PC hit Helldivers 2
• Helldivers 2 removed from Steam across much of the world, refunds given
