(Image credit: Arrowhead Game Studios)
The triumph of Helldivers 2 can largely be credited to the bond Arrowhead Game Studios has cultivated with its audience, significantly driven by the straightforward communication style of creative director and former CEO Johan Pilestedt. However, this candid approach took an unexpected turn when Pilestedt advised gamers on a budget to delay their purchase until the server issues were resolved. This suggestion didn’t quite sit right with certain individuals at publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment.
As the launch of Helldivers 2 approached, enthusiasts flooded in due to the buzz surrounding the game’s innovative gameplay, effectively turning it into a wildfire scenario. “The community was super excited about the gameplay that we put up, and everybody flocked in, and it became wildfire,” Pilestedt mentioned during a discussion at the Game Developers Conference, an event covered by GamesRadar+. “Everybody told everybody that you need to play this game, and it crushed us under success,” he elaborated, highlighting the initial server complications.
Recalling a specific moment, Pilestedt highlighted a Twitter post from February 2024: “If you have no cash, get the game later. While we made a really fun game, it’s worth waiting until the servers can support capacity. I mean, as CEO, I would, of course, want the game to be as profitable as possible, but if you spent your last dollars and got stuck in server queues I’d be heartbroken.”
The notion of a CEO suggesting to hold off on purchasing became a sensational topic, with Pilestedt admitting that within minutes he received a call from PlayStation’s team questioning his recommendation. “’Don’t recommend that people do not buy your games’ – it’s incredibly conventional wisdom,” was the advice from his peers.
Despite multiple attempts by Arrowhead to address it, Helldivers 2 still includes a whimsical bug allowing characters to glide around comically, becoming even more entertaining following the most recent update.
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