Helldivers 2 Creative Director Believes Games Should Earn the Right to Monetize, but Players are Not Forced to Buy Microtransactions

In an X/Twitter thread, Helldivers 2 creative director and Arrowhead Game Studios CEO, Johan Pilestedt, expressed his perspective on the game’s monetization strategy while emphasizing player support and choice. Pilestedt suggested that developers should “earn the right to monetize” their games, clarifying that although players have the option to purchase microtransactions to support the title, Arrowhead does not impose any obligation to do so. The comments arose in response to a player’s observation that significant in-game rewards can be obtained simply through gameplay.

Pilestedt ensured that Helldivers 2 avoids a “pay-to-win” scenario, despite implementing functionally different items in the game. The only item classified as “pay-to-win” is the revolver, which Pilestedt described as being capable of winning any “cool gun” competition. However, he amusingly acknowledged that its performance falls short.

Following the game’s launch, Arrowhead Game Studios swiftly released a “rapid patch” to resolve matchmaking issues on Steam. The team also deployed the same patch to PS5 players a day later, aiming to provide an optimal experience across both platforms. Nonetheless, director Mikael Eriksson informed the community through the game’s Discord channel that work is underway for a comprehensive matchmaking solution, although it may take a few more days to complete testing. Temporary issues may persist until the permanent fix is implemented.

Helldivers 2 achieved a remarkable feat by becoming Playstation’s biggest Steam launch. Over the weekend, the game managed to garner more than 150,000 concurrent users on the PC platform, smashing the previous record set by Sony Santa Monica’s God of War reboot that reached 73,529 simultaneous users. The success of Helldivers 2 demonstrates the remarkable reception the game has received from players.