Helldivers 2, the cooperative shooter from Arrowhead, faced a tumultuous year in 2024 with several contentious balancing changes that altered the game’s dynamics. The updates aimed to introduce more variety to loadouts while maintaining difficulty but were met with frustration and criticism from fans.
In an interview with PC Gamer, Johan Pilestedt, chief creative officer at Arrowhead, reflected on the backlash. “One of the controversies was that players felt like this doesn’t make sense anymore,” he said. “It feels like the guns aren’t doing what it says on the box.” This sentiment arose from the implementation of changes such as the Railgun nerf and flamethrower modifications.
In response, Arrowhead implemented a 60-day make-good plan with multiple patches that buffed weapons, reducing enemy armor and making support items more effective. By the end of the plan, damage numbers increased significantly, restoring the game’s challenging nature.
While this shift brought back some of the game’s former difficulties, it also made certain enemies less formidable. Pilestedt acknowledged this but maintained that balancing is about creating an experience where players can engage in a thrilling gameplay session. “We want to create a game where you are a Helldiver and have a destroyer in orbit… At that point, some of the more challenging enemies might not be as challenging anymore.”
The company continues to work on refining its approach to balance and difficulty. Pilestedt stated that they aim to cater to both social players and those seeking mastery by creating distinct experiences within the game. This ongoing effort will help Helldivers 2 maintain a strong player base while addressing concerns about the game’s challenges and power curve.
Source: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter