Helldivers 2 is surfing a sturdy wave of popularity, as Arrowhead has fixed the server issues that plagued the co-op shooter since launch, allowing players to dive in without having to stare at a loading screen for 40 minutes.
Such is the game’s popularity, that Xbox fans also want in on the action, with many PS5 and PC players supporting the initiative in the interest of spreading liberty throughout the galaxy. However, a subsection of PS5 gamers relish the game’s exclusion from Xbox, and Arrowhead’s CEO has rightfully schooled one of them.
PlayStation Fan Gets Heady With Helldivers 2’s Success
The PlayStation vs Xbox console war has raged on for the better part of two decades. While fans of Sony’s console had the last laugh in the PS4 generation thanks to its vast library of exclusives, Xbox’s acquisition spree for this generation endows them with more first-party games in the future.
However, PlayStation has delivered a solid lineup of exclusives for the PS5 so far, with Helldivers 2 being the latest hit. Naturally, one PlayStation fan felt the need to taunt Xbox fans on X/Twitter, comparing Arrowhead’s co-op shooter to Xbox’s flagship franchise, Halo, and declaring the former is better.
The comparison doesn’t make much sense, as the two games are very different. Helldivers 2 lacks a campaign mode, and is third-person, whereas Halo games are first-person only and feature some of the most iconic campaigns in history. However, it’s also true that the series’ latest entry, Halo Infinite, isn’t faring well with fans these days.
Arrowhead CEO Lambastes Heady PlayStation Fan
The incendiary tweet sparked quite an uproar among Xbox fans, reaching over 557,000 views on X/Twitter. Eventually, it caught the attention of Arrowhead CEO and Helldivers 2 director, Johan Pilestedt, who replied with a statement that embarrassed the attention-seeking troll, effectively “ratioing” him with almost 20,000 likes.
Why compare? Just let gamers love and enjoy both, either or neither. We need more compassion and union in the world, and less rivalry.
— Pilestedt (@Pilestedt) March 3, 2024
This was a classy response from Pilestedt to someone who just wants to start flame wars online and cause further divide in the community. Both Halo and Helldivers are amazing franchises that have earned their rightful place in gaming history. But this situation also touches on broader issues beyond the smash-hit co-op shooter.
Console Exclusivity May Dwindle In The Future
2024 has marked a drastic change in the games industry. Recently, Xbox confirmed plans to port some of their first-party back-catalog to PlayStation, with Pentiment, Sea of Thieves, Grounded, and Hi-Fi Rush being the first four.
While some have valid concerns this could hurt Xbox console sales in the long run, or even endanger the existence of future hardware, others were simply angry because they favor one console over the other. PlayStation is also committed to first-party PC releases, and their first day-and-date release, Helldivers 2, has been very successful.
Xbox is slowly paving the way for more multiplatform releases, and may even go full third-party one day. However, thinking PlayStation won’t indulge in multiplatform games isn’t prudent. If their live-service initiative goes well, we could see some of those games show up on Xbox, as the singular goal of a live-service game is to reach and retain as many players as possible.
Xbox gamers are clamoring for Helldivers 2 to release on the platform. A Change.org petition titled ‘Bring Helldivers 2 to Xbox – Fans Await Thrilling Co-op Action‘ has amassed over 94,000 signatures, and Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has also expressed discontentment with the game’s PlayStation exclusivity.
If Helldivers 2‘s success continues to grow, it could eventually release on Xbox for the reasons outlined previously. Both Sony and Arrowhead would make a lot of money, and it wouldn’t hurt PlayStation sales at all, since Xbox would be directly supporting PlayStation. Xbox and PlayStation working more harmoniously is a future that’d benefit gamers greatly, and eliminate toxic console wars.
