Earlier in the year, Xbox underwent a massive shift in strategy by porting four games from its back-catalog to competing platforms PlayStation and Nintendo. This opened up the brand to lots of ridicule, and speculation about whether tentpole titles like Hellblade 2 and Starfield will make the jump as well.
What stung even worse for Xbox fans was the staggering success of Helldivers 2; even starting a petition to have Arrowhead’s co-op shooter ported over to Microsoft’s console. Sadly, their demands went unanswered, but in an interesting turn of events, the chances of the game showing up on Xbox may have increased, and Microsoft may reciprocate with the Ninja Theory sequel.
PlayStation’s New CEO Is Open To Games Beyond PS5
It isn’t just Xbox fans that have been clamoring for Helldivers 2 on Series X/S. Some PlayStation fans have also advocated for the competition to enjoy the hilariously fun co-op shooter. While Sony still hasn’t budged on its exclusivity to PS5 and PC, a new rumor claims that PlayStation’s new CEO, Hiroki Totoki, may be open to the prospect.
Industry insider Shpeshal Nick dropped a Hellbomb on a recent episode of the XboxEra podcast, on the topic of Helldivers 2‘s future:
We know that PlayStation has a new CEO at the moment, and I think the new CEO might be more open to certain things. And what I’ve heard is that there may be some very, very early, preliminary discussions about the possiblity of Helldivers 2 coming to Xbox.
Could it be that the prayers of hundreds of thousands of Xbox fans may be answered by interim CEO Totoki? He did emphasize the potential profitability of releasing games on more platforms during Sony’s last financial earnings call, leading many to believe that PlayStation was going the multiplatform route.
But Totoki later clarified that the company’s “multiplatform” efforts will lie only within PlayStation consoles, PC, and mobile. It’s also important to note that Nick’s Helldivers 2 rumor is not a confirmation in any way, with even the possibility of said discussions prefaced under a “maybe”.
Hellblade 2‘s Odds On PS5 May Increase With This Gesture
Nevertheless, if Sony is indeed considering letting Xbox have a taste of Helldivers 2, Microsoft might respond with a tantalizing quid pro quo. Back in February, another one of Nick’s rumors suggested that Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 might also be heading to PS5.
Sadly, Starfield isn't where the plans end. Reckon you'll probably see Hellblade II as well https://t.co/3voBNLc27V
— Balatro Nick (@Shpeshal_Nick) February 4, 2024
While both rumors remain unconfirmed, they represent a big shift in thinking for the console giants. A tit-for-tat exchange of Hellblade 2 and Helldivers 2 would not only be significantly transformative for Sony’s and Microsoft’s approaches to exclusivity, it would also be a more profitable and consumer-friendly strategy by introducing the games to wider audiences.
The Hellblade series started on PlayStation, with the first game being a timed exclusive on PS4. There’s undoubtedly a subset of PS5 gamers who are disheartened at the sequel skipping the platform due to Xbox’s ownership of Ninja Theory. If Sony shared Helldivers 2 with Xbox, there’s a good chance Senua’s upcoming adventure could make its way to PS5 eventually.
However, it must be stated that even if Sony is having such discussions behind the scenes, it’s just as likely that they fall through and Helldivers 2 never makes it to Xbox. The game has been successful far beyond projections, so if it doesn’t make financial sense for Sony, they simply may not proceed. Being the owners of the Helldivers IP also gives them a lot more leverage than Arrowhead.
The same flies for Microsoft. If the initial batch of multiplatform Xbox games don’t perform well on PS5, they may not consider porting their larger titles over. And then there’s the track record of the leaker, which has been hit or miss. So, while the rumors are exciting, they should be taken with large lumps of salt.
