Helldivers 2 is a fun live-service game about players fighting in an intergalactic war. In times of war, there will always be battles to be fought and it will fill up the battlefield with the blood of the innocents which may be disturbing and inappropriate for younger players to see.
Other games that tackle mature themes have made the necessary changes and adjusted the blood and gore to avoid traumatizing players any further. Unfortunately, it seems to be a tall order for Arrowhead Game Studios and the request to remove it may not make it into its game.
Helldivers 2 Director Agrees With One Idea but Can’t Let It Happen
The game director of Helldivers 2 recently made a generous donation to help the children who are most vulnerable and in need of aid. This kind of act proves that game developers do care about the youth and are not turning a blind eye and offering whatever they can to make their situation better, however, this one request for the game seems to be a tall order for the developers to make the game much more safe for younger players.
While some other games have the option in the settings to dial down the blood and gore, it may be too big of an ask for Pilestedt and the rest of Arrowhead Game Studios. It could be for a handful of good reasons, perhaps the team is already preoccupied with other pressing matters like the server crashes and stability issues and couldn’t divide the resources any further.
Removing or toning down the blood could take away the immersion. Granted, some players have audiences watching in the background and parents could deem that kind of content inappropriate for children to watch or play, Johan Pilestedt admitted it would be too much on the development side.
Call of Duty Gave the Fans the Option to Filter out Blood and Gore
Video games that deal with violence can be tricky to sell. Parents and guardians would not feel comfortable letting their children play games they know nothing of or are not at the right age to experience and Pilestedt should consider the players on the younger side.
Players have seen their fair share of blood from previous games and it is not the most ideal first introduction to mature storytelling. However, an argument can be made that developers want to preserve the realistic nature of this theme and keep it and serve as a reminder of what conflict and violence can bring about.
Arrowhead Game Studios is not trying to look inconsiderate but the fact is the developers are spread too thin. Shifting the team’s focus away from current issues could make things worse before they can get better and Pilestedt is frank about the load the studio is burdened with.
Pilestedt once mentioned that supporting mods would open a can of worms for the game. The director’s candor and straightforward nature saved the studio from making promises they could not keep.
Would you like to adjust the blood and gore in Helldivers 2? Let us know in the comments section below!
