Sony’s choice to mandate a PSN (PlayStation Network) account for Helldivers 2 players on PC had sparked a significant backlash. Fans were extremely dissatisfied with this decision, leading to a sudden change in Steam reviews for the game to “mostly negative.” Besides, angry folks have begun demanding refunds on Steam, causing considerable worry at Sony and Arrowhead, including CEO Johan Pilestedt.
Thankfully, PlayStation couldn’t withstand the pressure from upset fans and recently announced the removal of the PSN account requirement. As the outrage began to settle, Pilestedt started engaging more with fans on social media and revealed one of his weaknesses.
Helldivers 2’s Johan Pilestedt Stays Humble, Fans Praise Him
Recently, as criticism of Helldivers 2 has increased, Johan Pilestedt has been actively engaging with fans on social media, listening to their complaints, and striving to find solutions. Yeah, he is the CEO of Arrowhead Game Studios and the Creative Director of Helldivers 2.
Pilestedt recently responded to a fan’s complaints about Helldivers 2. The complaint was about the recent balancing changes in the game harming the gaming experience, and the CEO agreed with the fan.
Pilestedt stated that he was aware of these complaints and acknowledged that they had gone too far in some areas. That said, he promised to talk to the team about the approach to balance. This is definitely something, and it looks like his humble attitude won the admiration of other people.
One fan paid tribute to Pilestedt’s knowledge, saying how he understood fans’ preferences for balance better than the literal balance guy. He replied to this post that he did most of the design for Magicka, Helldivers, and Helldivers 2 and that his main expertise is design, game code, VFX, level design, and, to a lesser extent, 3D art.
You know I've done most of the designs for Magicka, Helldivers and Helldivers 2.
— Pilestedt (@Pilestedt) May 8, 2024
My main expertise is in design, gameplay code, VFX and level design, and to a smaller extent 3d art.
Running a business is what I'm least proficient in 🤣
Well, Pilestedt certainly seems to prefer game development to being CEO, saying it’s not his strongest position. This first brings to mind Hidetaka Miyazaki from Elden Ring.
If running a business is your least proficient position and yet Arrowhead is cooking then you sir are a gem
— Merkalot (@ACMerkalot) May 8, 2024
For those who don’t know, Dark Souls creator Miyazaki made the difficult decision to become president of FromSoftware in 2014. Similarly, he thinks that his real talents are in making games.
Heavy Criticism Didn’t Affect the Game’s Popularity
The recent increased criticism of the game does not seem to have affected its popularity much. According to SteamDB data, the title has 121K current players, and its 24-hour peak is 125K.
Considering the game’s player count, it can be said that it has a pretty stable performance. Besides, it reached an all-time high with 458K players on February 24, placing it among the 20 most-played games on Steam lists. Furthermore, the developer could potentially expand the game’s fan base with new content and additions in the future.
So, what do you think about Helldivers 2? Are you playing the game? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
