Helldivers 2 is still the best-selling video game of the year, despite the recent controversies and negative reviews. The success of the game humbles director Johan Pilestedt but is firm that he will not follow the same move made by other game developers with ambitious crossovers.
While other developers found a way to capitalize on the idea of bridging different franchises together, Pilestedt will not allow that to happen with his game and is not interested in doing anything remotely close to it in the foreseeable future.
Johan Pilestedt Will Not Allow Any Crossovers With Helldivers 2
While there are benefits of having crossovers, Pilestedt is adamant about keeping his game in a standalone universe without relying on other franchises as a crutch. Despite playing around on social media and throwing hints and teases with Deep Rock Galactic through a series of binary codes, it does not mean anything at all.
Agreed.
If we ever make crossovers that break the Fantasy – I'm probably dead. #CallThePolice
— Pilestedt (@Pilestedt) May 7, 2024
The director desires to keep his franchise original and free from the norms of modern live service games like Call of Duty, where fans are throwing suggestions about which franchise to collaborate with next like featuring Marvel heroes as operator skins and Fortnite taking gameplay elements inspired from the Mad Max films.
These multiplayer games have benefited by featuring gameplay elements, skins, and other cosmetic items themed around other popular franchises. Although one exchange with Remedy Entertainment has solidified the foundation of a potential crossover with Alan Wake 2 after the developers exchanged gifts and hints that the Galactic War is canon in the universe of the horror game.
It can be exciting to see worlds and concepts be manifested and utilized into something fun but it seems like these ideas were never in the cards within the walls of Arrowhead Game Studios. The director even cited that if they were to make crossovers that would destroy the fantasy, then it would only mean he is no longer with the team or loses all his power to make decisions.
Helldivers 2 Will Never Host or Feature Crossovers as Long as Johan Pilestedt Is Alive
Perhaps in the next life, Pilestedt would allow this to happen, but not in this reality, and given the success the game had across both PlayStation 5 and PC players, he would very much like to keep it that way and not risk tarnishing the game by throwing random crossovers for the sake of making a buck.
Pilestedt likes to stay original, and some ideas may take inspiration from others, but that does not mean that the doors are open for collaboration, at least for the foreseen future.
This bit of news may upset fans who are interested in seeing this game follow in the footsteps of other games, but this is not what Pilestedt is all about. If Arrowhead Game Studios were to follow the same path as other developers, then it would look like the team is playing safe rather than taking a gamble on ideas and elevating them on their terms.
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