“My background is from the modding scene”: Helldivers 2’s Johan Pilestedt Should Think Back to His Tinkering With 2 Iconic FPS if He Wants Ideas for the Fight for Democracy

Helldivers 2 director Johan Pilestedt revealed his game development roots through modding in Half Life and Quake.

helldivers 2’s johan pilestedt

SUMMARY

  • Johan Pilestedt revealed his humble beginnings as a modder to a full-time game developer.
  • Helldivers 2 is not capable of providing any form of official support for mods given the weaker engine.
  • Arrowhead Game Studios could experiment on working on a future project with official mod support.
Show More
Featured Video

Helldivers 2 is one of the greatest live-service games available, and the director has shared some interesting details about his roots in game development. Modding is one of the more obscure departments of game development, and Pilestedt revealed he got his start from the activity.

Advertisement

Pilestedt shared his humble beginnings from modding back in the day, which paved the way to where he is now. Arrowhead Game Studios is fortunate to have a creative visionary on its side and highlights the importance of what modding can bring to the table.

Modding Played a Significant Role in the Life of the Helldivers 2 Director

Director Johan Pilestedt was a modder long before he directed Helldivers 2.
Director Johan Pilestedt was a modder long before he directed Helldivers 2.

It wasn’t long ago when the director noticed what the community was doing to the live service game and even warned players who practice modding or changing assets into different cosmetic items inspired by other franchises could put them at risk of being banned from playing Helldivers 2. The irony is that the director got his start from modding various video games.

Advertisement

My background is really from the modding scene back when Half-Life and Quake modding took off, so my perspective on what it’s like to be in a really good gaming community comes from that.

The director initially intended to develop a video game with official support for mods; unfortunately, the antiquated engine of his latest project couldn’t handle it. Arrowhead Game Studios could carve out its limited resources to provide mod support, but this will drastically affect other areas that require the most attention.

Pilestedt’s dream project is creating a perfect game where the gaming community could add creative twists through mods. Perhaps it will be the next major project the studio will work on after the successful run of Helldivers 2 and will become more open to allow the fans to tinker with systems they are not meant to.

The Successor of Helldivers 2 Could Usher a New Era Where Mods Are Not Frowned Upon

Helldivers 2 developers could pave the way to inspire other studios to provide official mod support.
Helldivers 2 developers could pave the way to inspire other studios to provide official mod support.

There is no telling what the future holds for game developers. Johan Pilestedt is adamant about honoring his roots and giving the gaming community the same experience he had when he got his start as a humble modder to a full-time game developer.

Advertisement

By allowing gamers the freedom to unleash their creativity and infuse their unique style into a game, we can inspire players to push the boundaries and take bold, innovative strides within the gaming community. Pilestedt’s interest was piqued by the discovery he made through modding, and it opened more doors of opportunity.

Perhaps there are other talented and capable players out there who are skilled enough and could be cut out to work in this demanding industry. This could be the push these players need to find their calling and show the world what they can bring to the table. Johan Pilestedt let his curiosity get the best of him and lead him to where he is today.

What are your thoughts about mods in Helldivers 2? Let us know in the comments section below!

Advertisement
Avatar

Written by Rouvin Josef Quirimit

Articles Published: 601

Rouvin is deeply fascinated by pop culture media ranging from comics, movies, TV shows and especially video games with a rich narrative.