Helldivers 2 has been in the trend ever since its release back in February of 2024. The game quickly got the attention of gamers wanting a fun time shooting robots and aliens with friends. It follows a live service business model in its design and has been very successful despite live service games generally not being liked.
Arrowhead’s former CEO Johan Pilestedt has talked about the approach that Helldivers 2 took in its identity as a ‘live service’ game. He says that despite its live service nature, Helldivers 2’s core focus is to deliver a complete experience to players with its $40 price.
Pledstedt’s Approach to Monetization in Helldivers 2
In an interview with PC Gamer, Pilestedt said he had a cautious approach towards the live service label. He stated,
We don’t view ourselves—I mean, we view ourselves as a live service game because it’s unfair to say anything else. We are going to continue adding more stuff to the game, and there are monetization elements in the game.
Pilestedt’s philosophy on monetization in a game follows this idea. He believes that additional monetization should only become relevant after players have enjoyed and completed the base game. He thinks it’s better if a game follows a model where players can support ongoing development by purchasing additional content, such as new enemies and missions, in the game’s later years.
Helldivers 2‘s main form of monetization currently is through $10 premium ‘Warbonds’. These Warbonds are similar to battle passes from other games. They contain extra content like guns, outfits, and weapon variants. But unlike traditional battle passes, players cannot pay to skip tiers, and the content does not expire.
How This Approach Resulted in The Game’s Success
It’s possible that Pilestedt’s outlook on game development and monetization is influenced by his background in the modding community. Much like it is in game modding, he wants the relationship between developer and player to be as best as it can be. And the benefits of a mindset like this are evident in the game itself.
Despite having severe server issues at the time of its launch, and currently with fans asking for a slow down in content, the game has settled on Steam with a Mostly Positive rating. And Arrowhead’s transparency with the players has been a big part of its success.
Helldivers 2’s integration of live updates in response to player actions and feedback is one of its best features. Players can notice real time changes in the world based on their progress which makes it feel like you’re actually part of a larger galactic conflict.
Players praised Helldivers 2‘s retention and monetization techniques. Unlike other games that penalize players for failing to log in on regularly, Helldivers 2‘s daily missions and long-term objectives give rewards without punishing players for taking breaks. The game’s monetization, mostly through cosmetics and progression bonuses, is optional and does not lock important content behind paywalls.
Arrowhead’s approach to monetization in Helldivers 2 sets a positive example for the industry. Despite having ups and downs in terms of player count and the game’s overall popularity, the game has transparent and fair monetization which is why it has maintained its popularity and player base long after its launch.
