Nintendo-developed Game Boy games, as ranked by you.
21st April 2024 marks the 35th anniversary of Nintendo’s Game Boy. Over the next few days, we’ll be publishing various features to celebrate three-and-a-half decades of the humble handheld. We kick things off with this reader-ranked list.
Remember, this is based on each game’s User Rating in our database and is therefore subject to real-time alteration even after publication. Enjoy!
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
The post Towerborne: Bringing an Enemy to Life appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Be one of the 20 in EA Sports F1 24, the official game of the 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship, arriving earlier than previous seasons for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on May 31.
Through the introduction of the new EA Sports Dynamic Handling, players will feel even closer to the action. Additionally, for the first time, join the grid in Career mode as a driver from the 2024 F1 season.
Working closely with current World Champion and Champions Edition cover star Max Verstappen, the new EA Sports Dynamic Handling redefines the feel of the car to produce a realistic and predictable performance across wheel and pad.
The driving experience is improved with entirely revamped suspension dynamics, an advanced tyre model, sophisticated aerodynamic simulation, and new car setup and engine options. Cornering, rolling resistance, brake pressure, and the ability to react to changes in ambient track temperature and fluctuating conditions are all greatly improved.
On PS5, this is further enhanced thanks to high-definition feedback through the DualSense controller’s rumble, haptic feedback, and adaptive triggers; allowing you to feel every bump, kerb, and subtle shift in traction as your race.
Improvements made to various circuits enhance the experience during race week, including significant updates to Silverstone for even greater accuracy.
Modifications to Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Lusail International Circuit, and Jeddah Corniche Circuit guarantee that these tracks align with their actual world equivalents.
Cinematic replays, broadcast camera angles and showrooms once again feature ray-traced lighting on PS5, with on-track action benefitting from Dynamic Diffuse Global Illumination, offering a more realistic feel to light and shadows.
A new broadcast presentation package and cutscenes add to the race day immersion. In addition, actual driver audio samples taken from F1 broadcasts add a new dimension, as they react to on-track incidents.
Sound in general plays a massive part in the overall racing experience. With spatial diffraction and reflection (compatible headphones required), you’ll be able to hear the difference between racing on a tightly-packed street circuit, compared to the vast plains of a circuit in the desert.
In the revamped Career mode, players have the opportunity to become F1 drivers from the 2024 roster, promising contenders from the F2 scene, or iconic drivers from the past.
Two new Icons are introduced exclusively for those with the Champions Edition of F1 24: James Hunt, a former World Champion, and Juan Pablo Montoya, the most accomplished F1 driver from Colombia.
Further innovations to Career mode include:
Gain Recognition: Establish your reputation in the Paddock by achieving on-track goals. Stay concentrated on the finish line with race-day tasks. Fulfilling Contract Targets can aid in securing a new contract or lead to confidential discussions about switching to a fierce competitor.
R&D Upgrades: Driver reputation also influences the level of support received from the team. The higher the reputation, the more motivated the team. Players can invest fully in a single innovation or distribute resources for a more balanced progression.
Earn Accolades: Apart from short-term accomplishments, every driver has long-term goals based on seasonal expectations. These could vary from a certain number of Top 10 finishes, Pole Positions, to winning the World Championship.
Race with a Friend: Collaborate or compete in a two-player Career mode, with each of the Career mode changes applied. With individual driver goals, players need to remain focused to become the top driver of the team.
Challenge Career: An ideal starting point before taking on a 24-race season. Step into the role of a pre-chosen F1 driver and participate in a series of mini seasons, with community voting shaping the conditions and tracks for future events.
F1 World, the platform for Multiplayer, Grand Prix, Time Trial returns for a second season with a new addition: Fanzone.
During a Podium Pass season, players get to choose their preferred team and driver and participate in a time-restricted league that spans the entire season, including cooperative objectives whilst competing against opposing teams.
Players who pre-order the digital-exclusive Champions Edition by May 1 will get immediate access to a selection of 2024 liveries for use in F1 23’s special Time Trial mode, as well as the two new Icons, 18,000 PitCoin, an F1 World Bumper Pack, up to three days of early access starting May 28 including exclusive Verstappen-inspired special events with unique unlockable rewards, and one bonus VIP Podium Pass.
Plus, those who own F1 2021, F1 22, or F1 23 on PlayStation, can take advantage of a 15% loyalty discount on F1 24 Champions Edition pre-orders Load any of these games to find out how.
Players pre-ordering the Standard Edition will receive 5,000 PitCoin and an F1 World Starter Pack.
Next up in our IGN First coverage of Eternal Strands, we’re diving into the unique and colorful art in the land of the Enclave. We sat down with art director Sebastien Primeau and lead character artist Stephanie Chafe to ask them all about it.
IGN: Let’s talk about Eternal Strands’ distinctive art style. What were some of the guiding principles behind the art direction?
Primeau: I think what was guiding the art direction at the beginning of the project was to find the scale of the game, because we knew that we were having those gigantic 25-meter tall creatures and monsters. So we really wanted to have the architectural elements of the game – the vegetation, the trees – to reflect that kind of size.
So one of my inspirations was coming from an architect called Hugh Ferriss, and I was very impressed by his work, and it was very inspiring for me too. So just the scale of his work. So he was a real influence for Metropolis, Gotham, so I was really inspired by his work.
Chafe: I think one of the things that, just as artists and as creators, we were interested in as well was going for a color palette that can be very bright. And something that can really challenge us too as artists, and going into a bit more of at-hand painterly work, and getting our hands really into it, into the clay, so to speak, and trying to go for something bright and colorful.
IGN: That’s not the first time I’ve heard your team describe the art style as “painterly.” What does that mean?
Primeau: Painterly is just a word that can give so much room to different types of interpretation. I think where we started was Impressionist painters. So I really enjoy looking at many painters, and they have different types of styles. But we wanted to have something that was fresh, colorful, and unique.
And also, I remember when we were starting the project there was that word. “It’s going to be stylized,” but stylized is just a word that gives so much room to different kinds of style. And since we were a small team, we had to figure out a way to create those rough brushstrokes. If it was painted very quickly by an artist, like Bob Ross would say, “Accident is normal.” So I think we wanted to embrace that. And because we’re all artists, it’s hard too, at some point, to disconnect from what you’re doing. It’s like, “Oh, I can maybe add some more details over there.” But I was always the- “Guys, oh, Steph, that’s enough. Let’s stop it right there. I think it looks cool.”
IGN: So, when you create an asset for Eternal Strands, is somebody actually painting something?
Chafe: I can speak more on the character side. For us, we do a lot of that hand painting, a lot of those strokes by hand. And we try to embrace, not the mistakes, but the non-realistic part of it having an extra splotch here and there.
We’ve got brushes that we made that can help us as artists to get the texture we’re looking for. It really is a texture that gives to it. But a lot of the time it’s not just something generated in a substance painter, or getting these things that will layer these things for you, making it quick and procedural. Sometimes we have those as helpers, but more often than not we just go in and paint.
IGN: Eternal Strands is a fair bit more colorful than lots of games today. Why was it important to the team to have lots of bright colors?
Primeau: You need to be careful, actually, with colors. Because with too many colors you can create that kind of pizza of color.
We wanted to balance the color per level, because we’re not making an open-world game. I really wanted each level to have their own color palette identity. So we’re playing a lot with the lighting. The lighting for me is key. It’s very important. You can have gorgeous textures, props, characters, but if your lighting is not that great, it’s like… So lighting is key. And especially with Unreal Five, we have now, access to Lumen. It brought so much richness to the color, how the color is balancing with the entirety of the level. It definitely changed the way we were looking at the game.
We’re using the technology, but in a way to create something that feels like if you were looking at a painting. I think we have achieved that goal.
Chafe: I’m very happy with it.
IGN: What were your inspirations from other games or other media when developing the art style?
Primeau: I have many. I’ll start with graphic novels, European graphic novels. I really wanted to stay away from DC comics, Marvels comics, those kinds of classics.
Before I started Eternal Strand, I saw a video. It was one of the League of Legends short films for a competition. It’s “RISE.” I don’t know if you remember that one, but it was made by Fortiche Studio who did Arcane, and I’m a huge fan of Arcane. When I saw that short film, it was way before Arcane was announced, I was like, “oh gosh, this is freaking cool. This is so amazing. I wish I would be able to work on a game that has that kind of look.”
Chafe: For me, when we started the project, one of the things that I wanted to challenge myself a lot was in concept and drawing and stuff like that and doing more, learning more about color as well, which is something I find super fascinating and also kicks my butt all the time because of just color theory in general.
But with the [character] portraits specifically, I think, I mean, growing up I played a lot of games, a lot of JRPGs too. I played just seeing basic portraits in something like Golden Sun or eventually also Persona and of course Hades, which is a fantastic game. I played way too much of that, early access included. But I really liked that part. Visual novels too, just that kind of thing. You can get an emotion from a 2D image as well when it’s well done, especially if you have voices on top of it.
IGN: Were there any really influential pieces of concept art that served as a guiding document the team would reference later on?
Chafe: I have one personal: It’s really Maxime Desmettre’s stuff because it was so saturated. Blue, blue, blue sky. Maxim Desmettre is our concept artist that we have who works from Korea. When I joined the project, seeing that was just like… and seeing that as a challenge too, like ‘how are we going to get there?’
The one that I’m thinking of that hopefully we could find after, just in general with the work that always speaks so much to me is this blue, blue sky and the saturation of the grass. But also when he gets into his architecture and stuff like that, there’s just a warmth to everything. The warmth to the stone that just makes it look inviting and mysterious at the same time. And I think that really speaks a lot to it.
IGN: How did you go about designing Eternal Strand’s protagonist: Brynn?
Primeau: I think that Mike also, when he pitched me the character, he was using Indiana Jones as an example. So courageous, adventurer guy, cool guy. Also, when you’re looking at Indiana Jones, he’s a cool guy. And we wanted to create that kind of coolness also out of our main protagonist. And I remember it took time. We did many iterations.
Chafe: It was a lot of iterations for sure. Well, I think I had done a bunch of sketches because it’s what’s going to be the face of the player, and also to have her own personality as well in the story, and her history as well. And the mantle was a really big one too. What gives her one of sets of her powers and stuff, figuring that out was actually one of the longest processes. It’s just a cape, but at the same time, it’s getting that to work with gameplay and all that kind of stuff. But yeah, all of Brynn’s personality and her vibe really comes from a lot of good work from the narrative team. So, mostly collaboration there.
IGN: What’s the deal with Brynn’s mentor: Oria? How did you settle on a giant bird?
Chafe: Populating the world of the enclave was, “it’s free real estate.” You get to just throw things on the wall and see what sticks. And, “Oh, that’s really cool. Oh, that’s nice.” At some point I’d done a big sketch of a big bird lady with a claymore, and Seb said, “That’s cool.” And then kind of ran with it.
IGN: What’s the toughest part about the art style you’ve chosen for Eternal Strands?
Primeau: The toughest part was…A lot of people in the team have experience making games, so it was to get outside of that mold that we’ve been to.
For me, working on games that were more realistic in terms of look, I think it was really tough just to think differently, to change our mindset, especially that we knew that we would be a small team, so we had to do the art differently, find recipes, especially when we were talking about textures, for example. So having a good mix.
Chafe: One of the things too is also as we’re all a bunch of artists, and every artist has their own style that they just suddenly have ingrained in them, and that’s what makes us all unique as artists as well. But when you’re on a project, you have to coalesce together. You can’t kind of have one look different from the other. When you’re doing something more realistic, you have your North Star, which is a giant load of references that are real. And you can say “it has to look like that, as close to that as possible.”
When you have a style in mind and you’re developing at the same time, you kind of look at it and you review it and you have a feeling more than anything else.
You’re training each other with your styles as you kind of merge together in the end. And that kind of is how the style happened through, like you mentioned, like finding easy recipes, through just actually creating assets and seeing what comes out and, “Oh, that’s really cool. Okay, we can now use that as kind of our North Star.”
For more on Eternal Strands, check out our preview of the Ark of the Forge boss fight, or read our interview with the founders of Yellow Brick Games on going from AAA studios to their own indie shop, and for everything else stick with IGN.
The next step in Helldivers 2’s ongoing Galactic War is here, and it’s just about the most straightforward yet: kill bugs. Lots of bugs.
Two billion to be exact. After the PC and PlayStation 5 co-op shooter’s community successfully completed a Major Order to slow a significant Automaton invasion, Game Master Joel has turned players’ attention to the Terminid front with the biggest kill order since the game’s explosive launch in February.
Helldivers 2 players now have just under six days to kill two billion Terminids. That sounds like a lot, but at the time of this article’s publication, with five days and 20 hours left to complete the major order, players had already hit 19.6% completion. That is, over 391 million bugs had already bit the dust.
Based on this initial progress, it seems the community will complete the Major Order sooner rather than later. Has Joel underestimated the community’s willingness to come together to blow up bugs? That seems unlikely. Perhaps Joel had decided to let the Helldivers 2 community blow off some steam with an easygoing Major Order after what was a somewhat grueling battle against the Automatons and those pesky Factory Striders.
Or perhaps Joel will pull a level and surprise us all by increasing the kill count in response to our rapid progress. With Helldivers 2’s meta narrative, you never can tell what’s next.
Speaking of the meta narrative, the in-universe explanation for this major order is worth highlighting. Super Earth has said the Automaton invasion has slowed, and that it must now take this chance to refill its E-710 reserves in order to stage a counter offensive. What’s Element-710? A precious resource Super Earth farms the bugs for. Perhaps read E-710 upside down if you’re wondering what Arrowhead is getting at here.
As Arrowhead maintains the Galactic War and adds new content to the game, it’s also battling bugs of a different kind. This push and pull was a topic discussed by CEO Johan Pilestedt recently as part of a fascinating insight into Arrowhead’s live service philosophy. If you’re looking for more on Helldivers 2, check out IGN’s feature on the Let Me Solo Her of Helldivers 2, a player who has answered over 100 SOS Beacons as part of a mission to help others.
Helldivers 2 has become one of the surprise hits of 2024 since launching in February, topping the charts on Steam and reportedly selling around three million copies. According to at least one analyst, it’s still growing. Check out IGN’s Helldivers 2 review to find out why it’s going down so well.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
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To help us with our impending separation from the ReedPop business we are detaching some systems and services from the ReedPop brand.
One of those systems is our reader accounts system which powers profiles, comments, subscriptions, and newsletters on this very website.
The Fallout TV show is stim-packed full of easter eggs and treats for fans of the games. From obvious crowd-pleasers like the Brotherhood of Steel’s T60 armour and the New Vegas skyline to smaller blink-and-you-’ll-miss-it glimpses of Radaway and Fancy Lads Snack Cakes, there was plenty plucked from the long-running RPG series to get excited about. Bethesda has crafted such dense and plentiful worlds, though, that there’s still a plethora of characters, creatures, quests, and locations left to be brought to life in the Prime Video series. So here are 14 things we’d love to see from the games in Fallout season 2.
Let’s kick off with one of the last images of season one – a lonesome Deathclaw skull. This tease was sure to titillate like the ruins of New Vegas it faced, but just think how much more exciting it would be to see one of the wasteland’s most fearsome creatures brought to life in season two. I’m already envisioning a beleaguered Kyle MacLachlan getting into a scrap with one, which considering his limited experience with his newfound power armour could well end up with him being gone in T60 seconds.
The iconic, snarling, slashing Deathclaw is a long-time staple of the Fallout bestiary, having appeared in every game in the series to date. It was wise for Jonathan Nolan and team to hold off on giving us one in its glory during this first run of episodes, but it would be a hell of a way to kick off season two.
Another creature we got a sneak peek of in season one is Super Mutants, courtesy of a dangling hand at the beginning of episode two. At least we think it was one, unless the Enclave is secretly experimenting on Shrek. These hulking beasts are humans who have been exposed to the Forced Evolutionary Virus and are typically presented in the games as battle-hardened enemies, but that isn’t always the case. I’d personally love to see a friendlier variant accompany Lucy on her season two adventures, and a character along the lines of Fallout 3’s softly-spoken Fawkes would be a great addition.
One of the staples of Fallout’s Mojave Desert is the Securitrons. The PDQ-88b is fully armed with a Gatling laser, submachine gun, and both grenade and missile launchers, meaning they aren’t a robot you want to get on the wrong side of. Largely found patrolling the New Vegas strip, they’re an essential part of setting the area apart from Boston, Washington, or anywhere else the Fallout games have taken us. I can already imagine their surly projected faces scrunching up in some hilarious interactions akin to Lucy’s run-in with Matt Berry’s Mr Handy in season one.
We saw a Plasma Rifle hanging from the wall of Filly’s general store in episode two but sadly never got to see one in action. These turbocharged, high-tech weapons blast out piping hot bolts of plasma at anyone unfortunate to find themselves within its sights. If you’re lucky you’ll be left with severe burns or some light melting, but you’ll end up as a pool of green liquid if you’re hit with its full force. Bullets just make a bloody mess, let’s get some disintegration going on in season two.
Alternatively, if you’re looking to make as big a mess as possible, look no further than the Fat Man. The mini-nuke launcher failed to make an appearance in season one (we got enough full-sized nukes to be fair), so maybe it’s something we can expect next time around. Normally reserved for the biggest of battles, we can see it being used to end season two with a bang.
A more up close and personal approach calls for a melee weapon, and few are as seared in the brain from the Fallout games like the Shishkebab. It’s a flaming blade that’s both hot and sharp to the touch, and is the sort of makeshift weaponry synonymous with the wasteland as scraps, chemicals, and materials combine to create new means of survival. Lucy could even use it to par-cook her enemies if, for example, she was looking to take part in….
Cannibalism! It just wouldn’t be a post-apocalypse without it. Beyond the Beef is one of Fallout New Vegas’ most memorable quests as a run-in with the mysterious White Glove Society leads down a path of human meat consumption. It’s unclear whether the society would still be around in the show given it takes place 15 years after New Vegas, but I’m pretty confident the appetite for cannibalism will still be held by someone out there.
If meat of any origin isn’t your thing, maybe something a bit greener will do. I’m not saying the entire storyline of Vault 22 from New Vegas should make its way to season two, but an out-of-the-ordinary Vault excursion is surely a must for an episode. Nicknamed ‘The Vault of the Future’, 22’s unique twist is it has become overrun by plants and fungi, giving it a feel altogether much more suited to another hit post-apocalyptic video game adaptation.
Full of menacing flora and fauna, it could deliver a standout horror chapter of season two as Lucy attempts to navigate its depths. Plus it would serve as a fun, palette-cleansing visual contrast to the warm oranges and browns of the Mojave Desert.
Bearing in mind season one’s ending, it’s fair to assume we’ll be spending a fair amount of time in New Vegas’ surrounding desert when season two arrives. Dotted around in the sand are several settlements that could pop up in the show, but my pick has to be Novac and its giant T-Rex, ironically named Dinky the Dinosaur. The town could serve as an excellent stopover point for Lucy as she takes in the (questionable) luxury of the Dino Dee-lite motel and whatever other easter eggs may be lurking in the Dino Bite gift shop. Plus, who wouldn’t want to visit the World’s Second Largest Thermometer?
The sights of post-apocalyptic Nevada are one thing but the sounds stir up just as many memories. Much like how Three Dog served as the voice of Fallout 3’s fallen Capital, Mr. New Vegas is Sin City’s resident radio DJ, spinning the hits and reporting news of your exploits. New Vegas just wouldn’t be the same without him. Here’s hoping he’s still broadcasting over the airwaves when season two arrives. I mean he’s an AI that’s already been doing the job for 200 years so what’s another 15?
Fallout is full of mysterious characters but there’s only one true Mysterious Stranger. It might be tough to integrate a figure so strongly linked to gameplay into the show, but even a short interaction with him would be fantastic. That spine-tingling guitar riff, followed by the sight of that sharp trench coat and fedora combo, finished off with a blast from his signature .44 Magnum would be a fantastic way to introduce even more of the Western genre into the wasteland.
We already got a look at New Vegas’ big bad, Mr House, at the end of season one, so it wouldn’t be a huge shock to see him return in some shape or form in season two. Instead, let’s focus on Benny, the secondary antagonist of Obsidian’s RPG. Known for his scheming and dapper black-and-white chequered suit, Benny is an untrustworthy wild card of a character who could drive the potential plotline of season two.
Of course, this would rely on Bethesda committing to him not dying canonically in New Vegas, a difficult option that the player can choose to take in the game if they’re up for the challenge. It’s just a shame that the late Matthew Perry, who originally voiced Benny, sadly wouldn’t be able to reprise the role.
From Benny to Bobby now, with the introduction of Fallout’s signature lock-picking minigame. I’m quite frankly amazed we didn’t see a single character whip out a bobby pin in season one and give a door a little wiggle. Yes, we got a comprehensive representation of computer terminal hacking, but it’s sad that its analog cousin was left behind. It may be a small thing in the grand context of this world, but I’ll still let out a small-to-medium-sized cheer if someone cracks open a lock using a small piece of metal in season two.
Aliens have long made themselves known in the wasteland. Their ships, weaponry, and even lifeforms have been spotted over the years, providing some of the games’ most powerful guns in the form of the Alien Blaster. We’d be a little surprised if the show went full-in on the existence of extraterrestrial life in season two, but a fun little nod here and there would be great. And hey, with Area 51 not a million miles away from the lights of the New Vegas strip, it would be as good a place as any for a little green man to poke his head out.
So there are 14 things we’d love to see make their way from the games into the Fallout TV show in season two. What would you like to see most? Let us know in the comments!
Phew!
Last month, the beloved JRPG Octopath Traveler was banished forthwith from the Kingdom of the Switch eShop. Okay, if you’ll excuse the dramatics, it was temporarily delisted with no official explanation as to why. Well the good news is that it’s back, as confirmed by Square Enix itself.
Now, the general consensus as to why it was delisted is that the publishing rights to the game had reverted from Nintendo back to Square Enix in December 2023, but this hasn’t been confirmed by either Nintendo or Square Enix. Regardless, it’s back now, so if you’re thinking of picking it up, then you can – hooray!
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
We are thrilled to officially announce that Darkest Dungeon II will arrive on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on July 15. You can preorder it starting today, with a discount available to PlayStation Plus members.
In Darkest Dungeon II, we translated the beloved art style of the first game into 3D, complete with full character animations. We also carried forth the series’ signature turn-based combat system, but we rebuilt it from the ground up to be even more strategic and a true treat for the eyes and ears. But whereas the first game was pure dungeon crawler, the sequel is a roguelike road trip of the damned!
Each expedition, you will first form a party of four flawed heroes and equip your stagecoach. Then you will set off on an arduous journey across a decaying landscape filled with remnants of crumbling civilizations. Your mission: to overcome one of your past failures, embodied by a monstrous boss lurking atop the far off snow-capped mountain.
Along the way you will experience the tragic playable backstories of over a dozen heroes, and in so doing unlock the full potential of their skills, stats, and signature equipment. Just like in the first game, you’ll need to pay attention to heroes’ stress. But now you also can tend to their relationships. Resting at each Inn gives an opportunity for heroes to spend time together and become friends, lovers, or even bitter enemies. A good party is a harmonious one; a team of rivals may disintegrate long before you reach the mountain.
Whether you succeed or fail, after each expedition you return to the Altar of Hope and invest–in true roguelite fashion–in new items, boons, and content that will help you in future runs.
Releasing on PlayStation has allowed us to use the visceral DualSense controller features. You’ll feel the heartbeat of heroes on Death’s Door and the rumble of the stagecoach’s wheels as it rolls over a trap.
In addition to the base game, The Binding Blade DLC (two new heroes, a special questline, wandering boss, and more) is also available for preorder as part of the Oblivion Bundle. Buy the bundle to get a tidy discount.
We at Red Hook Studios are thrilled to bring Darkest Dungeon II to PlayStation, and we hope you’ll join us on the journey. The game is a labor of love for us, and we plan to continue to expand it.
Now, it’s time to face your failures.
The boss of Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead has addressed player concern about bugs (not those bugs) as the studio continues to release new content and new premium warbonds.
Since Helldivers 2’s explosive release on PlayStation 5 and PC in February, Arrowhead has maintained a monthly release schedule for new premium warbonds. They’re essentially new battle passes that players work through to unlock new content, such as new weapons, new armor, and new cosmetics. Premium warbonds are unlocked via an in-game currency that can be obtained through gameplay, but can also be bought with real-world money.
Meanwhile, Arrowhead maintains the Galactic War, Helldivers 2’s meta narrative that has captivated the community since launch. Game Master Joel is pulling the strings from behind the scenes, issuing major orders that focus the player base on certain active fronts, lending Helldivers 2 an ongoing storyline even though no single-player campaign exists.
And then, on top of all that, Arrowhead adds new enemies, weapons, and even ship upgrades to the game, sometimes without announcement so players can discover them for themselves.
But Helldivers 2 is not without its bugs. In fact, Arrowhead itself publishes a list of known issues it’s currently working on even as it works on new content for the game. Some of these are particularly problematic, such as those affecting how weapons and some stratagems work, and players’ ability to play with the friends.
It’s this push and pull between fixing bugs and releasing new content that has sparked a debate within the Helldivers 2 community, with some calling on Arrowhead to down tools on things like premium warbonds in order to focus on bugs. Some have even suggested Arrowhead is under pressure from publisher Sony or other investors to release premium warbonds in order to hit revenue targets.
Enter Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt, who addressed one redditor’s post with an explanation for how the studio is approaching ongoing development of the Helldivers 2 live service. From the comments, it’s clear Pilestedt believes it’s important to release a steady stream of content in order for Helldivers 2 to remain relevant in what is an ultra competitive business for live service games, but also rejects the idea that Arrowhead is too small to do fix the game at the same time.
“Let me add some context,” Pilestedt began. “Arrowhead is independently owned by people working at the studio and not swayed by shareholders in the traditional sense. Of course we are in a great partnership with Sony where we agree on targets to hit etc. But there isn’t a forcing function or requirement per se.
“We want to deliver the best in the industry and we are calibrating our efforts of fixing vs new stuff. It’s easy to say ‘just fix, don’t add’, but the reality of the competitiveness in this industry is that we have to do both to stay relevant.
“We are figuring it out, the demands and expectations on the studio is high, all eyes are on us, and we have a sole purpose – to make this the best live game you’ve ever played. We just need to find our stride and balance.
“It’s a hot topic at the studio, and I’m sorry for the sloppy mistakes we’ve made as of recent.”
Then, in a subsequent post, Pilestedt explained further: “… please do not see this as a defensive post. I know we can do better as a studio. Also, my intention was just to say that the games industry is a complicated beast. We need to stay relevant and keep everyone entertained while fixing stuff. The expectations from our friends at PlayStation are pretty simple: ‘make great game for players. We trust you.’
“Nobody is forcing us. But at the same time, the pressure is real 🤔 😅 it’s very abstract. All love 💝”
Pilestedt had previously opened up about the size of Arrowhead, insisting that while it’s small compared to some triple-A studios, it shouldn’t be considered small. Arrowhead has around 100 people working on Helldivers 2, which is 20 times more than it had working on Magicka, its previous game, and 7.5 times larger than the Helldivers 1 team.
“We are optimizing our processes and hiring devs to boost the team,” Pilestedt added. “But 100 is still a decent size for a development team, and we aware of the issues in the releases – we will do better in the future.”
Arrowhead recently released Helldivers 2’s third premium warbond, dubbed Democratic Detonation, and added the terrifying Factory Striders to the Automaton front. If you’re looking for more on Helldivers 2, check out IGN’s feature on the Let Me Solo Her of Helldivers 2, a player who has answered over 100 SOS Beacons as part of a mission to help others.
Helldivers 2 has become one of the surprise hits of 2024 since launching in February, topping the charts on Steam and reportedly selling around three million copies. According to at least one analyst, it’s still growing. Check out IGN’s Helldivers 2 review to find out why it’s going down so well.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
