“Games that get 19% user get manufacture no longer in most cases improve”: Helldivers 2 CEO shows on Arrowhead’s “summer season of tension” and No Man’s Sky-impressed redemption arc

Helldivers 2 debuted with significant success in February, yet, as often seen with large online game launches, it sharply plummeted into a substantial decline due to several alterations that displeased its community.

For Helldivers 2, the main issue can primarily be traced back to one significant change at the center of its controversies: the requirement for all players to sign into a PlayStation Network account even when playing on PC. The reaction was rapid, unified, and forceful enough that, just three days later, Sony reverted the decision, and Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt praised the “determination” of the Helldivers community.

While this was certainly Helldivers 2’s most significant challenge, there were also numerous balance changes, not to mention a perceived shortage of new content in updates, that further contributed to the game’s steep decline. At its lowest point, it had plunged to a dismal 19% user rating on Steam.

Speaking with The Game Industry, the new Arrowhead CEO Shams Jorjani discussed what it was like to lead a studio during what he described as its “summer of pain.”

“Games that earn a 19% user rating typically do not bounce back,” he remarked.

“This was likely the lowest point during my time here. I had to explain to [Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Hermen Hulst] why the state of affairs was as it was, and what our recovery plan entailed. I had to acknowledge the uncomfortable truth that there was little we could do in the immediate future. However, in the long term, we have strategies that will restore us to our former glory.”

In the ensuing months, Arrowhead devised a strategic 60-day plan to rectify issues, leading to a major update that included crucial enhancements to grenades, sentries, and even the long-awaited anti-tank mines. Months later, the game has managed to climb back up to a 76% positive rating on Steam, and the atmosphere at the studio is reportedly much improved.

“I drew inspiration from No Man’s Sky and the team behind it,” Jorjani mentioned. “They had a similar experience. The game was highly anticipated, then it flopped, and they went back to the drawing board and consistently updated it.”

Helldivers 2 leader explains the one map trick that ultimately led to his breakout success: “This works, I think we’re going to be rich someday.”