Helldivers 2 Team Addresses Feedback on Killzone 2 Crossover Pricing
UPDATE: Arrowhead has decided to offer the second wave of collaboration items at no cost.
UPDATE 3.30pm UK: Due to concerns regarding pricing, Arrowhead will now provide all players the upcoming second batch of Killzone 2 collaboration items for free.
In a joint announcement on Discord from both Arrowhead and Killzone developer Guerrilla Games, the studio acknowledged feedback from the community.
“As this was our initial crossover offering, we’ve been attentive to the responses, and the input we’ve received from our community surveys indicates that crossover content is very high on your wishlists,” it states. “At the same time, some of you might not be pleased with the pricing of the items and we will reassess this.”
“As a result, in collaboration with our partners at Guerrilla (and as we’re in the season of generosity), we’ve decided to gift all players. Initially, we are providing to everyone the planned second wave of Helldivers x Killzone collaboration items today, free of charge. The distribution of these items will commence shortly, in two waves.”
“Therefore, we are also going to extend the availability of the items in the Superstore from 5 days to 10 days so you have a better chance to acquire them and reduce the risk of missing out. We are also exploring options for how we can make these items available permanently in the future.”
The studio also shared, in the image below, what is included in this second batch. It appears that the main batch will remain available at the current price.
ORIGINAL STORY 1pm UK: The CEO of Helldivers 2 studio Arrowhead has addressed criticisms from gamers regarding the steep price of its Killzone 2 crossover.
The crossover with Sony’s Killzone 2, announced yesterday, adds a variety of themed items and cosmetics to the in-game store and is the first of its kind for the game. However, players have voiced concerns over the prices.
Generally, additional content is unlocked through a Warbond costing 1000 Fine Credit (£7.99), which includes multiple weapons, armor, and cosmetic items. The Killzone 2 items are instead available for purchase separately, with all six items totaling 1,975 Fine Credit – so two sets of 1000 Fine Credit amount to £15.98, effectively doubling the cost.
Individually, the StA-52 assault rifle costs 615 Fine Credit (the most expensive item) and the AC-1 Dutiful armor is priced at 500 Fine Credit.
Players have since reacted negatively on the game’s Discord server and Reddit, with one Reddit user stating “615 SC for a primary weapon is just absurd.”
Helldivers 2 creative director Johan Pilestedt replied to a user on X who felt the pricing “definitely seemed steep.”
“I apologize you felt the cost was high, we are considering all feedback,” Pilestedt responded. “The reason we switched it from a Warbond was actually because there were worries that having a higher-priced Warbond would create negative feelings.”
I apologize you felt the price was high, we’re reviewing all inputs. The reason we switched it from a Warbond was mainly due to concerns that a higher-priced Warbond would generate adverse sentiment.
— Pilestedt (@Pilestedt) December 19, 2024
On Discord, Arrowhead CEO Shams Jorjani commented (thanks PC Gamer). “Hey, just a quick note regarding the Helghast items. Firstly, this is our first collaboration so we’ll be learning as we progress. Let us know what you’d like to see down the line,” he noted. “Secondly, this is optional. The more of this we sell, the more Illuminate-type content we can continue to provide for free.”
He added later: “This was my way of implying that the better the game performs, the more content we can produce.”
Additionally, Jorjani emphasized that although Arrowhead is collaborating with Sony, p