“It’s not up to us but to Sony and Phil to duke out”: Helldivers 2 dev says Xbox release is possible, but PlayStation has to play nice first

"It’s not up to us but to Sony and Phil to duke out": Helldivers 2 dev says Xbox release is possible, but PlayStation has to play nice first

What you need to know

  • Helldivers 2 is a third-person co-op shooter developed by Arrowhead Game Studios that released on Windows PC and PS5 in February.
  • The game quickly became a massive hit shortly after its launch, with fans falling in love with the game’s chaotic action and hilarious Starship Troopers-inspired satire. Unsurprisingly, many Xbox users have been asking for a port of the game.
  • However, Helldivers 2 is published by Sony and is a PlayStation console exclusive, so whether the game eventually gets an Xbox version or not is up to Sony.
  • Arrowhead community manager Thomas “Twinbeard” Petersson explained this on the official Helldivers 2 Discord server on Wednesday morning, noting that Sony might bring the game to Xbox “if both partners think it would benefit them from a financial/brand standpoint.”
  • An Xbox release could help raise Helldivers 2’s player count higher, and would also mean lots of extra profit. However, Sony has to weigh the value of this against the game’s ability to help sell PS5 hardware.

As someone who has seen countless games come and go throughout my gaming career spanning decades, I must say that watching the saga of Helldivers 2 is particularly intriguing. The game’s rapid success on PC and PS5 has been impressive to witness, and it’s no surprise that Xbox users are eagerly awaiting their chance to join in the fun.


In February, when Helldivers 2, developed by Arrowhead Game Studios, was released for Windows PC and PS5, it swiftly gained massive popularity and acclaim as one of the top PC games, winning over players with its thrilling action and Starship Troopers-inspired satire. Given this success, Xbox users have been eagerly awaiting a release on their consoles since then. However, as a PlayStation console exclusive, it’s ultimately Sony who decides whether or not to produce an Xbox version. This is the information that Arrowhead Studios has shared with fans throughout 2024.

Thomas “Twinbeard” Petersson, the community manager at the studio, emphasized this point in a statement issued on Wednesday morning. He also provided some extra details explaining potential reasons why the creator of PlayStation might one day decide to release Helldivers 2 on their competing console.

In response to a question about an Xbox port for Helldivers 2, Petersson wrote: “There’s no definitive answer to this, as it depends on Sony and Phil (likely referring to Sony Interactive Entertainment and Phil Spencer, head of Microsoft Gaming). However, if both parties find it advantageous from a financial or brand perspective, they might consider it. But if Sony thinks it won’t be beneficial, then it likely won’t happen.

"It’s not up to us but to Sony and Phil to duke out": Helldivers 2 dev says Xbox release is possible, but PlayStation has to play nice first

Essentially, Petersson’s remark is a reminder of the factors that led Microsoft and Xbox to release Hi-Fi Rush, Pentiment, Grounded, and Sea of Thieves on PlayStation this year. Back then, Xbox head and CEO of Microsoft Gaming, Phil Spencer, stated that the first two games were smaller ones with dwindling sales, whereas the latter pair are live-service games, which thrive on a large player base.

Helldivers 2 falls into the category of games that are more complex, and since there’s no other game quite like Helldivers in terms of gameplay (the creators of Halo Infinite are working on something impressive), I believe a lot of Xbox players would be drawn to this shooter if it were ported. In fact, the additional player base could potentially bring Helldivers 2’s overall player count close to its initial peak, especially if the game runs smoothly on Xbox Series X|S.

It appears that the sales of Arrowhead’s cooperative game have decreased significantly since February, now ranking 37th on Steam’s top-selling list, compared to its previous position in the top five for months. Despite this, Helldivers 2 continues to generate substantial income and has surpassed expectations, but a release on Xbox could further boost profits.

"It’s not up to us but to Sony and Phil to duke out": Helldivers 2 dev says Xbox release is possible, but PlayStation has to play nice first

Sony must balance the advantages of a larger player base and additional earnings from Helldivers 2 against its role as an exclusive title boosting PS5 sales. Since only Sony has access to such data, this decision rests solely with them. As Petersson mentioned, they might negotiate with Microsoft if the potential benefits are substantial. However, if they decide that keeping the game exclusive aligns best with their business strategy, it’s highly likely that will be the outcome.

Currently, Hell Divers 2 is experiencing one of its best periods in months thanks to recent adjustments and balance updates that provide a well-balanced challenge and sandbox experience. Recently, I’ve been enjoying a blast from the past by joining my friends on the battlefield in the Galactic War. We’re all excited for the game’s unofficial “Liberty Day” celebration on October 26th. In the original Hell Divers, players received unexpected weapons and strategies as gifts on this day, so we’re hoping for something similar in the sequel over the coming weekend.

Users of Xbox and Windows PC have something exciting to anticipate: the pre-release of Helljumpers, a community-created mode similar to Helldivers 2 for Halo Infinite, is set for October 25th a day ahead. Crafted by the skilled The Forge Falcons team, this mode fully utilizes the powerful Forge level editor budget of Halo Infinite, with over 4,000 code scripts and various features such as randomly generated objectives, drop pod spawns, and custom-made strategies. Since Halo Infinite multiplayer is free, you can experience it without any cost on Xbox and PC.

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2024-10-24 01:39