Summary
After an initial reveal at the 2023 PlayStation Showcase in May,Helldivers 2received an in-depth look at last week’s State of Play event focused on mostly third-party titles coming in 2024. As one of only a handful of first-party Sony exclusives showcased during the State of Play,Helldivers 2has a strong pedigree behind it yet also might not be as high-up on players' radars as other higher-profile first-partyPS5titles coming soon, likeMarvel’sSpider-Man 2. With a talented studio behind its development and an excellent predecessor,Helldivers 2’s release in the typically slow Q1 period next year positions it as a title worthy of any shooter fan’s time.
The firstHelldiversarrived in 2015 for both PlayStation 3 and the PS Vita, becoming one of the first cross-play titles between the two pieces of hardware. More than its cross-play functionality, though,Helldiverswas an excellent top-down shooter that also holds the distinction of being the first Sony-published game to release on PC via Steam.Helldivers 2completely flips its perspective, shifting to a behind-the-shoulder camera that’s more commonly associated with modern third-person shooters and looking to bring plenty of frantic co-op action. After a jam-packed 2023, it just might be the perfect game to kick off another year of releases.
RELATED:Helldivers 2 May Have Timed its Release Date Poorly
Sony Exclusives Don’t Usually Miss, and Helldivers 2 Likely Won’t
Although developer Arrowhead Games isn’t a Sony-owned studio, bothHelldiversandthe upcomingHelldivers 2are published by Sony Computer Entertainment, effectively making them Sony exclusives. There’s even the possibility that Arrowhead could see themselves offered an acquisition after the potential success ofHelldivers 2, similar to how developer Housemarque was snatched up by Sony following the success of its Sony-published PS5 exclusiveReturnal.Taking a quick look at the Metacritic scores and player counts of Sony-published exclusives (first-party or otherwise) paints a very clear picture: Sony doesn’t typically bet on games that aren’t quality.
With the Sony seal of approval on bothHelldiversand its sequel, it’s a safe bet to assume thatHelldivers 2could be an enjoyable releasedropping in what is otherwise a very slow period for video game launches. Q2 and Q4 are typically the most jam-packed months of any given year with regard to release schedules, and already Q3 2023 is shaping up to be every bit as massive as the fully-stacked first half of 2023.Helldivers 2is smartly positioned as a system exclusive launching during a time when not much else is on the radar, giving it the opportunity to help break the franchise out of its “cult classic” status and into the mainstream.
Helldivers 2 Significantly Ups the Ante Over the First Game
The firstHelldiversis an excellent shooter, but its top-down perspective and seventh-hardware-generation visuals are definitely beginning to show their age. Arrowhead Games' decision to completely revamp the franchise for the sequel seems to be paying off dividends in terms of the game’s graphics and presentation, despite the fact that the gameplay is still very similar at its core. This huge graphical facelift and shift in camera perspective signal a massive paradigm shift for the sequel, one that seems to indicate thatHelldivers 2is positioning itself as 2024’sReturnal—an unexpected success for both Sony and its developer and releasing at a time when competition is light.
WithHelldivers 2, fans are getting what appears to be a “bigger and better” version of its predecessor, complete with a retaining of the dark humor and camp that gave the originalHelldiverssuch a unique tonal presence within the genre. It’s worth noting as well thatthe firstHelldiversreleased at a budget price but then received regular DLC updates and patches, positioning it as a live-service game. With a respectable average of roughly 500 daily players on Steam more than 5 years after its launch, the sequel just may have a built-in playerbase when it arrives next February.
Helldivers 2launches on June 26, 2025, for PC and PS5.
