Helldivers 2 has been one of the standout hits of the year, convincing over 12 million people to roleplay as soldiers in a fictional war that poses the 'Are we the baddies?' question at multiple turns. The lofty player count makes a few bad eggs a given, though frustrations over weapon balance and battle passes have only made things worse. Or, as creative director Johan Pilestedt puts it, some "really shitty" players have issued a "horrifying" number of threats to staff.
Reflecting on the game's success with GamesIndustry.biz, Pilestedt says the Helldivers 2 whirlwind has been "extremely enjoyable and a little bit daunting." Look past the Star Troopers-inspired war parody, and what you've got is a player-affected, evolving narrative that takes notes from Dragons & Demons – think Dungeons & Dragons, but Swedish.
