Helldivers 2: An opinion on how it is step up from the live service norm

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Helldivers 2 title located on the top center with earth in the background. Underneath that is four helldivers with the most front divers firing at the terminids attacking their position. The diver to the right is bracing from an attack from two terminids and the central diver stands victorious having the flag of super earth in one hand and their machine gun raised up high


Helldivers 2, a game by Arrowhead Studios and published by Sony Entertainment, is an interesting game that magnifies how gaming has evolved for better or for worse.

In a gaming environment where big video game companies push a narrative of nickel and dimming, manipulative monetization practices and a stance that the shareholder comes first. It is a breathe of fresh air seeing a game radiate an aura of fun with gameplay being the focus, especially in a live service model.

 

By having a fair monetization model, that not only allows players the opportunity to earn the premium currency in a respectable fashion, it also bucks the trend by having a free "pass" that has good selection of goods in comparison to what is offered in premium.

Unfortunately, because of the way live services in general have been structured it has normalised a lot habits in players that seem to carry over into those that play it.

This is manifested in mistaken Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) where uninformed players believe that not personally collecting resources will result in not receiving the reward.

Farming runs to maximize resource, currencies and experience gains as this type of playstyle is encouraged and rewarded in other games. Where only once the player has reached "end game" does the game actually "begin".

A reddit poster created by grungonoid. It shows helldivers saluting a shining test tube vial. The message on the poster reads: "A DEMOCRATIC SAMPLE" (underneath that is the image of the three sample types) and underneath the helldivers saluting continues "IS A SHARED (a diamond shape) SAMPLE" it continue under that with "COLLECT. COMMUNICATE. CONQUER." continues on next line "AUTOMATIC DEMOCRATIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS IN EFFECT."

There is nuance to this and not all the reasons are the same and players will play for whatever justification they make. For a game focused on the journey and not the destination it is unfortunate there can be players bogged down with a greater desire to "finish" the game and have everything and not appreciate it for what it is.

This is not to pour shame on the behavior, or to point at those that find fun in the grind wrong. It is a video game in a fictional world and as players that have paid for the experience they have the right to play it however they feel is worth their time.

A post created by reddit user: TheFallender. A Cellphone receiving an incoming call from "DEMOCRACY" with a cartoon helldiver image looking at the answer button. The beind shows helldiver planting the flag of Super Earth

 
It is an interesting observation however that those who do not live in the moment to moment game play and not engage in a role of a living war, seem to be more likely to find critical faults as the illusion of immersion is diminished and it is seen as a game to be played and not to be enjoyed.

This can devolve into toxicity as those that have everything have nothing to lose and increases the desire to find fun at the expense of another's suffering.

This effect has most likely been cultivated by the gaming trends to limit the best of a game behind higher levels of play, limited time content, exclusivity in design and have fostered an attitude of chasing the carrot on a stick, preying on the desire for rewards and creating a dependency on the game to provide the motivation to reach such rewards and over time, capitalized and monetizing it into the landscape that is currently on display.

A twitter post by the CEO Pilestedt stating: "If you don't see any updates from us here. It's because our lovely @baskinator got locked out of her account because of helping too many players with support tickets. Also, total silence for @discord_support - which is a different stategy to what we use for @ArrowheadGS and... Show more" which is in reponse to katherine baskin posting: "Hey @discord_support I just got locked out of my account because of 'sending too many DM's too fast' the Helldivers 2 server has over 400k people in it and i get 100s of DM... Show more"

Fortunately, on the other side of the coin, the game really captures the spirit of community with players embracing the culture of a hell diver, proclaiming its slogans, celebrating victories, mourning defeats and creates an incredible environment where one feels part of a greater whole. 

The CEO,Johan Pilestedt, regularly updates the player base on the state of the game and answers user questions. He also goes the extra mile in addressing and doubling down on the narrative that players should enjoy the game. Not to mention really getting into character of the setting and selling their narrative.

The development team also engages with the community and it has created an incredible atmosphere where players appreciate both the game and the development team involved.

Helldivers Group Picture on a desert world. Four helldivers are in a line on a sand dune with the one on the furthest left is kneeling while the other three are standing. They take the picture while plumes of smoke rise in the background
What Arrowhead has done is make a good live service game and although it has its teething problems, it has come out of the gates with a game play loop that is both engaging and most of all feels fun to play. 

Add to that community engagement, fair monetization and a CEO in touch with his community it gives Helldivers 2 something that players feel proud to be a part of and in today's gaming environment that is in short supply and a welcome addition to what makes a video games fun.


Images Source where not referenced:

IGDB Helldiver 2

Video Source:

Helldiver 2 "Fight for Freedom" Launch Trailer

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