In a year where players have grown tired of live-service games that employ predatory monetization practices and offer subpar gameplay, Helldivers 2 has proven a breath of fresh air, delivering a world-class co-op experience that scratches an itch many didn't know they had.
The game has been so well received - selling over one million copies since its release and surpassing over 360k concurrent players - that developers Arrowhead are set to expand their dev team to meet their new fans' expectations.
According to Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt, the new hires will help "beef up [their] content plans."
Arrowhead confirmed free updates are coming soon in a recent PlayStation blog but didn't give any specifics as to what they entail. With more hands working on the game, fans will be hoping they're set to get this content quicker than before.
The game is currently a strictly co-op experience. Players take on the role of Helldivers, an elite class of soldiers whose mission is to "spread peace, liberty and Managed Democracy" throughout Super Earth.
Thankfully, that means killing stuff, and in Helldivers 2 that means crushing the bug-like Terminids and the cyborg Automatons, acts made exciting by the vast range of customizable weapons and Stratagems - the latter unique air-dropped super weapons.
A lot of things have contributed to Helldivers 2's success. Priced below the new AAA standard of $70, costing only $40, Helldivers 2 offers live-service features in a non-intrusive way, with an in-game economy that can be navigated by completing tasks within the game. Only one type of currency needs to be purchased with real money, but it's not essential for progress.
Most importantly, it's extremely fun to play - especially with friends - and with more content on the way (a PvP mode perhaps?), the future of Helldivers 2 looks very exciting indeed.