Summary
Helldivers 2developer Arrowhead Game Studios has confirmed that it will fully self-fund its next project. While the studio’s current priority isHelldivers 2, the announcement sheds some light on Arrowhead’s long-term plans beyond the war to defend Super Earth.
Back when it launched in February 2024,Helldivers 2became a massive overnight success - far beyond what either Sony or Arrowhead expected - thanks to the live-service shooter’s slick gunplay, fun co-op shenanigans, and witty meta-narrative surrounding the in-game Galactic War. WhileHelldivers 2’s popularity did stumbleon account of unpopular weapon nerfs and difficulty tweaks later in 2024, Arrowhead reversed course on those decisions and gained back much of the lost favor with the well-received Omens of Tyranny update in December. Now, Arrowhead has begun laying the groundwork for what comes next.
In a recent conversation with fans on theofficialHelldiversDiscord server, Arrowhead CEO Shams Jorjani revealed that the studio’s next game, currently known only as “Game 6,” will be developed independently and fully funded by Arrowhead itself. Jorjani emphasized that while the new game is in the early concept stage and won’t begin serious development until later this year, the decision to self-fund gives Arrowhead complete creative and publishing control. He also noted that only a “very, very small team” will begin working onGame 6in 2025, allowing therest of Arrowhead to stay focused onHelldivers 2for the foreseeable future.
Going independent for its next game is a first for Arrowhead, and likely suggests that theproject won’t beHelldivers 3, as therights to theHelldiversIP are under Sony’s possession. This doesn’t mean Arrowhead and Sony are on dubious terms, though, as Jorjani was quick to praise the platform holder, stating that there “would be noHelldiverswithout them” and describing PlayStation as an “incredibly game/dev oriented, solid partners.” He assured fans that Arrowhead’s relationship with Sony remains positive and that the studio is open to working with the gaming giant again in the future.
Arrowhead seems quite excited about its next game and the newfound freedom thatHelldivers 2’s enormous success bestowed upon the studio. As for whatGame 6could look like, it’s a question that almost certainly won’t be answered for a few years at the very least. Until then, Arrowhead plans to keep the Galactic War alive and kicking inHelldivers 2. Most recently,Helldivers 2’s Galactic Emergency updatesaw the Illuminate return to invade Super Earth.
