Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Saros review
  • Arc Raiders
  • The Boys S5
  • Best turn-based RPGs
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
  • Delta Force giveaway
Don't miss these
Slay the Spire 2
Roguelike Games Slay the Spire 2 plummets to 66% positive lifetime Steam reviews after first major update
A dragon from World of Warcraft looks at another player riding a dragon
World of Warcraft World of Warcraft "will continue to decline" unless the MMO gets a "reset," says former Blizzard boss
Hades 2
Roguelike Games They weren't "distributed on Steam," but Hades 2 lead who oversaw that true ending change says myths are also "told and retold" by design
Overwatch 2 sombra emp animation blizzard image
FPS Games Overwatch Season 2's first balance patch targets Roadhog and Sombra yet again to players' dismay
Arc Raiders soldier holding assault rifle
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders guns will finally repair when upgraded, but Embark counters by making them break faster
The Regent from Slay the Spire 2
Roguelike Games Slay the Spire 2 devs walk back the nerf that sparked 10,000 negative Steam reviews
Helldivers 2
Third Person Shooters Helldivers 2 lead promises "meaningful changes" after "painful to read" criticism of Arrowhead
Headshot of Todd Howard, executive producer and game director of Bethesda Game Studios. Image supplied to GamesRadar by BGS.
Games Ex-Bethesda senior artist says Todd Howard would tell devs "we can do anything but we can't do everything"
Slay the Spire 2
Roguelike Games Slay the Spire 2 devs respond to the flurry of negative Steam reviews: "No change is necessarily permanent"
Arc Raiders characters drinking at a bar
Third Person Shooters As Arc Raiders gets stale for some, dev says players "reaching the end of our content" are a focus
Arc Raiders screenshot of player running from a Leaper robot
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders devs spent 3 years fighting "on a daily basis" over whether it was "a battle royale" or "a co-op Soul game"
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers close up shot of red eyes
Action RPGs After 102,000 "mixed" Steam reviews and wild retcon, Wuchang Fallen Feathers team reportedly gutted
Helldivers 2 soldier with an explosion reflecting in their visor
Third Person Shooters As death threats derail Helldivers 2's wholesome D10 challenge, devs address “increasing hostility in the community”
Arc Raiders Shrouded Sky tease shows a weathervane in front of a cloudy background.
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders boss says Marathon has "done a really good job" fixing things after "heavily criticized" technical test
Cropped Helldivers 2 art from the official 'Save Cyberstan' poster.
Third Person Shooters Helldivers 2 devs "underinvested" in the game's engine, Arrowhead CEO admits, who pledges "things can/will get better"
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games
  2. Third Person Shooters
  3. Helldivers 2

Helldivers 2 lead says the game's balance problems were "a leadership issue more than anything" and the new buff patch was made by "the same people" who made the nerfs

News
By Jordan Gerblick published 20 September 2024

Johan Pilestedt says Helldivers 2's low moments are due to a lack of cohesion in the studio

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Helldivers 2
(Image credit: Arrowhead Game Studios)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

Helldivers 2 game director and Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt says a lack of cohesion and leadership issues are to blame for the backlash from the community following the controversial Escalation of Freedom update. For that reason, the devs behind the recent buff patch are the same devs who worked on the nerfs that are now being fixed.

Although the first big patch of Arrowhead's 60-day comeback strategy has been a major hit with freedom fighters, Pilestedt recently took to Reddit to engage directly with that ever-vocal corner of the Helldivers community. In response to a player who thought Pilestedt was trying to "shift the blame on the dev team as if you weren't the person in charge," Pilestedt had this to say:

"Hey, thank you for the feedback. Not my intention to do so! There are plenty of talented developers at the studio that have a desire and ability to make the game as good as possible for the community."

Article continues below
You may like
  • Helldivers 2 Helldivers 2 lead promises "meaningful changes" after "painful to read" criticism of Arrowhead
  • Helldivers 2 Helldivers 2 support agent says "there's no balance team" at Arrowhead because "it's all a team effort"
  • Cropped Helldivers 2 art from the official 'Save Cyberstan' poster. Helldivers 2 devs "underinvested" in the game's engine, Arrowhead CEO admits, who pledges "things can/will get better"

Pilestedt went further to place the majority of the blame on a lack of cohesion stemming from a "leadership issue," which of course would fall mostly on him considering he's the head of the studio.

"For instance this last patch, when it came to bringing the balance into a good place, we had the same people on it as before and they worked together to deliver a good update, but in times when we have had weak direction the cohesion falters and we misstep," Pilestedt said.

Helldivers 2's first grand onslaught of buffs to make the game fun again is here, forming just part of developer Arrowhead's 60-day plan to return to the third-person shooter to surer footing.

The aforementioned 60-day plan to win back divers started with a modest update simply intended to get the ball rolling. Pilestedt laid out a list of plans to address some of the loudest feedback from the Escalation of Freedom update, and those include a restructured approach to balance, updates to fire damage, updates to address excessive ragdolling, and more.

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Meanwhile, with Space Marine 2 out, Helldivers 2 players can't help but notice a familiar 40K face in the superstore.

CATEGORIES
PC Gaming PS5 Platforms PlayStation
Jordan Gerblick
Jordan Gerblick
Social Links Navigation
Staff Writer

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.

Read more
Helldivers 2
Third Person Shooters Helldivers 2 lead promises "meaningful changes" after "painful to read" criticism of Arrowhead
 
 
Helldivers 2
Co-op Games Helldivers 2 support agent says "there's no balance team" at Arrowhead because "it's all a team effort"
 
 
Cropped Helldivers 2 art from the official 'Save Cyberstan' poster.
Third Person Shooters Helldivers 2 devs "underinvested" in the game's engine, Arrowhead CEO admits, who pledges "things can/will get better"
 
 
Helldivers 2 Ultimatum
Third Person Shooters Helldivers 2 patch increases "intensity" of highest difficulties, buffs melee weapons, and gives enemies a better aim
 
 
Helldivers 2 soldier with an explosion reflecting in their visor
Third Person Shooters As death threats derail Helldivers 2's wholesome D10 challenge, devs address “increasing hostility in the community”
 
 
A Helldivers 2 Cyborg cries out in despair
Third Person Shooters Helldivers 2 gives in, releases first roadmap for Machinery of Oppression: "This is just beginning"
 
 
Latest in Third Person Shooters
Beachcombing with Detectors in Arc Raiders
Third Person Shooters Dockmaster's Detector and Beachcombing in Arc Raiders explained
 
 
arc raiders a line in the sand
Third Person Shooters How to complete A Line in the Sand in Arc Raiders
 
 
Arc Raiders Shoring up Defenses
Third Person Shooters How to complete Shoring Up Defenses in Arc Raiders
 
 
Arc Raiders batten the hatches
Third Person Shooters Where to find the seawall, shoreline, and oil pipe in Arc Raiders
 
 
Arc Raiders Riven Tides
Third Person Shooters How to complete the Arc Raiders Avian Alarm project
 
 
Arc Raiders soldier holding assault rifle
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders guns will finally repair when upgraded, but Embark counters by making them break faster
 
 
Latest in News
Gabe Newell talking to the angel on his shoulder
Hardware Valve's Gabe Newell saw today's consoles coming: "The consoles are using PC graphics hardware now"
 
 
Slay the Spire 2 Defect robot standing in front of other classes
Roguelike Games Slay the Spire 2 devs initially wanted to keep updating the original instead of making a sequel
 
 
Monoco readies for battle in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
RPGs Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 actor was "nervous" for Metacritic score after appearing in Gollum game
 
 
Screenshot from Windrose, showing a pirate aiming down the sights of her rifle while standing in front of tropical trees.
Open World Games Windrose players are getting destroyed by alpha wolves, but they've come up with a plan
 
 
The Blood of Dawnwalker screenshot
RPGs The Blood of Dawnwalker release date has been set for September 2026
 
 
Horror Movies Director of A24's Texas Chainsaw Massacre says the franchise "went the opposite direction it should have gone"
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Gabe Newell talking to the angel on his shoulder
    1
    Valve's Gabe Newell saw today's consoles coming: "The consoles are using PC graphics hardware now"
  2. 2
    Slay the Spire 2 devs initially wanted to keep updating the original instead of making a sequel
  3. 3
    Windrose players are getting destroyed by alpha wolves, but they've come up with a plan
  4. 4
    The Blood of Dawnwalker release date has been set for September 2026
  5. 5
    Five reasons why The Blood of Dawnwalker is becoming my most anticipated RPG of 2026

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...