In a year of brutal layoffs and closures, Helldivers 2 gave its studio the "financial stability to keep going" and "keep making the games that we want"

Helldivers 2 Warbond armor
(Image credit: Arrowhead Games / PlayStation)

Helldivers 2 flooded the internet with memes, turned millions of us into democracy-spreading fascists, and gave developer Arrowhead Game Studios the financial stability to "keep making the games that we want."

That's what game director Michael Eriksson says about the co-op phenomenon's huge success, which the team didn't think was even possible pre-launch, in an interview with GamesRadar+ ahead of the hefty Omens of Tyranny update. "It's given us financial stability to keep going for many years, which is a really big privilege, and we're all very happy about that," Eriksson explains, "but it doesn't feel that different in the studio." 

Despite presumably having way more money to work with - and keep people employed with - Eriksson says the developer's attitude hasn't really changed all that much because everyone's focused on the same thing they've always been focused on. "Except for the financial stability, which we're super happy about, it doesn't feel that different," he continues. "We're just going to keep making the games that we want, that we think are the most fun."

Keep the Illuminate at bay with our Helldivers 2 best weapons tier list. 

Freelance contributor

Kaan freelances for various websites including Rock Paper Shotgun, Eurogamer, and this one, Gamesradar. He particularly enjoys writing about spooky indies, throwback RPGs, and anything that's vaguely silly. Also has an English Literature and Film Studies degree that he'll soon forget.