Arrowhead Game Studios announces plans to evolve Helldivers 2 into Helldivers 3 over time. Eight-player co-op and an engine upgrade are among potential future features, though technical challenges remain.

Arrowhead Game Studios has unveiled an unconventional strategy for Helldivers 3. Following the massive success of Helldivers 2, the studio appears committed to building upon its predecessor, quite literally.

Helldivers 2’s Unexpected Rise as a Live-Service Hit

Helldivers 2 emerged as an unexpected live-service success earlier this year. The game’s engaging co-op gameplay loop and satirical lore drew millions of players on PS5 and PC, with sales surpassing 12 million in just four months. Despite its popularity, the game faced some controversies, such as PSN account-linking issues on Steam and balancing adjustments in the Escalation of Freedom update, which were later rolled back. Thanks to the recent Omens of Tyranny update, the game remains in a strong position.

The Omens of Tyranny update introduced the Illuminate faction, yet details about 2025 and beyond remain scarce. However, Arrowhead COO Johan Pilestedt recently stated on Twitter that the studio plans to ditch traditional sequels by “growing Helldivers 2 into Helldivers 3.” His comment was in response to a fan’s question about possible features, including eight-player co-op and swimming mechanics. While Pilestedt dismissed swimming as unlikely in the Helldivers universe, he notably avoided ruling out larger co-op squads.

Helldivers 3 Will Emerge Through Updates

Pilestedt’s ambiguous response hints at Arrowhead’s potential plans to expand Helldivers 2‘s co-op capabilities. More importantly, the announcement underscores the studio’s dedication to transforming Helldivers 2 into a sequel-level experience, potentially involving significant foundational changes.

One major challenge is the game’s engine. Helldivers 2 currently runs on the outdated Autodesk Stingray engine, discontinued in 2018. A transition to a more modern and versatile engine could streamline development pipelines and attract more talent to the studio. Similar transitions have happened before; for example, Fortnite successfully migrated to Unreal Engine 5 in 2022. Still, technical constraints mean only time will reveal if such an upgrade is feasible for Helldivers 2.

Source: GameRant