Arrowhead Game Studios CEO Shams Jorjani revealed that Helldivers 2 was considered as a free-to-play title during its development phase. He indicated that several shifts in the game’s direction might have contributed to its technical challenges and performance inconsistencies.

In the studio’s Discord channel, Jorjani explained how the vision for Helldivers 2 changed over time, stating that it began as a AA game before evolving into a launch title for the PS5, shifting to a free-to-play model, and finally returning to a premium format. He noted, “The goal posts were moved a few times, leading to tech debt, which affects performance.”

Despite concerns regarding its functionality, the game has seen substantial success since its launch, achieving sales figures far exceeding expectations. Jorjani also mentioned that Arrowhead Game Studios is focusing on updating Helldivers 2 rather than working on a sequel at this time.

With its live-service model and ongoing evolution, it’s uncertain whether the free-to-play concept will be revisited in the future.