Players’ enthusiasm in supporting Super Earth raises the question: are we the antagonists?

In a presentation at the 2025 Game Developers Conference titled “Helldivers 2: Capturing Lightning in a Bottle,” Arrowhead’s CEO Johan Pilestedt reiterated that the game’s ironic elements were intentional. He remarked:

“What is Helldivers 2, fundamentally? It would probably be fun to play a co-op action shooter where you’re put in the shoes of the evil side grunts of pop culture … how many seconds would you be able to survive?”

However, players have begun questioning how enjoyable it is to don fascist uniforms and embark on missions under an imperial state for a supposed democratic cause.

Pilestedt stated, “We asked ourselves, could we brainwash an entire community to fight for a fascist state? Would they? Would we be okay with that? And turns out, yeah, actually.”

The game’s satirical take on imperial warfare has also caught the attention of the United Nations, with Pilestedt revealing:

“Actually, we got a message from the UN asking if we want to talk, in some form, about psychological defense against manipulation.”

While not detailing any potential follow-up discussions with the UN, this outreach highlights the game’s extensive impact and its thought-provoking critiques of propaganda. Pilestedt emphasized the necessity of maintaining the right tone, utilizing imagery in a nearly educational manner:

“We do it all in fun and good spirits, and we actually try to get people to recognize the science of what is a totalitarian state. If you start wearing the same uniform as everybody else and do salutes constantly, you might be in a totalitarian regime.”

The invitation from the UN reflects the game’s reach and its thematic concerns connecting entertainment and societal issues.