Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead has responded to player worries that the studio might shift focus away from the game to work on its next project, internally known as "Game 6."
As reported by VG247, CEO Shams Jorjani addressed the community in the official Helldivers Discord server following the launch of the major Illuminate invasion this week.
“Thanks to the incredible support from all of you, Arrowhead's future looks bright, and we now have the freedom to explore some really exciting ideas we couldn't have before. The direction of Game 6, our upcoming project, is entirely thanks to you,” Jorjani said.
This statement concerned some fans, with one suggesting it meant Arrowhead was “already moving development time and money away from Helldivers 2.”
Jorjani quickly clarified, stating, "Not at all. Right now, it's ALL about Helldivers 2. Later this year, a very small team will start something new, but they’ll take it slowly. Helldivers remains our main focus and will be for a long time."
So, how long can players expect to receive updates for Helldivers 2?
"As long as you all keep playing and purchasing Super Credits, we’ll keep supporting the game," Jorjani explained, referring to Helldivers 2's virtual currency used for Premium Warbonds. "Last summer, we were struggling, and it seemed like we couldn’t keep things going for much longer—but we turned things around, and with your support, the future looks promising."
In another interesting comment, Jorjani responded to a fan urging the studio to make its next game available globally and avoid the region-locking issues that affected Helldivers 2, a Sony-published title: "Our next game is fully self-funded, so we’ll be making all the decisions." This suggests Arrowhead is not partnering with Sony or another publisher for its next project—meaning it likely won’t be Helldivers 3.
Discussing Game 6 and how its development process aims to differ from the challenging eight-year journey of Helldivers 2, Jorjani said the team plans to focus on perfecting the core elements early before expanding the rest of the game.
"For most of a game's development cycle, it just isn't fun," Jorjani explained. "Rarely does a game feel truly enjoyable from the start. Helldivers took eight years to complete, and much of that time was difficult. But in the end, everything came together. The only way to know if something works is through constant playtesting."
"With our next project, we're taking a smarter approach—locking down the core mechanics early, as we should, and then building from there."
This aligns with earlier statements from Arrowhead developers, who have emphasized their commitment to supporting Helldivers 2 for the long term. It's worth remembering that Helldivers 2 is the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game ever, moving an incredible 12 million copies in just 12 weeks—a record unlikely to be beaten by any first-party Sony title. Still, since its explosive launch, the game has faced challenges: a major reversal on PSN account requirements for Steam, review-bombing campaigns, and ongoing community debates around balance changes. With all that in mind, it's understandable if players wondered whether Arrowhead's enthusiasm for Helldivers 2 might be fading.
However, Helldivers 2 Production Director Alex Bolle recently told IGN, “we want the game to be around for years and years to come.”
“How do we stay true to the Helldivers 2 experience—keeping it challenging and exciting while continuing to add new features and systems that align with our vision? That's what motivates us for the future.
“As we improve our ability to operate in a live service environment—and we still have plenty to learn—we can get more creative with systems we never envisioned a year ago at launch. Having worked on live games before, it’s exciting to explore ideas inspired by other games and adapt them to fit our unique style. I’m really looking forward to that.”
To that end, recent leaks—including one from PlayStation—suggest a playable Super Earth map is coming soon, as the Illuminate finally reach humanity's home planet.
