In a remarkable display of coordinated action, the passionate community surrounding the hit co-op shooter Helldivers 2 has secured a major victory against the game’s publisher, Sony. The conflict arose last Friday when Sony announced plans to implement a controversial update that would require Helldivers 2 players to link their in-game accounts to Sony’s PlayStation Network (PSN) accounts, even for those solely playing on PC.
The proposed change was met with immediate and widespread backlash from the Helldivers 2 player base. While some expressed frustration over the added hassle and potential privacy concerns, others faced more severe consequences – players residing in the 177 countries and territories where PSN is inaccessible would effectively lose access to the game they had already purchased.
Outraged by Sony’s decision, the Helldivers 2 community swiftly mobilized, leveraging the communication channels and organizational skills honed through the game’s cooperative gameplay. Reddit, Twitter (now X), and Discord became hubs for coordinating protest efforts, with players rallying under the slogan “We dive together, or we don’t dive.”
The backlash manifested in various forms, including a deluge of negative Steam reviews that plunged Helldivers 2’s once-positive rating into the “Mostly Negative” territory. Players created memes and propaganda posters, encouraging fellow fans to seek refunds en masse, even for those who had surpassed the standard two-hour playtime limit. The review-bombing extended to the original Helldivers game from 2015, as the community left no stone unturned in their quest to make their voices heard.
Arrowhead Game Studios, the developers behind Helldivers 2, acknowledged the community’s impressive coordination, with one staffer admitting, “I do have to give it to the community, ya’ll fuckers are good at working together for a major common goal.”
Faced with this overwhelming opposition, Sony ultimately capitulated on Sunday night, announcing that the account linking update would no longer proceed. In a statement on Twitter (X), the company said, “We’re still learning what is best for PC players, and your feedback has been invaluable.”
Following this victory, the Helldivers 2 community swiftly shifted gears, issuing a “Major Order” on the game’s subreddit, calling for players to reverse their negative reviews and restore the game’s reputation on Steam. Fans celebrated the triumph by creating physical merchandise, such as Helldiver-themed patches, commemorating their successful stand against Sony.
While some players urged restraint, directing their ire solely at Sony and sparing Arrowhead from collateral damage, others were less discriminating in their anger. As the dust settles, questions remain about whether this mobilized fanbase will continue to wield its collective power to drive positive change or if future live service hiccups will reignite similar crusades.
For now, however, the Helldivers 2 community basks in the glow of their hard-fought win, a testament to the power of unity and the enduring spirit of gamers standing together against corporate decisions that threaten their beloved pastimes.
