Helldivers 2 studio Arrowhead Studio’s CCO, Johan Pilestedt, responded to a Twitter comment about DEI, stating that what truly matters is making a good game.
Helldivers 2 was a massive game released in February 2024, selling millions of copies across PS5 and PC. In it, players unite to fight against the invasion of aliens and robots to spread democracy from the glory of Super Earth. With success, Johan Pilestedt shared on Twitter that Arrowhead Studio is working on a high concept for their next game and engaging with his audience as he wants to hear their speculation. As the users shared their ideas, a comment stood out to him, saying “Never add DEI to your games”
With DEI being a burning discussion piece on Twitter as of recently, many users would’ve thought to ignore it, but Pilestedt shared his insight about the topic by replying with “If it doesn’t add to your game experience, it detracts. And Games should be a pure pursuit of amazing moments.”
Following the comment, another user asked “How would DEI have benefited Helldiver 2?”, Pilestedt responded “I don’t like labels. But mankind is united in its extreme xenophobia on Super Earth. #Inclusion so, maybe that’s DEI? I really don’t care. Make good games, don’t make a contemporary political statement”
Pilestedt’s comments on the topic of DEI received mixed opinions. Half of the users believe Helldivers 2’s entire setting is a political statement, while the other half see the game as more satirical and rooted in absurdism, drawing comparisons to the Starship Troopers movie. Ultimately, Pilestedt’s point highlights that if developers add DEI elements to their games solely to “tick a box,” it is misguided and fails to add value, potentially detracting from the game’s enjoyment and memorable moments.
While the concept for Arrowhead Studio’s next game remains unknown, Pilestedt responded to many speculations about what it could be, joking with users along the way. One notable comment came from a user who shared their idea for a Star Fox-style game involving four players working together to intercept levels, leading up to bosses and opening up all-range modes. Pilestedt replied by sharing a photo with the comment, “Like this old concept of a game we wanted to make?”
Quite an interesting topic and response from Arrowhead Studio CCO about incorporating DEI. While we will have to wait for more details about Pilestedt’s high concept for their next games, gamers can purchase Helldivers 2 on PC (via Steam) and PS5 today.
