Helldivers 2 devs once considered a licensed cosmetic system that basically let you hallucinate a different world

Arrowhead, the developers of Helldivers 2, have been discussing the possibility of incorporating elements from other popular sci-fi worlds into the game. Chief Creative Officer Johan Pilestedt expressed excitement at the idea of collaborating with franchises such as Warhammer, Alien, and the Fifth Element. During the G-STAR Conference in Busan, Chief Executive Officer Shams Jorjani confirmed that Arrowhead is exploring these collaborations, mentioning examples like customizing your dropship to resemble Halo’s Pelicans or introducing Blizzard’s Zerg from Starcraft as an enemy faction.

Jorjani emphasized the importance of ensuring that any third-party elements added to the game fit seamlessly into the existing universe of Helldivers 2. While the idea of including characters like the Zerg or Chaos Space Marines may sound appealing, it’s crucial to maintain the cohesiveness of the gameplay experience. Interestingly, Arrowhead once considered a system where third-party cosmetics and map skins would only be visible to players who have them enabled, essentially creating a scenario where individual Helldivers would hallucinate these additional licenses.

Although this information is based on an automatic Google translation of a Korean article, it provides a glimpse into the potential future of Helldivers 2. Jorjani’s statement about a cosmetic system that alters only what the player sees, similar to ‘Dota 2’, sheds light on the complexities of introducing crossover content without disrupting gameplay. This innovative approach could lead to unique and unpredictable gameplay scenarios, where players perceive the game world differently based on their DLC.

Overall, the concept of introducing parallel realities through DLC in Helldivers 2 opens up exciting possibilities for players. Imagining scenarios where squad members have varying perceptions of the game environment adds a layer of unpredictability and humor to the gameplay experience. The full G-STAR Conference piece delves further into Arrowhead’s reflections on weapon balancing, recent updates like the Democracy Space Station, and their evolving production process post-Helldivers 2’s launch. Despite their reluctance to discuss certain aspects like the Illuminate faction, Arrowhead’s enthusiasm for pushing the boundaries of the game is evident.