Helldivers 2 was never designed as a disposable live-service release, and Arrowhead Game Studios has increasingly framed the game as a platform meant to grow far beyond its original scope.
Instead of treating a sequel as the inevitable next step, the studio has openly stated that it would rather allow Helldivers 2 to expand until it effectively fills the role of a successor on its own.
This approach prioritizes continuity over replacement and expands the game in ways usually reserved for a numbered sequel.
Why Doesn’t Arrowhead Want To Rush Helldivers 3?
That direction has been reinforced through multiple appearances and discussions involving Johan Pilestedt, who has described Arrowhead’s long-term vision as evolutionary rather than cyclical.
Rather than halting development to begin work on Helldivers 3, the studio is exploring ways to introduce what Pilestedt has called “sequel-level” features directly into the current game.
These are not minor content drops or balance tweaks, but ideas that would meaningfully alter how Helldivers 2 is structured, played, and perceived.
How Would Eight-Player Missions Change Helldivers 2?
Among the most ambitious concepts discussed is the idea of expanding missions to support eight players instead of the current four.
Doubling squad size would fundamentally reshape the game’s combat flow, forcing Arrowhead to reconsider everything from enemy behavior and objective pacing to map readability and friendly-fire chaos.
The studio has suggested that such a change could not exist in isolation, which is why larger mission spaces and more open environments are often mentioned alongside the eight-player concept.
If squads are bigger, the battlefield itself would need to scale to prevent missions from becoming visually overwhelming or tactically incoherent.
Could Multiple Squads Share The Same Battlefield?
Bigger combat spaces make it possible for multiple Helldiver teams to operate in the same zone at once.
.webp?width=700&quality=10&blur=40)
Rather than existing in sealed instances, squads could interact with others mid-mission, helping frame the Galactic War as a continuous, collective effort.
This approach would push Helldivers 2 closer to a living war simulation, where coordination, miscommunication, and accidental disaster all play into the experience the series is known for.
What Are The Biggest Challenges With Sequel-Level Features?
Arrowhead has also been open about the difficulties involved, with Pilestedt noting that features like eight-player missions and shared combat zones introduce major technical and design challenges, from performance stability and network strain to keeping a game built on chaotic, high-risk combat properly balanced.
These features are not guarantees or near-term updates, but long-term ideas that will only move forward if they improve the core experience.
For more like this, stick with us here at Gfinityesports.com, the best website for gaming news.