A message from the HELLDIVERS Game Director and CEO regarding DLC.

[ForeverAPeon]

Hello Everyone,

Over the last few days I’ve seen quite a lot of comments concerning the DLC which was released alongside the launch of HELLDIVERS on the 7th December. I would now like to clarify a few things and give some insight and transparency into the decisions regarding this issue.

For those players who have recently purchased the game, HELLDIVERS has been out on PlayStation platforms for nearly ten months now. In that time we have released a number of DLC, most of which we have worked on closely with the community, listening to their feedback and incorporating their great ideas. You want to move quickly across the map in a cool vehicle? Check out this deathtrap of a motorcycle! People asked for more mechs. We gave you more mechs.

I feel like we have dealt players items which they specifically requested, while at the same time maintaining a fair business model. When you purchase the DLC, it directly goes back to benefitting the HELLDIVERS community. With the revenue we are able to support the game and maintain our servers, continue to pay the employees who look after and design the game, and, more importantly, work on free content updates for the game. So far we have released three free content updates adding things like new environments, enemies and objectives which I hope you have all enjoyed.

I realize that new PC players may look at the DLC and think that we produced it specifically for sale at launch, but that is wrong. The DLC which PC players face at launch is an accumulation of work over the last ten months, all of which was produced after the launch of the game on PlayStation platforms - none of which was ever designed as a quick cash-grab. In fact, since release, the great majority of our time has been spent creating the free expansions.

In reality, I like to think that I work hard to strike a fair balance between maintaining a game development studio (with real people to pay each month) and the community who have both requested and demanded new in-game challenges and items on a regular basis.

When working on a game which has taken over three years of my life in development time, the last thing I want to do is split the community with DLC. That is why I want to be transparent with you about where your money goes, what it does and how it helps us. I appreciate all those who do decide to help support HELLDIVERS further by purchasing DLC, but I want to reinforce that it is optional and is in no way necessary or needed to enjoy playing the game.

More often than not, external factors also influence the end decisions which you see in the store. I am forbidden from discussing details, and in the end it is not my decision regarding sales, but I will continue to try to see what I can do for the community concerning 4 packs (I personally would of course love to see 4 packs happen as the game is specifically designed for co-op!) and being able to upgrade the Vanguard Edition to the Digital Deluxe.

- Johan Pilestedt
CEO and Game Director

[ForeverAPeon]

We are also trying to get the Mega Bundle to be more visible in the Steam Store in case anyone misses it :) Here's a link (at least to my region's Mega Bundle) http://store.steampowered.com/sub/81596/

[kimi]

Originally posted by Sax3 ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ:

DLC at launch, what a disapointment for a game that looks amazing.

well, its not a "true" launch day, the game has been out since a while in playstation platforms.
Now it just came to steam with all of its extra content.
For me, the deluxe edition seems fair and contains all extra content, its better than buying separated dlc

[Saxsaxsax HUGE MAGIC HANDS]

Originally posted by kimi:

well, its not a "true" launch day, the game has been out since a while in playstation platforms.
Now it just came to steam with all of its extra content.
For me, the deluxe edition seems fair and contains all extra content, its better than buying separated dlc

Why not selling the whole DLC thingie + the main game as a full game?

Releasing dlc at launch, just announce to your playerbase, that everything that's coming next will be "dlc, and forget about workshop support, we're selling those".

It leaves such a bitter taste, really hope that this isn't the way the game is headed, seeing how much i would like this game to work, but DLC, meh...

[Vrass]

Originally posted by Sax3 ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ:

DLC at launch, what a disapointment for a game that looks amazing.

I guess you did not read a single word ?

[Incognito]

I bought DLC to support Developers! Game is awesome!
Keep up the good work!
Cheers!

[Slyckquid]

Originally posted by Sax3 ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ:

DLC at launch, what a disapointment for a game that looks amazing.

toxic

[Saxsaxsax HUGE MAGIC HANDS]

Originally posted by Vrass:

I guess you did not read a single word ?

I did. Releasing DLC was a choice, it's not because the game was released in this format on console, that you have to do the same on PC.

It might not be day1 DLC, but it's still DLC.

[Slyckquid]

Originally posted by ForeverAPeon:

Hello Everyone,

Over the last few days I’ve seen quite a lot of comments concerning the DLC which was released alongside the launch of HELLDIVERS on the 7th December. I would now like to clarify a few things and give some insight and transparency into the decisions regarding this issue.

For those players who have recently purchased the game, HELLDIVERS has been out on PlayStation platforms for nearly ten months now. In that time we have released a number of DLC, most of which we have worked on closely with the community, listening to their feedback and incorporating their great ideas. You want to move quickly across the map in a cool vehicle? Check out this deathtrap of a motorcycle! People asked for more mechs. We gave you more mechs.

I feel like we have dealt players items which they specifically requested, while at the same time maintaining a fair business model. When you purchase the DLC, it directly goes back to benefitting the HELLDIVERS community. With the revenue we are able to support the game and maintain our servers, continue to pay the employees who look after and design the game, and, more importantly, work on free content updates for the game. So far we have released three free content updates adding things like new environments, enemies and objectives which I hope you have all enjoyed.

I realize that new PC players may look at the DLC and think that we produced it specifically for sale at launch, but that is wrong. The DLC which PC players face at launch is an accumulation of work over the last ten months, all of which was produced after the launch of the game on PlayStation platforms - none of which was ever designed as a quick cash-grab. In fact, since release, the great majority of our time has been spent creating the free expansions.

In reality, I like to think that I work hard to strike a fair balance between maintaining a game development studio (with real people to pay each month) and the community who have both requested and demanded new in-game challenges and items on a regular basis.

When working on a game which has taken over three years of my life in development time, the last thing I want to do is split the community with DLC. That is why I want to be transparent with you about where your money goes, what it does and how it helps us. I appreciate all those who do decide to help support HELLDIVERS further by purchasing DLC, but I want to reinforce that it is optional and is in no way necessary or needed to enjoy playing the game.

More often than not, external factors also influence the end decisions which you see in the store. I am forbidden from discussing details, and in the end it is not my decision regarding sales, but I will continue to try to see what I can do for the community concerning 4 packs (I personally would of course love to see 4 packs happen as the game is specifically designed for co-op!) and being able to upgrade the Vanguard Edition to the Digital Deluxe.

- Johan Pilestedt
CEO and Game Director

ty very much i have fallowed the game since its release on ps4 and i have known about the great dlcs you had and i will be takeing home mega bundle soon i think you have done a great job soo far , my question is will this contunie on pc and well there be more in future i would have them all . P.S would be pretty cool too see melee done with like some kind of suped up armor , never the less love it soo far and knew i would 9/10

[Biggles]

How about a nice cup of Libertea?

[Slyckquid]

Originally posted by Sax3 ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ:

Originally posted by Vrass:

I guess you did not read a single word ?

I did. Releasing DLC was a choice, it's not because the game was released in this format on console, that you have to do the same on PC.

It might not be day1 DLC, but it's still DLC.

did u buy the game?

[Brown Sugar]

I can live with the game having cosmetic dlc. But selling weapons as well is quite frankly, "bs". (Steam won't let me use my colorful language) So I think I'll pass on helldivers for now. Maybe when it is cheaper.

[UNLUCKY STAR]

Originally posted by Sax3 ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ:

Originally posted by kimi:

well, its not a "true" launch day, the game has been out since a while in playstation platforms.
Now it just came to steam with all of its extra content.
For me, the deluxe edition seems fair and contains all extra content, its better than buying separated dlc

Why not selling the whole DLC thingie + the main game as a full game?

Releasing dlc at launch, just announce to your playerbase, that everything that's coming next will be "dlc, and forget about workshop support, we're selling those".

It leaves such a bitter taste, really hope that this isn't the way the game is headed, seeing how much i would like this game to work, but DLC, meh...

releasing all dlc for pc players at launch for free or for free after all would be the middle finger to ps players

[BlackjackGT]

Any veteran will tell people that many of us prefer the base game's weapons. I've blathered that here about a dozen times, nobody listens because DLC in general just makes people rant and rave "on sight."

I love my fully upgraded Defender SMG and in the end have concluded I don't prefer any DLC firearms over it.

But you know what? Another player told me he HATES the Defender SMG. To me that's what's great about the game. It's not "this weapon is uber and you can't succeed in the game without it." Many ARPGs are like that.

In Helldivers you find your favorite tools and you just enjoy using them and upgrading them. Many of us will have different favorites. And really, the base game stuff is already awesome. I feel like much of the DLC sort of expands choices "horizontally" but not really improves on any choices in the base game. I'd even argue for some that cluttering up your loadout screen simply paralyzes you with too many choices. :)

The additional mechs are cool but are they any more effective than a base exosuit? No. One's ineffective against tanks, the other one has a cool flamethrower which I kept accidentally setting friends on fire with last night.

DLC has a few cool sounding firearms that chew up ammo like Pac-Man and some take forever to reload. Do I really want that over base game stuff? It's fun experimenting, but so far no. Do you really want a "pistol perk" over something that could save your character's life? Usually no.

Weekend access was with NO DLC, and my Helldivers-playing buds played as much as 25-40 hours and had a great time and some essentially did all planet difficulty levels using base game weapons, equipment and stratagems.

P.S. I tried the motorcycle last night. While it's fun as heck to pop wheelies and race around in circles, our duo's mission ended when I ran over my friend (!) and then flew off a snow mission cliff into oblivion (!). That's one DLC I'm not sure I can recommend.

[seigneur.de.lorca]

Originally posted by Sax3 ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ:

Originally posted by Vrass:

I guess you did not read a single word ?

I did. Releasing DLC was a choice, it's not because the game was released in this format on console, that you have to do the same on PC.

It might not be day1 DLC, but it's still DLC.

because they have to make mony and they sell there game at a fair price, DLC is not enherently bad.

Originally posted by Toby:

I can live with the game having cosmetic dlc. But selling weapons as well is quite frankly, "bs". (Steam won't let me use my colorful language) So I think I'll pass on helldivers for now. Maybe when it is cheaper.

That is a poor escuse for buying it on sale, you dont even need an excuse for that if you want to only buy games on sale just do it instead of saying "wel it's not a great game so I wil buy it on sale" if you think it's not a good game why even botter buying it in the first place?

as for it seling wapons you dont need them they are cool but it's more of the same, the only difference is that you need to unlock most of the standart équipment witch doesn't take long anyway and even if you get the DLC wapons you stil need to upgrade them

[Obtuse Moose]

Originally posted by Sax3 ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ:

Originally posted by kimi:

well, its not a "true" launch day, the game has been out since a while in playstation platforms.
Now it just came to steam with all of its extra content.
For me, the deluxe edition seems fair and contains all extra content, its better than buying separated dlc

Why not selling the whole DLC thingie + the main game as a full game?

Releasing dlc at launch, just announce to your playerbase, that everything that's coming next will be "dlc, and forget about workshop support, we're selling those".

It leaves such a bitter taste, really hope that this isn't the way the game is headed, seeing how much i would like this game to work, but DLC, meh...

Originally posted by Sax3 ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ:

DLC at launch, what a disapointment for a game that looks amazing.

Because that would be fair to the players who've been playing since release on the Vita.

It's already an established game if you were give the dlc for free you would be spitting in the face of long-time supporters.

Your logic is stupid m8.