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

[Star Paladin]

Hmmm, you know what game we all got? Fall of the Dungeon Guardians. You know what the dev for that game does? He makes patches, updates and additions for the game weekly, sometimes more than one times a week, for FREE.

He could have been greedy and said "Hey, we gave players what they ask for, so pay us more". He could have tried to milk people for more by improving his game. But no, he was smart and wise, and got our business instead of this game/devs. He even got a Dev appreciation thread because of it, and tons more business from simple word of mouth, not to mention devotion and a feeling that he's not just pinching more pennies.

So he got our money, this game did not, and the fanboys of this game can squack, name call and act like corporate toadys all they want, does not change facts.

[powrgrid]

Star Paladin님이 먼저 게시:

Hmmm, you know what game we all got? Fall of the Dungeon Guardians. You know what the dev for that game does? He makes patches, updates and additions for the game weekly, sometimes more than one times a week, for FREE.

He could have been greedy and said "Hey, we gave players what they ask for, so pay us more". He could have tried to milk people for more by improving his game. But no, he was smart and wise, and got our business instead of this game/devs. He even got a Dev appreciation thread because of it, and tons more business from simple word of mouth, not to mention devotion and a feeling that he's not just pinching more pennies.

So he got our money, this game did not, and the fanboys of this game can squack, name call and act like corporate toadys all they want, does not change facts.

What the hell you're even talking about? You can't compare this two games...

[Space Coward]

Star Paladin님이 먼저 게시:

Hmmm, you know what game we all got? Fall of the Dungeon Guardians. You know what the dev for that game does? He makes patches, updates and additions for the game weekly, sometimes more than one times a week, for FREE.

He could have been greedy and said "Hey, we gave players what they ask for, so pay us more". He could have tried to milk people for more by improving his game. But no, he was smart and wise, and got our business instead of this game/devs. He even got a Dev appreciation thread because of it, and tons more business from simple word of mouth, not to mention devotion and a feeling that he's not just pinching more pennies.

So he got our money, this game did not, and the fanboys of this game can squack, name call and act like corporate toadys all they want, does not change facts.

Who is this "we?" I don't think whatever small scale indie-♥♥♥♥ you're talking about even compares to the sales numbers of this game.

It's got a years' worth in DLC that was made post-launch and released alongside new content. That's perfectly acceptable. If you want to be an entitled snob about everything, the community won't miss you.

[Fiona]

Personally, after buying the basic edition, I was hoping to upgrade to digital deluxe, as I enjoyed the base game. So I'll happily upgrade it and not a 30 dollar bundle with all that DLC. Else I'll just wait for a 80% off and get everything for like, 2 bucks.

[BlackViper]

.

[Karu]

Star Paladin님이 먼저 게시:

Hmmm, you know what game we all got? Fall of the Dungeon Guardians. You know what the dev for that game does? He makes patches, updates and additions for the game weekly, sometimes more than one times a week, for FREE.

He could have been greedy and said "Hey, we gave players what they ask for, so pay us more". He could have tried to milk people for more by improving his game. But no, he was smart and wise, and got our business instead of this game/devs. He even got a Dev appreciation thread because of it, and tons more business from simple word of mouth, not to mention devotion and a feeling that he's not just pinching more pennies.

So he got our money, this game did not, and the fanboys of this game can squack, name call and act like corporate toadys all they want, does not change facts.

Literally anyone could make a dev appreciation thread. It's not difficult for a person to do. It's really great of the dev to release free content like that, but you're not really entitled to it either (assuming the game isn't in early access). However, Arrowhead's also released every major expansion for this game for free too.

On a more important note, what does that game have to do with this discussion at all and who is this "we. "

It's not like it matters though, this argument will never move beyond "you're just a fanboy."

[CaiNX10A]

Hehe, release more DLC packs please? Maybe ... traditional weapons (plasma bows, chainswords) :P

[Tiramisu]

HighFlyer15님이 먼저 게시:

Funny part is, if the devs launched the game at the price of the deluxe bundle as the only purchase option, you wouldn't even complain.

That is so true! On the other hand, even with some people being on this issue, how many bought the base game, surprised by how much they love it, and are now buying the mega bundle - more money for the devs XD w00t

HighFlyer15님이 먼저 게시:

Yup. I think I'm going to get a refund for my copy. I don't want to support this kind of developer.

Well Im curious to see if Steam hand out a refund to someone who has nearly 10 hours logged in the game. Not bad playtime for something just released that apparently you dont want to support btw =)

[Fazeball]

JiNiJa님이 먼저 게시:

and there's no way to delay the release of those DLCs on PC since all platforms share the same database. if they were to bring this game to PC everything should be ported at once including all expansions/DLCs or it will ruin the database.

that doesn't matter, progession is strictly server side. the game ran fine over the weekend without dlc.

caughtnow님이 먼저 게시:

That is so true! On the other hand, even with some people being on this issue, how many bought the base game, surprised by how much they love it, and are now buying the mega bundle - more money for the devs XD w00t

I don't get what all the whining is about, prepurchase/preorder usually has perks when it comes to price, be it % off or stuff included for free. not to mention the inevitable steam sale where till will be cheaper anyway (maybe even cheaper than getting the deluxe). you can point a finger that they didn't communicate the final price properly, not that stuff after release is more expensive.

[BuddaZero]

Sax3 ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ님이 먼저 게시:

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

Did you not read the statement above? It looks like no matter what they say DLC is wrong.

Trust me DLC can split the community sometimes and companies milk it, like Batman, Evolve, EA Games, but not with this game. There's so much content, that you don't even need DLC. Honestly I got the Transporter pack cause the motorcycle looks cool. However yesterday I unlocked a tank in-game that's a 4 seater, and each side has a mounted gun-way better than a motorcycle ya think?

It's not a pay to win, it's more like a...pay if you want to feel special, but you're really not.

[Apokalypt]

Next time, the devs should just put the DLC content into the main game and increase the basic price.
Ah no, but then, some crybabies will whine because of how much the game costs....
You can never please everyone....

[Aedwynn]

Developers wrote thorough explanation. Guys, don't bother answering to lvl0 trolls posting toxic comments. As been said, it is a PC release of console game, so purchaseable DLC's are there because it is purchaseable content developed on another platform and moved here on PC.

[Free Luigi M.]

No, there should just be an upgrade to deluxe edition for 10€. Instead of a DLC bundle for 20€.
Problem solved.

[Guardian_Angel]

Joe Chip님이 먼저 게시:

No, there should just be an upgrade to deluxe edition for 10€. Instead of a DLC bundle for 20€.
Problem solved.

Laconically, Explicitly, Fairly.

There can be no excuse to DLC megapack which costs more than 50% of the game, no matter how hard you worked for it, in spite of the fact that Deluxe Edition costs much cheaper than DLC megapack.

[Guardian_Angel]

Do you know this feeling? When you want to buy something good on Steam and you see a game like this with HUGE price tag and pretty primitive gameplay, buy you give devs a chance and buy standart edition to try this game out. AND AFTER A WHILE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THIS GUY WITH DLC 1 HIT KILL SNIPER STEALS ALL YOUR KILLS AND THE OTHER ONE ON DLC ROBOT KEEPS GROUNDING YOU INTO A PULP AND YOU MUST PAY ADDITIONAL 20$ TO DO THE SAME YOU JUST GO MAD.