Summary
- Helldivers 2 fans are calling on Arrowhead to buff the new Killzone sniper.
- However, creative director Johan Pilestedt said that “balance doesn’t matter”, and that the gun is already accurate to its Killzone counterpart.
- The reality is that a three-burst sniper rifle with nine rounds “isn’t that great” anyway.
Helldivers 2 has regularly come under fire from its community since it launched last February, with one of the biggest controversies being its Escalation of Freedom update.
Most of the backlash stirred up because the FLAM-40 flamethrower was nerfed, and the pushback was so intense that Arrowhead even announced a 60-day pledge to get things back on track.
While this appeased fans for a while, the backlash hasn’t stopped pouring in, as we can clearly see with the new, also controversial Killzone 2 crossover.
Related
The Helldivers 2 Killzone Crossover Didn’t Deserve The Backlash
Helldivers 2 was once an uplifting and collaborative live-service gem, but since launch, the community has become a hotbed of outrage.
As reported by GamesRadar, many are unhappy with the PLAS-39 Accelerator Rifle, arguing that it’s not powerful enough — especially when compared to other weapons like the Purifier. To that, creative director Johan Pilestedt said, “balance doesn’t matter”.
Don’t Expect A Balance Update This Time
“Weapons are what weapons are,” Pilestedt said in response to a popular Reddit post asking why anyone would use the new gun. “This is also what was wrong before. Things were seen as game objects rather than real weapons. If you like the [Killzone] fantasy, you may want to use it. It kills things, not useless.”
He admitted that “It could maybe use some tweaking”, but explained that a three burst sniper rifle with only nine rounds per mag “isn’t that great” anyway.
The new weapon is based on the VC39 Accelerator Rifle from Killzone, which likewise fires “a devastating burst of three explosive rounds”. So, as Pilestedt says, “that’s how the weapon works”.
It probably won’t undergo any drastic balancing, because it’s accurate to Killzone as is, which is the entire point of the crossover. Change it too much and you risk taking away from that familiar feel, ergo killing the “fantasy”.
Helldivers 2
Do you believe in freedom? Can you stand in the face of oppression – and defend the defenceless? Wage war for peace. Die for democracy.
Join forces with up to three friends and wreak havoc on an alien scourge threatening the safety of your home planet, Super Earth, in this multiplayer co-op shooter for PS5 and PC from Arrowhead Game Studios.
Step into the boots of the Helldivers, an elite class of soldiers whose mission is to spread peace, liberty and Managed Democracy using the biggest, baddest and most explosive tools in the galaxy.
Helldivers don’t go planet side without proper backup, but it’s up to you to decide how and when to call it in. Not only do you have a host of superpowered primary weapons and customizable loadouts, you also have the ability to call on stratagems during play.
Helldivers 2 features Arrowhead’s best cooperative gameplay yet. Collaboration will be vital: Teams will synergize on loadouts, strategize their approach for each mission and complete objectives together.1
Enlist in Super Earth’s premier military peacekeeping force today. We are heroes… we are legends… WE ARE HELLDIVERS.