Summary
- Helldivers faced backlash due to Helldivers 2 controversy over account-linking requirement, which has now been retracted by Sony.
- Negative reviews for original Helldivers spiked after announcement of a feature in Helldivers 2, leading to fan dissatisfaction.
- Helldivers creative director expressed disappointment with fans review bombing original game for issues unrelated to it.
Amid the turmoil of the recent Helldivers 2 controversy, its predecessor Helldivers has also been review bombed by disappointed fans. The original's latest negative reviews criticize the account-linking requirement of Helldivers 2, which was eventually retracted by publisher Sony.
Earlier this year, Helldivers 2 came out to much fanfare and quickly became one of the biggest Sony launches on PC. Recently, the announcement of a post-launch update that would have required Helldivers 2 PC players to link their Steam and PSN accounts together stirred a big controversy, leading to many players review bombing the game, eventually forcing Sony to ditch the plan. However, it turns out that the first game, 2015's Helldivers, has also been caught in the crossfire despite not being a part of the incident.
Helldivers 2 Fan Points Out Stratagem Problem You Can't Unsee
A Helldivers 2 fan uncovers a subtle error in the icon of a popular Stratagem, igniting community discussion and highlighting player dedication.
Helldivers 2 creative director Johan Pilestedt took to Twitter and highlighted that fans dissatisfied with the online co-op game's account linking update were also leaving negative reviews for the original Helldivers game. Stating how the occurrence "deeply saddens" him, he rhetorically questioned if the backlash around the Helldivers 2 controversy warranted review bombing of developer Arrowhead's older games and other Sony-published titles. The developer also emphasized that Helldivers has no PSN linking requirement and, hence, should not be the "target" for disappointed fans.
Helldivers 2 Players Review Bomb Helldivers 1
Taking a look at the Steam reviews of Helldivers: Dive Harder Edition, the influence of the sequel's controversial update seems evident. At the time of writing, the first game's "Recent Reviews" on Steam, which constitute 1,136 reviews, show up as "Mixed." The surge in negative reviews seems to have started from May 3, around the same time Arrowhead announced the PSN account linking update for Helldivers 2. Diving deeper into the latest negative reviews, there is an obvious theme that involves criticizing PSN and Sony, further proving that the original game has been review bombed because of the Helldivers 2 controversy.
Given that Sony has now officially announced that it isn't going ahead with the account linking update, the review bombings can be expected to come to a stop for both Helldivers 2 and its prequel. As the PSN requirement has been dropped from plans, fans situated in countries that are not supported by PSN, and who had been locked out of purchasing Helldivers 2 earlier, may expect to get back access to the third-person shooter game soon. After PC players intensely opposed PSN account linking for Helldivers 2, it will be interesting to see how Sony handles the same for the multiplayer mode in Ghost of Tsushima when it rolls out for PC later this month.
Helldivers 2
- Released
- February 8, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
The Galaxy’s Last Line of Offence. Enlist in the Helldivers and join the fight for freedom across a hostile galaxy in a fast, frantic, and ferocious third-person shooter.
URGENT BROADCAST – SUPER EARTH ARMED FORCES
Freedom. Peace. Democracy. Your Super Earth-born rights. The key pillars of our civilization. Of our very existence. But the war rages on. And everything is once again under threat.
Join the greatest military force the galaxy has ever seen and make this a safe and free place to live.
BECOME A LEGEND
You will be assembled into squads of up to four Helldivers and assigned strategic missions. Watch each other’s back – friendly fire is an unfortunate certainty of war, but victory without teamwork is impossible.
LOADOUTS
Rain down freedom from above, sneak through enemy territory, or grit your teeth and charge head-first into the jaws of combat. How you deliver liberty is your choice; you’ll have access to a wide array of explosive firepower, life-saving armor and battle-changing stratagems… the jewel in every Helldiver’s arsenal.
REQUISITION
Super Earth recognises your hard work with valuable Requisition. Use it to access different rewards that benefit you, your squad, your destroyer ship and our overall war effort.
THREATS
Everything on every planet wants you dead. That’s what we’re dealing with. Each enemy has distinct and unpredictable characteristics, tactics, and behavior – but they all fight ferociously and without fear or morality.
THE GALACTIC WAR
Capturing enemy planets, defending against invasions, and completing missions will contribute to our overall effort. This war will be won or lost depending on the actions of everyone involved.
We stand together, or we fall apart.
- Developer(s)
- Arrowhead Game Studios, Nixxes
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment, PlayStation Publishing
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Extraction Shooter, Action, Science Fiction
