Summary
- Two indie games disguised themselves as Helldivers 2 on Steam, but were quickly removed by the platform.
- Most external indicators successfully hid the games' true identities, but the extremely discounted prices were a giveaway.
- A similar scam in the past allowed a developer to change its name and the publisher's name to "Very Positive."
Two indie games on Steam recently tried to scam players into thinking they were actually buying Helldivers 2. Since it launched on February 8, the third-person shooter developed by Arrowhead Game Studios has experienced unforeseen success, so much so that servers are frequently at max capacity and there are extremely long wait times to play . The problem became so extreme that Helldivers 2 players even stopped logging out to avoid having to wait in the queue again.
This resulted in Helldivers 2’s Steam rating temporarily dropping from “Very Positive” to “Mixed,” though it has since recovered. Arrowhead has already increased server capacity more than once to try to accommodate the steady influx of players, but the game’s extreme popularity has proven challenging for the indie developer.
Of course, some people have seen the success of Helldivers 2 as a way to take advantage of unwary consumers. Early on March 1, two indie games on Steam were disguised as Helldivers 2, with most external indicators successfully hiding their true identity. The game titles, metadata, descriptions, screenshots, and even developer and publisher information was changed to match Helldivers 2. The listings were removed fairly quickly by Steam, but probably not before Figurality by developer SoleOnBoard Studio and Do Not Smile by Whithole Games lured in a few people with their $12.49 and $19.99 price tags.
How to Spot a Helldivers 2 Scam on Steam
- Breadcrumb menu at the top of the page
- Number of reviews
- Extremely discounted price
- Incorrect release date
According to SteamDB, as shared by Twitter account Wario64, the two disguised games were both added to Steam on the same date, November 4, 2023, and their information was edited at around the same time on March 1. This strongly implies that the two games are owned by the same person.
If a similar situation arises in the future, one way to discern if the game is a fake is by looking at the breadcrumb menu above the game title on Steam. Helldivers 2 was published by PlayStation PC LLC, and so its menu trail at the top of the page should be: All Games > Action Games > PlayStation Studios Franchise > HELLDIVERS 2. The breadcrumb menus for the fraudulent games did not mention PlayStation Studios Franchise. The extremely low number of reviews were another indicator of the fake game listings, and the prices could also serve as a clue. Helldivers 2 sells for $39.99, and considering it just launched on February 8, it’s unlikely that it would receive a 50 or 75% discount.
It is somewhat alarming that Steam didn’t seem to have safeguards in place to prevent random developers from completely misleading consumers by changing key data like the developer and publisher names. And clicking on the publisher name on the fraudulent pages actually took users to the real PlayStation Studios page on Steam. The situation is reminiscent of an incident in February 2021, when the developer and publisher names of Emoji Evolution were both changed to “Very Positive” to dupe customers. The developer behind that scam was promptly banned from Steam.
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.
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Arrowhead Game Studios, Nixxes
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment, PlayStation Publishing
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Franchise
- Helldivers
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Extraction Shooter, Action, Science Fiction
