The developers of Helldivers 2 emphasize that games should “earn the right to monetize”

The PlayStation Studios PvE shooter, launched on PlayStation 5 and PC last week, has already gathered over 140,000 players, making it the most successful launch for PlayStation Studios on the Steam platform.

One aspect of Helldivers 2 that has sparked much discussion among players is its approach to microtransactions. Helldivers 2 is a premium $40 game but also features a cosmetics store with a varied range, where each armor set is priced between $2 and $5.

The game also offers the option to purchase small battle passes called Warbonds, which include cosmetic items and weapons.

A key feature is the ability for players to earn virtual currency in-game without spending real money. Warbond items, even if you decide to purchase the battle pass, still need to be unlocked through gameplay.

Responding to a fan who praised Helldivers’ approach to monetization, Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt wrote: “You have to earn the right to monetize – I truly believe that. If people want to support this title, they have an option, but we are never forcing anyone to do so.”

In another post, he discussed how the development team balanced in-game purchases to avoid ‘pay-to-win‘, in response to a fan noting that the game’s battle pass content can be acquired using in-game currency.

“I’m biased, but we really tried not to make it pay-to-win, even though items are functionally different,” he wrote. “The only item that’s pay-to-win is the revolver – which will win you any ‘cool gun‘ competition. The only (minor) problem is that it’s not that good.”

Pilestedt also addressed the game’s launch server issues, which occasionally left players unable to join matches during the launch weekend.