Helldivers 2 showed us the best and worst of gaming in 2024

digitaltrends.com:

Helldivers 2 may not be my favorite game of 2024, but it is the game that best represents this year for the video game industry. An experimental live service game from Arrowhead Game Studios and Sony, this co-op shooter proudly burst on the scene in February and was inescapable for months. Helldivers 2 is one of the highest-selling games of 2024, and according to SteamDB, it consistently hits concurrent player count peaks of well over 20,000 daily on PC alone.

Its success is a prime example of why the video game industry is embracing live service video games and how creativity and novelty still play significant roles in the success of a game. That said, this year has also been a rocky one for the industry. Woes that both Helldivers 2 and Sony Interactive Entertainment have faced demonstrate the vitriol all games have to deal with and how companies won’t find smooth sailing just because their live service games aren’t immediate golden geese.

For that reason, Helldivers 2 will be the game I most closely associate with 2024 going forward, even if I enjoy titles like Astro Bot and Balatro more.

• Helldivers 2’s big update is already going over well with fans
• Helldivers 2 devs have a 60-day plan to win back player goodwill
• Helldivers 2’s fiery warbond is heating up the summer

The good of Helldivers 2 in 2024

The industry’s obsession with live service video games did not stop in 2024. Games like Fortnite have continued to thrive, and the success of Helldivers 2 demonstrates that there’s still space for new live service video games to break in and become massive hits. When you can share the joy of playing games with others, more and more people will likely be drawn into giving the game a shot. Getting players to buy