Helldivers 2 Will "Never Add A PvP Mode"

thegamer.com:

Helldivers 2 sees you and three others crash into enemy territory time and time again, dispatching nightmarish bugs to bring democracy to the galaxy. It's a co-op experience, even if mandatory friendly fire means occasionally getting caught in the crossfire.

But some fans have been asking developer Arrowhead whether their crusade will ever involve fighting other players. The answer is a resounding 'no'.

"We'll never add a PvP mode," creative director Johan Pilestedt said (as reported by PCGamesN). "This is to reduce toxic elements from the community. We want an environment that's supportive, fun, and where we [are all] fighting on the same side!

"[We're not scared of adding it]. Just we don't want the toxicity that naturally comes with it. There are plenty, actually most, games that provide PvP. We make games for people that just want to have a challenging time with friends but in a PvE setting. If you want PvP, I recommend Escape from Tarkov."

A quick look at the replies shows the community rallying behind this decision, something backed up by the number of posts on the subreddit which were quickly downvoted for suggesting PvP.

"I feel like adding PvP would be the fastest way to ruin this game," one fan commented. "I don't want to balance things around PvP loadouts."

"Helldivers is not about players-vs-players," another added. "It's about players-vs-THE ENEMIES OF DEMOCRACY AND SUPER EARTH."

It's not the only firm stance Arrowhead is taking with Helldivers 2. A few days ago, Pilestedt said that the team will "never" force players to buy microtransactions.

"You have to earn the right to monetise," he said. "I truly believe that. "If people want to support this title they have an option, but we are never forcing anyone to do so."

There's a premium battle pass in-game that you can acquire, but everything on it can be bought with a currency earned in-game. It's early days yet, so it remains to be seen how effective this approach will be.