Summary
Amid the turmoil of the recentHelldivers 2controversy, its predecessorHelldivershas also been review bombed by disappointed fans. The original’s latest negative reviews criticize the account-linking requirement ofHelldivers 2, which was eventually retracted by publisher Sony.
Earlier this year,Helldivers 2came 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 requiredHelldivers 2PC players to link their Steam and PSN accountstogether 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’sHelldivers, has also been caught in the crossfire despite not being a part of the incident.
Helldivers 2creative director Johan Pilestedt took to Twitter and highlighted that fans dissatisfied with theonline co-op game’s account linking update were also leaving negative reviews for the originalHelldiversgame. Stating how the occurrence “deeply saddens” him, he rhetorically questioned if the backlash around theHelldivers 2controversy warranted review bombing of developer Arrowhead’s older games and other Sony-published titles. The developer also emphasized thatHelldivershas 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 ofHelldivers: 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 thePSN account linking update forHelldivers 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 theHelldivers 2controversy.
Given thatSony has now officially announcedthat it isn’t going ahead with the account linking update, the review bombings can be expected to come to a stop for bothHelldivers 2and 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 purchasingHelldivers 2earlier, may expect to get back access to the third-person shooter game soon. After PC players intensely opposed PSN account linking forHelldivers 2, it will be interesting to see how Sony handles the same for the multiplayer mode inGhost of Tsushimawhen it rolls out for PC later this month.
Helldivers 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Do you believe in freedom? Can you stand in the face of oppression – and defend the defenceless? Wage war for peace. Die for democracy.Join forces with up to three friends and wreak havoc on an alien scourge threatening the safety of your home planet, Super Earth, in this multiplayer co-op shooter for PS5 and PC from Arrowhead Game Studios.Step into the boots of the Helldivers, an elite class of soldiers whose mission is to spread peace, liberty and Managed Democracy using the biggest, baddest and most explosive tools in the galaxy.Helldivers don’t go planet side without proper backup, but it’s up to you to decide how and when to call it in. Not only do you have a host of superpowered primary weapons and customizable loadouts, you also have the ability to call on stratagems during play.Helldivers 2 features Arrowhead’s best cooperative gameplay yet. Collaboration will be vital: Teams will synergize on loadouts, strategize their approach for each mission and complete objectives together.1Enlist in Super Earth’s premier military peacekeeping force today. We are heroes… we are legends… WE ARE HELLDIVERS.
