Last year, Helldivers 2 became one of the most significant breakout hits from the PlayStation lineup. Arrowhead Studios used its battle pass system, Warbonds, to keep the game fresh. Soon, the latest Warbond, Servants of Freedom, will hit the main game, adding a whole new arsenal to players’ disposal.
Furthermore, this Warbond system exemplifies how to do a “battle pass” system right in a player-friendly manner. Here is a breakdown of how Servants of Freedom could be Helldiver 2’s best addition.
Helldivers 2’s New Warbond
PlayStation’s blog revealed what players can expect from Servants of Freedom, the latest “Warbond” in their hit shooter, Helldivers 2. Like the rest of the Warbonds, this will add a whole new arsenal to players’ disposal as they ravage the battlefield. One of the most exciting is the Stratagem, the B-100 miniature Hellbomb, a devastating miniature nuke on the battlefield. It’s a backpack players can activate, drop, and run away from to unleash devastation on the enemy.
Two new guns were added to round out the lineup. The first was the LAS-17 Double-Edge Sickle, a rapid-fire laser cannon, and the second was the GP-20 Ultimatum, a grenade-launching pistol designed for short-range use. Additionally, they added the G-50 Seeker, a drone that follows players until sent off or an enemy approaches, when it launches at them.
Several other cosmetic inclusions are also present, such as the ironically named “Liberam” and “Democrasum,” along with the Servant of Freedom icon. Finally, the IE-3 Martyr and the IE-12 Righteous armors have a self-destruct feature when players die, ensuring they can give one last advantage to their team. This Warbond added many new tools to the Helldivers 2’s meta. The pack will launch on February 6.
The Warbond System
In recent years, “battle pass” systems and microtransactions have become highly controversial among gamers and one of the most criticized business practices of live service games. Many critics realized the systems were designed to pressure players into purchasing or playing for as long as possible with artificial scarcity and limited-time offers, mostly used for skins and other cosmetics.
Of course, their permanence sets Helldivers 2’s Warbonds apart from other battle pass systems, as they are no longer time-sensitive. Once purchased, players can go through them at their leisure. This lack of a definitive time limit removes the same “FOMO” element many other systems rely on to incentivize player purchases. As such, critics praised the system for its consumer-friendly practices, improving the live-service formula.
A New Classic
Last year, the multiplayer shooter Helldivers 2 won critical acclaim and massive sales. Developed by PlayStation and Swedish developer Arrowhead Studios, the game takes place in a dystopian future where the fanatical “Super Earth” sends off its armies in a never-ending war against an insectoid horde. Players unite to complete missions in procedurally generated levels using “Stratagems” summoned through button combos.
Part of what made Helldivers 2 so memorable was its use of the same militaristic satire as the cult classic Starship Troopers. Both feature propaganda-laden governments battling against hordes of insects. The fanatical devotion to the dystopian Super-Earth has become a subject of analysis and humor among fans, and Arrowhead frequently plays into it with promotional material. Furthermore, its gothic sci-fi aesthetic brings to mind the iconic Warhammer 40k series.
Final Thoughts
In the quest to protect Super Earth from the insectoid menace, Arrowhead Studios made sure Helldivers 2 players had the best tools at their disposal. This Warbond built upon many of the weapon classifications of the original while adding new abilities to shake up the meta.
In an age where live-service games and battle passes have overtaken most games, Arrowhead ensured their model put the players first rather than aggressive monetization. Given Helldivers 2’s success over the past year, they could set a strong example for using these ubiquitous systems in the future.
