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Helldivers 2 director says ‘Make good games, not contemporary political statements’

The director for Helldivers 2 responds to fans regarding DEI, telling people should focus on making fun games for everyone and should try to make games political.

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Mayank
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Helldivers 2

Photograph: (Arrowhead Game Studios)

Right before entering the new year, the creative director for Helldivers 2, Johan Pilestedt, asked about fan expectations for their next games. Responding to his question, one of the fans asked not to add DEI to their games, which have been a hot topic for quite some time.

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DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) has been a sensitive topic in the gaming community, and some people believe that it is running the gaming experience. Many games have come under the crossfire of the anti-DEI community.

Talking about DEI, Pilestedt said if it does not add anything or fir, it shouldn’t be there. While Helldiver 2 doesn’t have anything in this regard, another user asked how it would have affected the game. “I don't like labels. But mankind is united in its extreme xenophobia on Super Earth. #Inclusion, so maybe that's DEI? I really don't care. Make good games; don't make a contemporary political statement,” Pilestedt said.

To be clear, Pilestedt doesn’t necessarily mean DEI is bad or shouldn’t be there; however, the implementation is where everything matters. Making memorable characters, regardless of gender or ethnicity, is the key to making a good game with a diverse cast.

Also Read:Gamers ask to enter newly discovered Wormhole in Helldivers 2

A change in the gaming industry?

Making a video game is hard, and with more and more people playing video games, satisfying everyone is impossible. Even critically acclaimed games will have numerous people hating a particular aspect. However, their voices do affect the industry, resulting in changes that are often visible.

During the 2024 Game Awards, Larian Studios CEO, Swen Vincke, took to the stage to give a quick lesson to the game industry amidst the recent layoffs and other situations. He gave a quick rundown of what makes the game successful, indirectly criticising the profit-driven industry it is becoming.