It's been a bumpier-than-usual ride for Helldivers 2 players in recent days, and we're talking about a community used to jumping from high orbit into some of the hottest, most nightmarish hell-holes imaginable. Amidst a controversial PSN account requirement for PC players and intense backlash, Sony has done an about-face, backing down in the face of such overwhelming force. Perhaps most intriguing is the attitude of Arrowhead's CEO, Johan Pilestedt, who has remained remarkably calm throughout this storm, visible in the trenches, sharing the hardships of frontline community managers in this trying time.
Following Sony's reversal, Pilestedt took to Twitter, where he expressed his admiration for the community's "willpower" and praised its "ability to collaborate." Perhaps taking a little dig at the platform holder, he thanked Sony for "quickly and effectively making the decision to leave PSN linking optional."
Looking towards the future, Pilestedt said that, in collaboration with PlayStation and the players, the goal remains to set "a new standard for what a live game is, and how developers and community can support each other to create the best game experience."