Arrowhead Game Studios, the Swedish team behind the smash-hit co-op shooter Helldivers 2, has just announced a bold new chapter. While Arrowhead’s partnership with Sony and PlayStation helped catapult Helldivers 2 to mainstream success, the studio now says its next project-codenamed “Game 6”-will be financed entirely in-house. No outside publisher, no corporate overlords. Just creative freedom and, hopefully, another genre-defining hit.
This marks a significant shift for Arrowhead, which benefitted from PlayStation’s marketing muscle and financial safety net during Helldivers 2’s development. It’s a partnership that paid off-Helldivers 2 became a breakout phenomenon, energizing Sony’s live service lineup and firmly planting Arrowhead on the map for co-op shooter fans everywhere.
But Arrowhead’s new independence comes with new stakes. CEO Shams Jorjani took to the Helldivers 2 Discord server to confirm: “Game 6 (our next project) will happen the way it will happen thanks to you. It is 100% funded by ourselves so we’ll call 100% of those shots.” That’s a rare privilege in today’s risk-averse games industry, where even established studios often lean heavily on big publishers for resources and reach.
The split is amicable. Jorjani goes out of his way to praise PlayStation, saying, “There would be no Helldivers if it wasn’t for them. We’re open to working with them again in the future… This is me just saying it like it is. Not blowing smoke up their asses.” While some in the community still grumble over past missteps—like Sony’s ill-fated attempt to force PlayStation Network accounts on Steam players, which temporarily saw Helldivers 2 delisted in dozens of countries—Arrowhead refuses to bite the hand that fed it.
So what could Arrowhead’s “cool concepts” look like without Sony’s input? The studio earned its stripes with skillful, emergent gameplay—first in Magicka, then in Helldivers, and now with their blockbuster sequel. Freed from publisher mandates, Arrowhead could double down on what it does best: intense, systems-driven multiplayer worlds… or it might surprise us with something completely uncharted. The only thing certain: expectations are sky-high.
For now, fans will have to wait for more details. Arrowhead’s ability to self-fund is a sign of strength not just for the studio, but for the growing trend of developer independence in the industry. Will this freedom result in another co-op classic, or will Arrowhead chart an unexpected new course? The next few years could define the studio’s legacy.
TL;DR: Arrowhead, creators of Helldivers 2, will fund their next game independently without Sony’s backing, promising “really cool concepts” and full creative control. The move signals a new era for the studio—one where industry-watchers and fans alike are eager to see what comes next.
Source: Arrowhead Game Studios via GamesPress