Helldivers 2 is on the cusp of its second anniversary, and as the four-player team-based shooter continues to evolve, Arrowhead Game Studios creative director Johan Pilestedt has revealed that “megamaps” could be in the game's future. During a Q&A on the official Helldivers 2 Discord, Pilestedt offered some insight into the direction developers hope to go, and larger maps are potentially on the table. In addition to that, Pilestedt also mentioned that troops may get an increase in size as well, and with larger troops and expanded maps, Helldivers 2 could be gearing up for its biggest shakeup yet.
As exciting as Pilestedt's words are, these two changes are of course purely hypothetical at the moment. Talk of “megamaps” and larger squad sizes came up when Pilestedt was asked about one Helldivers 2 continuation. Instead of making a third game, the CCO mentioned that Arrowhead is more interested in improving Helldivers 2 over time instead of putting energy into a whole new game. Helldivers 2 has amassed an impressive following, and it simply makes more sense to keep tweaking an already successful game than trying to build a new one. The possibility of bigger maps and squads is an update that makes me excited for the future Helldivers 2 content again, but if these changes are ever going to happen, Arrowhead will need to address the elephant in the room: vehicles.
Arrowhead's approach to vehicles will make or break Helldivers 2's potential mega maps
While the game's map sizes vary, some are already quite large, so the idea of a megamap is an exciting thought. Having a lot more ground to cover would be easier with a bigger squad in tow, but it could also be the perfect recipe for even more chaos. Double the squad means double the chances of getting caught in friendly fire, and adding stronger vehicles to the mix can make the battlefield that much more hectic. Vehicles have been added Helldivers 2 since launch, but as of now they are definitely not a major part of the overall game. at most, Helldivers 2 vehicles are a novelty, and both myself and many other players have been hoping for the day that vehicles become a more important part of the experience. Sure, not all gamers are fond of vehicle games, but Helldivers 2 must at least present opportunities for vehicle lovers during matches that fully embrace that particular playstyle.
Megamaps could open the door to even stronger matches, but if Arrowhead continues to take the same approach to vehicles as it does now, it could turn out to be a big mistake. There's so much potential for more dynamic vehicle gameplay in this game, and Pilestedt's words hopefully hint that they're meant to be more integrated into the experience. Recently, Arrowhead Design Director Niklas Malmborg confirmed that the developers hope to make changes to the game's vehicles, which is a promising sign. However, it is unclear when or if these Helldivers 2 updates are coming, and if they are considered with mega maps in mind.
How can Arrowhead make Helldivers 2's vehicles better?
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Adaptation
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Improvement of physics
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Stock up on vehicles and mech ammo
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Shorter cooling times between uses
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Brand new vehicles
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Adding vehicles from the first Miscellaneous
As it currently stands, vehicles are in Helldivers 2 is primarily a disposable tool for support instead of a central mechanic. The addition of Exosuits and the M-102 FRV were major improvements to the game at the time, but as Helldivers 2 continues to evolve, vehicle options begin to feel much more limited in scope.
Larger maps would ultimately give Arrowhead no choice but to make vehicles a central part of the game loop, at least on those specific maps. Pilestedt's proposed megamaps mean that it would be incredibly difficult to get to certain areas on foot, so better functioning vehicles that take players from point A to point B would be essential. It is very possible that Arrowhead is working on such concepts, however, as of recently Helldivers 2 leaks have pointed to more vehicles coming with the long-awaited addition of Cyberstan.
Helldivers 2 leaks from dataminers have revealed evidence of an APC (Armored Personnel Carrier) and a tank that bears an uncanny resemblance to the original game's Bastion tank. While Arrowhead has yet to officially confirm that these vehicles are on their way, the information has led many players to believe that they are being planned for the next big update.
Megamaps and larger squads could be one of the biggest Gamechangers Helldivers 2 has ever seen
Since the game launched in early 2024, Helldivers 2 has managed to keep many of his players on their toes. From Shadow releasing Illuminate to bringing the fight for Managed Democracy to Super Earth, Arrowhead has used the live service model in a way that actually benefits players and the overall experience rather than using it as a way to simply make more money. To keep players invested, Arrowhead needs to keep getting bigger in different ways, and megamaps and bigger teams would take the phrase “go big or go home” quite literally.
Bigger doesn't always mean better, though, and with the story of Helldivers 2s performance issues, it raises questions about whether the game can even support such ambitions. Something like megamaps has the potential to be a monumental change for the third-person shooter, but whether the intense change has a good or bad outcome can only rely on solid vehicle options and gameplay.
Helldivers 2s future plans remain shrouded in shadow for now, and if Arrowhead has taught gamers anything over the past two years, it's that it will remain so until the developer is ready to surprise. Ultimately, Arrowhead and fans want the same thing: a great game. Helldivers 2s evolving nature means that each update will come with its own highs and lows, and while the performance issues have improved significantly for the most part, there's still room to get even better. Only time will tell what Arrowhead has in store with its megamap vision, but if this idea comes to fruition, it also hopefully means better vehicles will follow.
- Released
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February 8, 2024
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, intense violence, in-game purchases, user interaction
- Developer
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Arrowhead Game Studios, Nixxes
- Publisher
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Sony Interactive Entertainment, PlayStation Publishing
