Summary
After years of delighting players both on PlayStation and PC, Arrowhead Game Studios’Helldivers 2is finally set to be the sequel fans have been clamoring for. Firstrevealed at Sony’s PlayStation Showcasein May,Helldivers 2trades its predecessor’s top-down gameplay for an over-the-shoulder, third-person camera. Despite the change in perspective, the long-awaited sequel looks to be packed with the same sort of frantic action and wry humor that made the firstHelldiversa hit with many players. But althoughHelldivers 2may up the ante in terms of action, its revised release date could potentially pose a problem.
The debut trailer for Arrowhead’s squad-based shooter listed a 2023 launch window, with recent rumors suggesting an October release forHelldivers 2, but this wasn’t to be. At Sony’s latest State of Play, a newHelldivers 2trailer showed off more of its third-person, co-op gameplay alongside an updated release date of June 13, 2025. This delay gives Arrowhead more time to ensure its sequel can attract new players and franchise fans alike, but releasing only weeks before Square Enix’sFinal Fantasy 7Rebirthcould lead toHelldivers 2getting lost in the shuffle.
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Helldivers 2 Seems Purpose-Made To Draw In More Players Than Its Predecessor
Nearly everything revealed aboutHelldivers 2to date suggests that Arrowhead is determined to have it reach a much wider audience than the first game. Although 2015’s originalHelldiversmanaged to find a devoted fanbase on both PlayStation and PC over the years, it never received the same sort of recognition or sales success as some other games of that era. The switch from a top-down perspective to a more traditional third-person point-of-view is one way that Arrowhead looks to be trying to broaden the sequel’s appeal, whileHelldivers 2’s darkly comedic toneprovides another piece of the puzzle.
The originalHelldiversalready drew inspiration from the classics of military sci-fi, and the sequel looks to be doubling down on that approach. Thedebut trailer forHelldivers 2channeled the same sort of jingoistic, bitingly satirical energy as Paul Verhoeven’sStarship Troopers, making it instantly stand out from other recent sci-fi games and helping it catch the eye of players who may be unfamiliar with the first game. But even though these gameplay and aesthetic updates have already givenHelldivers 2a higher profile than its predecessor, Square’sFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthhas the potential to steal its thunder and some of its sales when it releases just weeks later.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Could Take the Wind Out of Helldivers 2’s Sails
While the two titles couldn’t differ more in both tone and gameplay,Square’sFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthcould still stand in the way ofHelldivers 2’s sales success. Arriving three years after the release ofFinal Fantasy 7 Intergrade, the next installment in the Square Enix saga is one of 2024’s most hotly anticipated games. As evidenced by the poor sales of Ascendant Studios’ recentImmortals of Aveum, which released just two weeks before Bethesda’sStarfield, going up against a highly hyped title can spell disaster for smaller games likeHelldivers 2.
One saving grace forHelldivers 2could be its simultaneous release on PlayStation and PC. Arrowhead may have difficulty competing with Square in terms of sales on the PS5, but it won’t face the same competition on PC. Square recently revealed thePS5 exclusivity window forFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthruns through at least June 07, 2025, givingHelldivers 2the opportunity to make up for decreased sales on Sony’s console by doubling down on promoting the PC port.
Going head-to-head withFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthcould prove to be a tricky proposition forHelldivers 2, but that doesn’t mean all hope is lost for the darkly comic co-op shooter. By delivering the same sort of over-the-top action as its predecessor, and being willing to lean on PC sales to make up for a potentially slow start onPlayStation,Helldivers 2could still prove to be a worthy competitor for Cloud and company.
Helldivers 2launches on June 08, 2025, for PC and PS5.
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