The Helldivers 2 developers are going fully independent. Arrowhead Studios CEO confirmed that the studio's next title will be completely independent and not tied to PlayStation exclusivity.
It's no surprise, at this point, that Helldivers 2 is a massive hit. The game was published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. While it wasn't a single-platform exclusive, releasing simultaneously on PS5 and PC via Steam, the chances of it coming to Xbox Series are basically zero.
That won't be the case with codename Game 6, Arrowhead's internal name for their upcoming project. CEO Shams Jorjani stated on the official Helldivers discord (via Forbes) that the studio will be self-funding their next title due to Helldivers 2's success, adding that this freedom will allow them to explore different concepts not possible under the constraints of someone else calling the shots.
“The wonderful thing is that thanks to the amazing support of you FINE people Arrowhead's future is quite bright and we have the freedom to explore some really cool concepts that we couldn't have otherwise. Game 6 (our next project) will happen the way it will happen thanks to you.”
Now, this doesn't mean the studio had a bad time working with Sony. Adding that they have been supportive of the studio from the beginning, with Arrowhead open to working with them in the future: "They are incredibly game/dev oriented. solid partners. and this is me just saying it like it is. not blowing smoke up their asses."
Saying that Helldivers 2 was a commercial success would be an understatement. The game broke industry trends after continuously selling more and more copies after each passing week since its release. It's no surprise it quickly became the most-played PlayStation game of all time on Steam.
With the goodwill earned following an incredible launch, fans will definitely be excited to see what Arrowhead Studios cooks up next. This time, hopefully, Xbox users will get to experience it as well.