Helldivers 2 players praise devs for not falling into infamous ‘FOMO’ trap

With the release of Helldivers 2’s third premium Warbond since launch, players are now realizing how different it is from other games in its genre—and they have nothing but admiration for Arrowhead Game Studios’ efforts.

On March 18, a Redditor named WhereDid_The_Time_Go shared their thoughts on Helldivers 2’s impressive premium season pass or battle pass system, which doesn’t force players to grind for items within a deadline. You can take your time gathering Super Credits and unlock items and gears included in Warbonds whenever you want—they will never expire.

Explaining how other “hostile” live-service games like Destiny 2 have left them “traumatized,” WhereDid_The_Time_Go shared they have been constantly questioning whether Helldivers 2 is actually different in the back of their head. “I am currently grinding super credits for the new Warbond, and for some reason in the back of my mind i feel like there is a deadline, even though the Warbond is permanent,” they wrote. 

Praising Arrowhead’s community-friendly approach for Helldivers 2, the player said, “Being able to take my time without having to stress about getting that thing is such an amazing breath of fresh air. I love this game and I love the Devs.” And as expected, other starry-eyed players in the comments wholeheartedly agreed.

“When I first hopped into the game I was immediately put off by the Warbond because I thought I would have to grind that shit until I burn myself out in like two weeks,” one player wrote. “Learning that Warbonds stick around was a game changer.”

Fortnite, Destiny 2, Apex Legends, VALORANT, and most modern live-service titles instill the fear of missing out (FOMO) into players with their temporary battle pass systems, forcing players to grind the game by putting a deadline on the items they want.

Helldivers 2’s quirky, pro-community approach has left players wondering whether it’s a satire from Arrowhead Game Studios at its competitors. “Other games are so anti-consumer, that a more pro-consumer model seems like satire,” one player wrote. 

While Warbonds offer some “overpowered” items that may seem like pay-to-win, it really isn’t. Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt has assured the team took special steps to make sure Helldivers 2 isn’t pay-to-win.