Helldivers 2, a newly launched title developed by Arrowhead Game Studios and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, has surpassed God of War as Sony’s most successful PC launch on Steam.
On the day of its release, Helldivers 2 reached a peak of 81,840 concurrent players, clearing a record previously held by God of War, which had a peak player count of of 73,529 concurrent players when it came out two years ago. This is particularly significant as Helldivers 2 was launched on PC and PlayStation 5 simultaneously, a strategy Sony hasn’t commonly employed for flagship titles.
Despite being a relatively lesser-known franchise compared to the heavyweight God of War, Helldivers 2 has captivated a broad audience with its engaging cooperative action gameplay. The game allows players to embark on multiplayer missions, fostering a sense of teamwork and camaraderie, further enhanced by the potential for in-game shenanigans because of its friendly fire mechanic. The title has been praised for its fun factor, although its launch was marred by server issues that led to login difficulties and game crashes. The said technical problems resulted in a mixed initial reception on Steam, with a 68% positive score at launch but things have since improved.
As of the moment of the writing, Helldivers 2&holds a 75% positive score on Steam. But that’s not all as its peak concurrent player count is now at 124,102 players, making it one of the most played games on Steam.
Sony’s decision to launch Helldivers 2 day-and-date on PC alongside the PS5 version marks a significant shift in the company’s approach to PC gaming. This move reflects Sony’s broader strategy to expand its gaming ecosystem beyond the PlayStation platform, aiming to capture a larger segment of the gaming market.
Helldivers 2‘s success on Steam indicates a promising start for PlayStation’s live service foray and its expansion into PC gaming despite seemingly backtracking before it even started.
Helldivers 2’s strong sales performance on Steam, where it quickly became the platform’s #1 seller at the $40 price point, highlights the potential benefits of Sony’s strategy to release games on PC and PlayStation on the same day. This approach broadens the audience reach from day one while contributing to the game’s overall success by tapping into the expansive PC gaming community.
Sony’s venture into PC gaming began with the release of titles like Horizon Zero Dawn and it has continued with several other games making their way to PC.
Now, most are expecting both first-party and third-party PlayStation exclusives to eventually make their way to PC although only Sony knows the exact timeline between a game’s original PlayStation release and their eventual PC port.
With Sony’s ongoing commitment to expanding its presence outside PlayStation, the future looks promising for both the company and its fans who enjoy playing on multiple platforms.
As Sony continues to explore simultaneous releases for its games, players can look forward to more accessible and diverse gaming experiences across different devices.
