Helldivers 2 Devs Discuss Elden Ring, DLC Challenges

Following the release of Elden Ring's highly anticipated expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, a wave of online discussion erupted, with players of all skill levels voicing concerns about its challenging difficulty. Criticism frequently centered on the perceived overtuning of the new bosses. Johan Pilestedt, CCO of Arrowhead Game Studios (developers of Helldivers 2), recently shared his perspective on FromSoftware's design philosophy.

In a Twitter post, Pilestedt, also the creative director of Helldivers 2, echoed streamer Rurikhan's view that FromSoftware intentionally crafts challenging bosses to foster a sense of accomplishment and player engagement. He emphasized that effective game design prioritizes evoking strong emotional responses. Addressing concerns that this approach limits the game's appeal, Pilestedt succinctly stated, "a game for everyone is a game for no one," advocating for developers to remain focused on their target audience.

Helldivers 2 Developer's Perspective on Elden Ring DLC Difficulty

Prior to the expansion's launch, Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki cautioned players that Shadow of the Erdtree would present a significant challenge, even for seasoned veterans. He explained that boss balancing assumed players possessed substantial progress within the base game. FromSoftware also carefully considered player feedback regarding enjoyable and frustrating aspects of the original game's boss encounters.

Shadow of the Erdtree introduced the Scadutree Blessing mechanic, boosting player damage and mitigating incoming damage within the Land of Shadow. Despite in-game explanations, many players apparently overlooked or disregarded this feature, prompting Bandai Namco to issue a reminder to level up the Blessing amidst the difficulty complaints.

While Shadow of the Erdtree boasts the highest rating of any video game DLC on OpenCritic, surpassing even The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's Blood and Wine, its Steam reception is more nuanced. Negative reviews frequently cite both the challenging difficulty and newly introduced technical issues.