Breaking Free from Battle Passes: Reflecting on Helldivers 2's Warbonds
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Helldivers 2’s next Warbond, Cutting Edge, is now available, providing new armor, weapons, and equipment to bolster the Galactic War between the Automatons and Terminid races for Super Earth. This latest title from Arrowhead Games Studios offers a fresh take on premium content and progression that makes me look at the popular battle pass system differently, a system that has become the standard for live service titles.
Before the release of Cutting Edge, I had this plan to finish the first premium Warbond, Steeled Veterans. I wanted to invest all my hard-earned Warbond Medals to unlock everything there, before Cutting Edge hits. Why? I made a mistake, as I assumed Steeled Veterans was going to be taken away.
I assumed I was interacting with the typical battle pass progression system, a mistake that made me realize I’m somewhat brainwashed after interacting with various battle passes from different games for years. I was convinced that the items in Steeled Veterans would go away and I didn’t bother to question until a friend wondered why I was so adamant in earning medals. I accepted it as fact, simply because I’m used to having some sort of time limit to such content.
I was taken aback to realize that there was no time limit to premium Warbonds. Whatever Warbonds released for Helldivers 2 will be there for players to unlock as long as they have the Super Credits to unlock them.
This isn’t also Arrowhead Games failing to communicate this information as social media posts and UI design clearly show and express no rush to complete it. It’s the opposite, they tell players to not worry, Warbonds are here to stay.
The Impact of Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)
I felt silly and at the same time disgusted that I just went with the motion and rushed myself to completing Steeled Veterans. The fear of missing out was embedded thanks to the battle passes I’ve completed in the past. I accepted this mindset as the norm, a horrible way of thinking, as players should never feel pressured to play or risk missing out. Looking back, games like Rainbow Six Siege, Destiny 2, and various free-to-play titles contributed to building this mindset.
As I grow older, I slowly start to realize how precious time can be, and I've come to see that chasing to complete battle passes, for which you've paid with your hard-earned money for extra rewards, is simply unhealthy. Despite it only being cosmetic-only rewards. The way Helldivers 2 manages premium content as a live service title leads me to believe that the industry is slowly healing from years of what has become the standard in terms of live service offerings. Arrowhead Games Studios is demonstrating that there are better ways to deliver premium content without imposing time limits, which can punish players for not spending enough time in the game.
Appreciating Helldivers 2's Approach
Helldivers 2 does two things completely different – players can earn the game’s premium currency Super Credits in each mission, and Warbonds never go away after release. It costs 1,000 Super Credits to unlock a premium Warbond, and then Warbond Medals are needed (obtainable only through gameplay) to unlock what is inside. I’ve spent over 80 hours in the game, and have earned enough premium content for even the next Warbond after Cutting Edge. It’s surprisingly generous, and this is me naturally playing the game, not necessarily dropping in to hunt for Super Credits.
It’s a system that can easily be exploited by farmers and those who have all the time in the world, but that’s okay considering Helldivers 2 is a 4–player co-op game, nothing more. Many can argue that the game’s system is pay-to-win, as players can buy to get Super Credits to unlock these Warbonds, technically lessening the grind. But I’m not sure who’s losing as the one who paid to have access to the Warbond can now work towards unlocking them, giving them more options for their loadouts and hopefully making them a more effective teammate for other players. There’s no competition unless you make it one in your head as in the end, they still need to play the game to earn Warbonds Medals to unlock the items in that Premium package. We are all also on the same team, last time I checked.
Helldivers 2 continues to make waves over a month after launch, and hopefully, their success inspires future or current live service titles to reconsider exploring ways to monetize future content as a means to engage with their community and provide the right amount of support as Arrowhead Games Studios proves it’s possible. Battle passes won’t be going away anytime soon, but it’s good to see that studios are attempting to freshen things up and provide something more beneficial to the player.
To know my full thoughts on Helldivers 2, you can check out my full review as I give it a 4/5 based on its first month after release.
Stellar Blade’s potential was clear, but as its ambitions expanded into something greater, it lost focus. As soon as Stellar Blade tries to bring everything together, it merges into a single figure that looks deformed and uneven. The quality is unquestionable but it wasn’t the final product I was slowly building in my head as I went through the game’s first half.