Arrowhead has just issued a statement on an ongoing Helldivers controversy, calling on players to stop harassing a fellow member of the community. It comes after the fan in question criticised the difficulty of a particular planet in Helldivers 2, only to be harassed and even allegedly doxxed, to the point of leaving social media.
In a statement, Arrowhead says that the Helldivers community should be a “safe and welcoming place” and condemns the alleged doxxing, which is said to have led to real-world harassment of the individual. The studio adds that it will continue to monitor the situation.
The Helldivers 2 D10 Controversy, Explained
The situation revolves around the so-called Dev D10 challenge. Essentially, a player thought that the planet Oshaune on difficulty 10 was too difficult, and wanted to raise awareness and get it rebalanced. In aid of this, he put $1,000 on the line, saying it would be donated to a charity of Arrowhead’s choosing if they completed the challenge.
While many in the replies backed the challenge or saw it as innocent fun, others appeared to take it poorly. The Redditor made a follow-up post showing a hate message he received, and stepped away from the community. The harassment is said to have extended into the real world, with people contacting a horse sanctuary he volunteers at.
It’s been enough to spark an official response, with Arrowhead stating that it and Sony are monitoring the situation.
“Due to the increasing hostility in the community we need to address it directly with all of you,” the statement in the Helldivers Discord server reads. “We do not tolerate threats of violence, harassment, or doxxing toward anyone: players, creators, developers, moderators, or our teams in any community spaces.
“While we understand that /r/Helldivers is a community-owned and operated channel, it should be a safe and welcoming place for all people to voice their opinions and frustrations in a productive and respectful way. This kind of toxic behavior is unacceptable and not something we will ever condone.”
The statement closes off with a plea to players. “We are continuing to monitor and review this situation internally and with our external partners, but in the meantime, we are asking that our players practice kindness and respect towards one another,” it ends. “Humans are not the enemy, Helldivers, your fight is elsewhere.”
It’s unclear how Arrowhead and Sony are monitoring the situation, and if there will be any follow-ups to this. At the very least, they are aware of the situation, and fans are largely in agreement that this behaviour should be condemned.
- Released
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February 8, 2024
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
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Arrowhead Game Studios, Nixxes
- Publisher(s)
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Sony Interactive Entertainment, PlayStation Publishing
