Helldivers 2 could be the new trend for the shooter genre.

The video game industry has gone through many different trends, and the recent Helldivers 2 may well usher in a new era.

Like any other part of the broader entertainment industry, video game trends have come and gone countless times, often influencing a large portion of the gaming industry for a short time before completely disappearing. Of course, when a video game trend proves successful, it will last much longer, but often undergoes major changes to become a permanent part of the video game industry. A perfect example of this is the explosion of the battle royale genre, popularized by games like Fortnite and PUBG. But after Call of Duty: Warzone and Apex Legends joined the fun, the desire to create battle royale games quickly faded from the industry. And now, Helldivers 2 may be about to start the industry's latest trend.

Launched in early February, Helldivers 2 has dominated much of the broader video game consciousness over the past month. As a live-service online shooter where players are dropped onto a planet, eliminating as many insects and robots as possible, completing a number of objectives, and retreating with as many rewards as possible, Helldivers 2 offers an addictive core gameplay loop, and it is this very gameplay loop that may well give the industry its latest short-term focus.

Helldivers 2 Could Start a New Trend for the Military Shooter Genre

Helldivers 2 Was a Resounding Success

Just three days after its release, Helldivers 2 sold an incredibly impressive one million copies. While technically a sequel to the 2015 Helldivers game on PS Vita and PS4, Helldivers 2 is not an established IP, and its ability to sell over a million copies so quickly is clear evidence of the game's quality. And that's just the beginning. Throughout February, Helldivers 2 continued to grow in sales and popularity globally, with Arrowhead Studios recently confirming, relatively speaking, that the game has sold around three million copies in just three weeks.

The unexpected success of Helldivers 2 can be attributed to several key factors, firstly the game's core premise and gameplay loop. A satirical take on modern world politics through the lens of a galactic war from science fiction, Helldivers 2 draws inspiration from the best of Starship Troopers while still forging its own unique reputation. The gameplay of Helldivers 2 is also noteworthy, taking elements from online shooters like Escape From Tarkov and transforming them in new and engaging ways, such as turning the simple action of calling out Stratagem abilities into a mini-game similar to Dance Revolution.

Another crucial factor behind Helldivers 2's success – which can only really be attributed to the game's high quality – is its online presence. While Sony's initial marketing strategy was important, a large part of Helldivers 2's most effective marketing strategy actually came after its release, with thousands of players sharing on Twitter and TikTok to request support on specific planets, or to share their most chaotic, filmable matches.

Helldivers 2's formula will work well with other brands.

Clearly, Helldivers 2 has become one of the biggest games of 2024, and where there's success in the gaming space, there's usually a crowd of major game publishers wanting a piece of the pie. It's a very real possibility that Helldivers 2's unique galaxy-wide gameplay loop and online service approach could be adopted by other developers, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

There are a number of popular video game franchises that could work wonders with Helldivers 2's gameplay formula. The Halo franchise is the first natural choice, with its own Orbital Drop Shock Troopers that look very similar to Helldivers' famous Sci-Fi soldiers, but interestingly, it was recently revealed by former 343 Industries chief designer Kevin Schmitt that some of the ODST-based ideas were proposed years ago, including one that looks remarkably similar to Helldivers. Other Sci-Fi video game franchises like Titanfall and even Doom would also be natural choices for Helldivers 2's formula. Even Call of Duty could experiment with this formula, possibly implementing it in Warzone much like they did with the DMZ extractive shooter mode.