Helldivers 2 Seriously Considered Letting the Best Soldiers of Democracy ‘Hallucinate’ That Didn’t Happen: ‘This was rejected’

In the ongoing quest to spread managed democracy across the galaxy, Helldivers 2 has captured the hearts of millions with its unique blend of chaos, camaraderie, and strategic mayhem. Now, Arrowhead Game Studios has revealed that they almost took the game in an even more experimental direction.

The studio’s leadership team recently sat down to discuss their vision for the game’s future, including potential crossovers and experimental features that didn’t quite make the cut. Among these revelations was an intriguing system that would have fundamentally changed how players experience the game—a feature that was ultimately shelved for some very practical reasons.

The System That Could Have Changed Everything

In what can only be described as a very intriguing interview with Korean gaming outlet Inven, Arrowhead recently revealed they had considered implementing a system that would have let each player experience their own unique version of the game. This wasn’t just about different armor colors or weapon skins—this was about creating entirely personalized experiences.

The system, which Rock Paper Shotgun aptly described as letting Helldivers “hallucinate other licenses,” would have worked similarly to Dota 2‘s map skins. In Dota 2, players can customize their map’s appearance without affecting what others see—a system that works well in a MOBA where precise location callouts aren’t as critical to survival.

But in a game like Helldivers 2, where every second of coordination counts and one misplaced stratagem can spell disaster for the entire team, such a system could create more problems than it solves. As Arrowhead CEO Shams Jorjani explained:

We’ve discussed a cosmetic system in the past where only what the gamer sees changes. For example, when applying a map skin, the user’s map will appear to have changed, but others will see it as the default map.

The potential for creativity was certainly there, but so was the potential for confusion. Coordinating with your squad is already challenging enough when everyone’s seeing the same battlefield!

Perhaps unsurprisingly, practical concerns ultimately led to the feature’s rejection. As Jorjani noted:

This was rejected because it could cause confusion during the game. The terrain or object that one person is talking about may appear different to another person.

This decision shows that even in a game where accidental team kills are practically a rite of passage, some forms of chaos are better left unexplored. After all, when you’re fighting for Super Earth, mixed signals can be just as deadly as any bug or bot.

Crossovers and the Future of Super Earth

While the “everyone lives in their own reality” approach didn’t make the cut, Arrowhead isn’t completely abandoning the idea of spicing things up. The studio is actively exploring potential crossovers with other franchises, but with the kind of careful consideration you’d expect from a team that takes spreading democracy very seriously:

Whatever it is, the important thing is that it fits the game called Helldivers. It has to be an IP that players are familiar with, but it shouldn’t interfere with the fantasy of Helldivers.

From the grimdark universe of Warhammer to the xenomorphs of Alien, there’s no shortage of potential collaborations that Arrowhead could make feel right at home alongside our beloved orbital strikes and questionable workplace safety practices.

However, instead of individual hallucinations, we’re more likely to see traditional cosmetic options that everyone can appreciate together. Because at the end of the day, spreading managed democracy is a team effort—and it’s hard to be a team when everyone’s living in their own reality.

The focus, for now, remains on ensuring that any new additions serve Super Earth’s greater good. Sometimes that means making the tough decision to reject interesting ideas in favor of maintaining the core experience that makes Helldivers 2 special.

What do you think about Arrowhead’s decision? Would you have enjoyed a more personalized version of the battlefield, or are you glad they kept everyone in the same reality? Share your thoughts in the comments below!