Helldivers 2 has surprised everyone including its developers, as the game continues to make large sales figures and boasts incredibly high player counts. The title was released on both PlayStation 5 and PC, but Xbox players are now feeling left out hoping that Helldivers 2 comes to Xbox.
Although the landscape has changed quite a lot from the days of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, the console wars are alive and well. But Helldivers 2 seems to be the one game in recent years that has the two opposing sides lobbying for the common cause. Today, we'll take a look at the policy differences for exclusives between Microsoft and Sony and how this will impact the release of Helldivers 2 on Xbox.
If you're interested in more Helldivers 2 content, learn if the game has a single-player mode and if we'll be getting PvP.
Is Helldivers 2 coming to Xbox?
The short answer is that it is unlikely for Helldivers 2 to come to Xbox. It's disappointing, but we're most likely never going to see the title make its way to the Microsoft-owned console. Despite its concurrent release on both Playstation 5 and Steam, with incredibly impressive player counts, the rights to the Helldivers 2 IP are owned by Sony. Sony is also the publisher of the game, which means they're free to exclude Xbox as long as they want.
Phil Spencer, the CEO of Xbox, expressed his disappointment and said “I will say when I look at a game like Helldivers 2 — and it’s a great game, kudos to the team shipping on PC and PlayStation — I’m not exactly sure who it helps in the industry by not being on Xbox.” during his interview with the Game File newsletter.
Phil Spencer has recently become a massive advocate for the strategy to bring Xbox games to PlayStation and Nintendo consoles. This is part of Microsoft's new strategy to monetise their software. IPs like Starfield and even Doom might not remain Microsoft exclusives. Of course, this has disgruntled hardcore Xbox fans as they feel they're not being catered to. However, Phil Spencer has given assurances that Xbox consoles will keep being supported.
Will Helldivers 2 be on the Game Pass?
Despite being available on PC via Steam, no one should hold any expectations for a Helldivers 2 release on the Game Pass. Despite recent petitions from Xbox fans who have demanded that the game be ported over, the change in publishing policy seems unlikely.
This is due to the legacy of conflict between the two consoles known as the Console Wars. Superiority has generally been decided by the number of popular exclusives. Microsoft and Xbox have the PC market captured, but Sony is quite reliant on its exclusives to justify PlayStation sales. Exclusives like the upcoming Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth keep Sony fans dedicated.
That's all we know about the Xbox release for Helldivers 2 right now, but we'll be sure to keep you posted if the unthinkable happens and Microsoft and Sony come to a console war ceasefire in the combined fight for democracy on Super Earth. For more Helldivers 2 guides, you can learn about all the factions in Helldivers 2 and how you can defeat Devastators.