Helldivers 2 Developers Seek Community Input to Address Teammate Kicking Issue

The CEO of Arrowhead, developer of Helldivers 2, seeks community input to address the issue of players being kicked from matches due to not adhering to perceived ‘meta’ builds. Suggestions include a ‘kick reason’ feature and a matchmaking preference system.

Addressing the Teammate Kicking Issue in Helldivers 2

Helldivers 2, the highly anticipated co-op shooter released in early 2024 for PlayStation 5 and PC, has received critical acclaim and commercial success. However, a frustrating issue has emerged within the game involving players being kicked from matches due to not adhering to perceived ‘meta’ builds. This problem has persisted since the game’s launch, particularly on higher difficulties, prompting the CEO of developer Arrowhead to seek solutions from the community.

Johan Pilestedt, CEO of Arrowhead, expressed his disapproval of the kicking behavior and invited the community to offer design suggestions to improve the player experience. This call for input prompted a stream of suggestions from the player base, ranging from the addition of a ‘kick reason’ feature to a matchmaking preference system.

One user proposed the inclusion of a ‘kick reason’ feature, which would prompt the host to provide an explanation for kicking a player. Another suggestion was to highlight the player who initiated the kick in the ‘recent teammates’ section, allowing others to block them and avoid future encounters. Streamer Gothalion proposed the inclusion of a matchmaking preference system, enabling players to filter for teammates with similar playstyles.

Exploring Possible Solutions for the Kicking Issue

Various suggestions were put forward by the community to address the teammate kicking issue in Helldivers 2. Some proposed more punitive measures, such as tracking the number of kicks a player performs and potentially taking action against repeat offenders. Others suggested creative ideas, including creating a separate instance for kicked players to continue playing with their gear and loadout intact or implementing a ‘conditional kick’ system based on specific circumstances.

One player expressed frustration at being kicked even during the score screen after completing a mission. Pilestedt acknowledged this issue and suggested not allowing kicks at that point or still providing rewards to alleviate the frustration.

While the ability for hosts to kick teammates will remain, Pilestedt emphasized the importance of hosts taking ownership of their experience and having the right to remove players who are griefing. He likened it to visiting someone’s house, where the host has the final say.

Pilestedt expressed gratitude towards the community for their suggestions and stated that the development team would draw inspiration from the thread. He appreciated the community’s collective effort in discussing a challenging problem and acknowledged that while vote kicking may be the easiest solution, there may be better alternatives.

Helldivers 2: A Surprising Hit with Room for Improvement

Helldivers 2 has emerged as a surprise hit of 2024, garnering critical acclaim and commercial success. Despite the kicking issue, the game has topped Steam charts and reportedly sold around three million copies. Analysts suggest that the game’s popularity is still growing.

In the midst of the discussion on kicking in Helldivers 2, mechs were introduced in the game’s first balance patch, sparking some backlash addressed by Arrowhead. The controversy surrounding the introduction of mechs did not overshadow the game’s overall success.

For more details on why Helldivers 2 has resonated with players, check out IGN’s Helldivers 2 review.