Helldivers 2 is a “Massive Hit” on PC and PS5, Says Circana Analyst

Sony has revealed the stats for its most downloaded games for the month of April. Going by the stats on the PlayStation Blog, on the PS5 side of things, Sea of Thieves topped the charts in EU, while Helldivers 2 led the way in US and Canada. The PS4, on the other hand, was dominated by Fallout 4 in both regions.

Microsoft shut down the widely admired studios behind Hi-Fi Rush and Prey earlier this week, but when asked about the closures, Xbox president Sarah Bond gave a nondescript response that success for each game "is really unique."

Demand for Sea of Thieves on PS5 skyrocketed pretty much as soon as it became available to pre-order on the platform, and only went on to increase from then on, so it’s no surprise that the game’s sales are reflecting that in the aftermath of its PlayStation release.

The barrage of TV — and great TV — continues apace in 2024, with plenty of intriguing new and returning shows launching their seasons this week.

Sony has reversed a decision that would have required Helldivers 2 players to link their Steam accounts to PlayStation Network accounts.

Helldivers 2 PC players who live in regions without access to the PlayStation Network will still be able to play the game, even after the account linking mandate comes into effect, according to one developer. 

Helldivers 2 has enjoyed nothing but roaring success since its launch in February, though the last 24 hours have seen it on the receiving end of strong backlash. Sony recently announced that Helldivers 2 players on PC would have to link their Steam and PlayStation Network accounts to be able to play the game going forward, provoking strong criticism from the community. The game’s “Recent” user reviews rating on Steam – which takes into accounts user ratings for a game over the last 30 days – has fallen to “Mixed”, having received over 24,000 negative ratings on the platform just today.

Helldivers 2 players have found massive tunnels on Terminid planets after the latest patch. Helldivers 2, a cooperative third-person shooter developed by Arrowhead Game Studios, has gotten a lot of attention for its intense gameplay and ongoing updates. Set in a dystopian future, players battle against alien forces across various planets, facing formidable enemies like Bile Titans, Hive Lords, and plenty more.

Stellar Blade was the best-selling physical game in the UK last week, with its launch sales on PS5 being enough to see it top sales charts in the region. Sony and Shift Up haven't shared any official sales data just yet, but this marks a good start for the title, which holds the potential to sell well long-term. TopSpin 2K25 was another new entry in the UK sales chart last week, debuting in third place.

This author thought Helldivers 2 was going to be a colossal flop, so it just goes to show how unpredictable this industry can be. According to Circana analyst Mat Piscatella, it currently sits behind a trio of Spider-Man titles, a couple of God of War games, and Ghost of Tsushima as Sony’s seventh highest grossing game in the United States to date. It’s been out less than three months, and isn’t even being sold at full-price.

Arrowhead Game Studios has announced the next Premium Warbond for Helldivers 2 – Polar Patriots. Going live on May 9th, it offers armor sets for cold climates alongside new weapons, emotes, capes and more. Check out the trailer below.

Helldivers 2 has achieved remarkable success following its launch earlier this year, partly due to its availability on PC. Helldivers 2, a cooperative third-person shooter developed by Arrowhead Game Studios and published by Sony, launched simultaneously on PlayStation 5 (PS5) and PC in February 2024. This departure from Sony's traditional release strategy aimed to tap into the growing PC gaming market.