Helldivers 2 studio CEO quashes rumors of a Sony acquisition

Helldivers celebrate victory by impaling banner into a dead bug
(Image credit: Arrowhead Game Studios)

CEO of Arrowhead Games Studios, Johan Pilestedt, has debunked rumors that the developer would be acquired by Sony.

With the success of third-person co-op sci-fi shooter Helldivers 2, Arrowhead has been enjoying some well-earned time in the sun. However, with notoriety comes a greater risk of misinformation. 

A rumor surfaced on X (formerly known as Twitter) claiming the existence of "rumors" that "Arrowhead has been acquired by Sony" with an "announcement supposedly coming soon." 

In response to the initial Tweet, Pilestedt responded. "This is fake... Unless I've missed something."

The CEO went on to criticize the source of the rumor, claiming that it used "a really s****y logo from 2008 or so when we just started the studio." 

You can see the exchange for yourself, below:

Helldivers 2 has been enjoying a great deal of success since its release back in February. The third-person shooter has enjoyed staggering popularity, to the extent that the title's often found its server infrastructure tested by the sheer demand.

In other Helldivers 2 news, a new patch recently dropped on PC, bringing balance tweaks to the game's dizzying array of weapons as well as new planetary hazards. Though the fan-favorite SG-8 Punisher was nerfed slightly, the patch brought buffs to certain orbital strikes as well as a fix to a bug that was preventing heavy armor from adequately protecting its wearers.  

At TechRadar Gaming, we gave Helldivers 2 a glowing, four-star review. Former editor-in-chief Jake Tucker praised the title for its "frenetic gunfights" and "user-friendly progression system," critical only of how the game is harder to enjoy without friends. This is a big part of why we added Helldivers 2 to our list of the best co-op games.  

Despite its explosions and veneer of silliness, we were also impressed by the Helldivers 2's satirical edge and are looking forward to seeing where Arrowhead takes the game next.

Want to see what else is out there? Check out our lists of the best PC games, the best Xbox Series X games, and the best PS5 games.

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Cat Bussell
Freelance contributor

An editor and freelance journalist, Cat Bussell has been writing about video games for more than four years and, frankly, she’s developed a taste for it. As seen on TechRadar, Technopedia, The Gamer, Wargamer, and SUPERJUMP, Cat’s reviews, features, and guides are lovingly curated for your reading pleasure.

A Cambridge graduate, recovering bartender, and Cloud Strife enjoyer, Cat’s foremost mission is to bring you the best coverage she can, whether that’s through helpful guides, even-handed reviews, or thought-provoking features. She’s interviewed indie darlings, triple-A greats, and legendary voice actors, all to help you get closer to the action. When she’s not writing, Cat can be found sticking her neck into a fresh RPG or running yet another Dungeons & Dragons game. 

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