Helldivers 2 boss can “absolutely see” making a game parody of generative AI, but it would need to be “quirky” rather than “doom-laden”
Arrowhead chief creative officer Johan Pilestedt says the studio could make a game parodying generative AI, imagining a world ruled by an AI overlord. It would be a new title rather than a Helldivers game, and the satire would be quirky and fun rather than bleak.
Helldivers 2’s Automatons are currently a spoof of Soviet Russia, not generative AI. Arrowhead CEO Shams Jorjani has argued that debate over AI in games should recognise both concerns about job losses and the technology’s potential, while protecting people’s intellectual property and rights. Pilestedt did not state his own view on generative AI, and said Arrowhead’s next unannounced game is not Helldivers 3 because the studio wants to maintain Helldivers 2’s momentum.
In short
- Arrowhead could parody generative AI in a future game.
- Pilestedt says the tone should be quirky, not bleak.
- The studio’s next unannounced project is not Helldivers 3.
Explained simply
Arrowhead Game Studios is the Swedish developer behind Helldivers 2, a co-operative action game in which players fight fictional enemy forces. Its Automatons are a robotic army designed as a spoof of Soviet Russia, rather than a reference to today’s generative AI tools.
Generative AI refers to computer systems that can produce things such as text, images or sound from prompts. Its use in games is debated: supporters point to possible creative uses, while concerns include effects on jobs and whether people’s work and rights are protected.
Arrowhead’s chief creative officer Johan Pilestedt and chief executive Shams Jorjani have both discussed the subject, though Pilestedt has not stated his own position on generative AI. The studio has also said its next unannounced game is a separate title, as it aims to keep Helldivers 2 going.
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