Real Time Strategy games have been having a difficult time for a while now, butHelldivers 2has all the ingredients to reignite interest in the genre. Despite a dedicated player base sticking by, Blizzard seems reluctant to give any attention toStarcraft. Perhaps the neglect of this former strategy titan could open up space for Arrowhead to step in with a competitor set in theHelldivers 2universe.
Arrowhead has already proven to be a very adaptable studio, asHelldivers 1was a much humbler undertaking compared to the huge steps taken to makeHelldivers 2the hugely successful co-op shooterit is today. The formula is evidently very flexible, and as both games feature large battles for resources on expansive maps, it isn’t so hard to imagine that this franchise could be just what the RTS genre needs.
Helldivers’ Core Mechanics Would Translate to the RTS Genre Very Well
Anyone familiar with the first game will remember its isometric perspective.Helldivers 1melded typical strategy mechanics, like structures and call-in artillery, with twin-stick shooter gameplay to make for a uniquely tactical real-time loop. Combined with pre-selected loadout systems and the galaxy map, Arrowhead has clearly been taking inspiration from strategy games for some time.Helldivers 2modified a lot of these pillarsto work in a third/first-person perspective to massive success, proving it is an enduring format.
Beyond mechanics,Helldivers’ faction and map design would cross over very well. All three of the featured enemy races have their own identity and large rosters of units, backed up by buildings that provide functionality akin to RTS bases. Terminids would satisfy someone who enjoys wave attacks of endless chitinous bugs, reminiscent of Zerg, using ambushes to divide enemy lines before the big beasts attack. Automatons rely on traditional combined arms and strong defenses, bogging down their foes with lines of trenches and minefields, while theIlluminate strike and fadewith small contingents of elite soldiers shielded by mindless drones, their mobile ships offering a new interpretation of traditional base structures.
Even the forces of Super Earth could form a faction. By expanding the roster of infantry and vehicles, Super Earth could play very atypically from most human factions in similar games. Instead of being numerically superior,Helldivers 2has shown what can be achieved by a select few operatives playing tactically, and aHelldiversRTS could lean into this philosophy to present a human faction that operates more akin to a band of specialists, where the loss of even one soldier is a big economic blow.
Other RTS Games Have Proven the Formula Would Work
Starcraftprovides a good blueprint for how aHelldiversRTS could work. Large armies, strategic resource gathering, and strong factional diversity are all there. However, other entries in the genre also support the concept.
TheDawn of Warseriesshares some elements withHelldivers. TheDark Crusadeexpansion deviated from a linear story campaign, instead implementing a battle map populated by the game’s factions all fighting for control of the planet.Helldiverscould leverage the always online galaxy map to do something similar, perhaps ambitiously crossing over with theHelldivers 2map, letting players dictate the course of a faction’s galactic ambitions.
Dawn of War 2andCompany of Heroeshave a commander systemreminiscent ofHelldivers' stratagems. Each faction has a selection of global abilities ready to be activated from the hotbar to spawn commander-specific units, deploy forward structures or nuke enemy positions from orbit with powerful artillery. By expanding on the wayHelldivers2 implemented a similar mechanic, each of the four factions could have a selection of global abilities that build upon their playstyles.
IfHelldiversreally wanted to break the mold, of course, it could take notes from a classic title likeAge of Empires. Perhaps an unusual way to approach things,Age of Empiressatisfies those players who want long, thoughtful games on very large maps.Helldiverscould use this blueprint to represent the forces of its respective factions deploying to a planet for the first time, expanding from their beachheads to vie for control of local resources until they become advanced superstates, which would emulate how the different factions feel when conquering new planets.
Despite Helldivers’ Suitability, the RTS Genre Is Difficult to Break Into
There is a reason thatStarcraftis not what it used to be, and it doesn’t have anything to do with a more popular game replacing it. Ever since the rise of MOBAs, RTSes have been suffering a long death. Offering a more accessible interpretation of isometric tactics while retaining high skill ceilings, MOBAs have proven to be more attractive, and many players do not have the APM to compete at the highest levels ofStarcraft. Even slower games likeDawn of WarandCompany of Heroes, which enjoyed success for a while, could never boast player numbers anywhere near evenStarcraft.
One of thefew big hits in recent memory isTotal War: Warhammer, but even that game strips back a lot of traditional RTS features, such as live resource management, making onboarding new players easier.Total Warwas already a successful franchise before makingWarhammergames, and the strong IP only made it more successful.
But IP alone cannot be relied upon. Plenty of strong franchises have attempted and failed to gain a foothold in the strategy market. Sticking withWarhammer,Realms of Ruintried to apply theDawn of War 2tactical formula to anAge of Sigmarsetting, but failed to find an audience.Relic have also seemingly abandonedDawn of Warfor the foreseeable future after the third installment’s identity crisis caused players to return to older entries in the series.
Clearly, it is not just strong IP and copying successful models that make lasting games. IfHelldiverswere to launch an RTS, it needs to stand apart from the rest, leveraging the best parts of the series’ formula, and an understanding of what makes strategy games fun. The game worked because it shook up the co-op shooter market. There is popularity inherent inco-op games likeHelldivers, something that has waned with RTSes. If aHelldiversRTS is going to be successful, it needs to do more than crutch on its brand name - it needs to make people love the RTS genre all over again.
Helldivers 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Do you believe in freedom? Can you stand in the face of oppression – and defend the defenceless? Wage war for peace. Die for democracy.Join forces with up to three friends and wreak havoc on an alien scourge threatening the safety of your home planet, Super Earth, in this multiplayer co-op shooter for PS5 and PC from Arrowhead Game Studios.Step into the boots of the Helldivers, an elite class of soldiers whose mission is to spread peace, liberty and Managed Democracy using the biggest, baddest and most explosive tools in the galaxy.Helldivers don’t go planet side without proper backup, but it’s up to you to decide how and when to call it in. Not only do you have a host of superpowered primary weapons and customizable loadouts, you also have the ability to call on stratagems during play.Helldivers 2 features Arrowhead’s best cooperative gameplay yet. Collaboration will be vital: Teams will synergize on loadouts, strategize their approach for each mission and complete objectives together.1Enlist in Super Earth’s premier military peacekeeping force today. We are heroes… we are legends… WE ARE HELLDIVERS.
