Arrowhead Game Studios CEO Shams Jorjani seems to have accepted an imposing Helldivers 2 challenge that requires beating Oshaune on the hardest difficulty. For as much criticism as the live service shooter has gotten since launch, the team behind it has remained actively involved in the community, frequently fielding questions and responding to fan requests. Now, the Helldivers 2 boss is attempting a challenge that could result in a big statement about the game’s balance.
Over the course of the past two years, Helldivers 2 has had a complex relationship with difficulty, with devs wanting new ways to keep the game engaging but fans taking issue with some of their solutions. While the game has faced plenty of other, more pressing criticisms to tackle, the balance conversation always seems to be going on in the background. It’s now evident that this topic matters enough to some fans for at least one to put their money where their mouth is and challenge Arrowhead to try things out for themselves.
Helldivers 2 CEO Wants One Major Change to the Armor System
Arrowhead Game Studios CEO Shams Jorjani points out a major change he would like to see in Helldivers 2’s armor system.
Arrowhead CEO Is Seemingly Attempting a Helldiver 2 Fan’s $1,000 Challenge
A recent post from Redditor Key_Complex_150 challenged any four Arrowhead devs to complete an entire operation on Oshaune on difficulty level 10, rewarding them with a $1,000 donation to any charity, and now Redditors have spotted Jorjani seemingly taking it on. The CEO has been regularly posting on Helldivers 2‘s official Discord server about the challenge and his progress in it so far. For now, it doesn’t look like he has completed it, as he mentioned having finished it on level 7 and is now moving on to level 8. How he’ll fare on the hardest of Helldivers 2‘s 10 difficulty levels is unclear for now, as is whether Jorjani is teaming up with other devs, which was another one of Key_Complex_150’s stipulations.
Balance the critic averages
Balance the critic averages
Easy (6)Medium (8)Hard (10)
For now, it seems Jorjani may be practicing before taking on the challenge in full. The original post required the devs to upload a video of them accomplishing the feat with no modifications as proof, and so far, Jorjani has only updated the community on Discord. Even if the CEO doesn’t end up meeting all the requirements, it’s a fun experiment, especially in light of how Jorjani has expressed wanting to push Helldivers 2‘s difficulty in the past. Key_Complex_150 said their challenge is meant to show “how well the game’s balance is,” so if the devs can’t complete it, it could theoretically provide evidence that the current approach to difficulty misses the mark. On the other hand, it could also just prove that level 10 is very hard.
As prominent a discussion as the game’s difficulty may be, Arrowhead has expressed in the past that it’s not its main goal. In 2025, Helldivers 2′s Creative Director said game designers should prioritize fun over balance, claiming that too many devs spend too much time obsessing over balance rather than making an engaging and functional game. However, he also went on to say that balance should follow as part of the polishing stage of development, which is where Helldivers 2 falls, now that it’s been over two years since its release.
Regardless of the outcome of this challenge, it may be an encouraging sign to see the team behind the game playing it. Trying things out firsthand and actively communicating with the fanbase could help Arrowhead deal with Helldiver 2‘s extreme ups and downs by putting devs in players’ shoes. If nothing else, some users have had fun seeing Jorjani take off his CEO hat for a moment and become just another Helldivers 2 player, with some commenting that they’ve encountered, even accidentally killed, him in-game. What comes of it all is still uncertain, but it’s at least entertaining to watch.
- Released
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February 8, 2024
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
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Arrowhead Game Studios, Nixxes
- Publisher(s)
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Sony Interactive Entertainment, PlayStation Publishing
