Original Helldivers caught in review-bomb crossfire amid Helldivers 2 drama

The original Helldivers game is getting review-bombed on Steam amidst the ongoing Helldivers 2 drama with PlayStation.

Helldivers 2 has recently been criticized for enforcing its policy that players must connect through a PlayStation Network account. Without a PSN account, players will be banned from the game or left without access at all.

Much of the community was outraged by the situation, especially since PSN is not available in multiple countries. This would result in many players being forced out of the game they purchased.

Consequently, the community’s discontent manifested in a wave of negative reviews for Helldivers 2 on Steam. The game, once highly regarded, now bears an overall rating of “Mixed” with the recent reviews being “Overwhelmingly Negative.”

Now, the original Helldivers title is also getting the same treatment, as Arrowhead’s CEO Johan Pilestedt disappointingly shared on his Twitter/X account.

“It deeply saddens me that Helldivers is also being review-bombed due to the recent Helldivers 2 controversy,” said the Pilestedt. “What’s next? Review bombing Magicka and Gauntlet as well? Other PlayStation titles?”

The predecessor once boasted a “Very Positive” rating on Steam with over 21,000 reviews. However, users have been targeting the original game due to the recent controversy surrounding the sequel.

The recent reviews, close to 1,000, have brought it down to “Mixed,” with more reviews coming in daily.

Following this extreme protest from Helldivers 2 fans, PlayStation has responded by canceling the May 6 update. This means that Steam players will not need a PSN account to play the game.