“Definitely Not”: Helldivers 2 Is Coming to Xbox, But Game Pass Isn’t Part of the Plan

Helldivers 2 is finally on its way to Xbox, but if you were hoping to play it through Game Pass, don’t hold your breath. Arrowhead Game Studios has made it very clear that the game won’t be part of Xbox’s subscription service, and it doesn’t sound like that’s going to change.

The news came straight from Arrowhead’s community manager, known online as Baskinator. In the official Helldivers 2 Discord server, a fan claimed the game was headed to Game Pass. Baskinator responded fast and clearly: “Definitely not. No plans to bring it to Game Pass.” That response was first picked up by VideoGamer.

It might seem strange for a Sony-published game to launch on Xbox in the first place, but that’s already happening next month. Even so, making it free on a service like Game Pass was never really expected.

Sony isn’t likely to agree to that kind of deal, and Microsoft probably won’t pay a huge fee just to make it happen. These two companies might be working together more these days, but they’re still competitors.

There’s already a similar example going the other way. When Microsoft’s Sea of Thieves showed up on PlayStation 5, it wasn’t included in any version of PlayStation Plus. People had to buy the game outright, and many did. It sold well. That’s probably the same kind of result Sony is hoping for with Helldivers 2 on Xbox.

The timing of this news is also interesting. Xbox fans have had a rough stretch lately. Microsoft just shut down one of its studios, The Initiative, and reportedly cancelled some major games, including Perfect Dark, Everwild, and an unannounced MMORPG from Zenimax Online. There are also reports of low morale at 343 Industries, the team behind Halo. People are now waiting to see what kind of announcement they’ll make during the Halo World Championship.

Meanwhile, over in the world of Helldivers 2, the game just dropped its “Heart of Democracy” update, which brought back the Illuminate, a powerful alien enemy. After a brutal fight, Super Earth’s forces won the battle, and now they’re working on rebuilding, while maybe doing a bit of “resource gathering” from the enemy.

So yeah, Helldivers 2 is coming to Xbox, which is a win. But if you want to play it, you’ll need to pay for it. Game Pass isn’t part of the deal, and according to the devs, it never will be.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments below!