Helldivers 2 made on old abandoned tech stingray
Game engine Stingray powers this military scifi shooter
TLDR:
Arrowhead Studios defies industry norms by using a discontinued old game engine, Stingray, to develop Helldivers 2. Sometimes it proves that familiarity and expertise with existing tools trump the pursuit of new technology trends. CEO’s Twitter post confirms the studio’s usage of the old Stingray Engine.
Originally published here: http://ariabento.wordpress.com
Stingray Engine Promo video
Helldivers 2 has joined Palworld to become one of 2024’s early megahits. The chaotic shooter has sold around 1 million copies since debuting and recently topped an estimated 450,000 concurrent users on Steam.
In the fast-paced world of game development, staying ahead of the curve often means adopting the latest technology trends and tools. However, Arrowhead Studios, the masterminds behind the Helldivers franchise, opting to use an old abandoned game engine, Stingray, to develop Helldivers 2.
But why would a game studio choose to stick with an outdated engine when newer, more advanced options are available?
Based on various articles it looks like Arrowhead’s philosophy of prioritising familiarity and expertise over shiny new technology. By using Stingray, a game engine they know inside and out, Arrowhead can focus on what truly matters: creating an exceptional gaming experience for their players. The game started production before the discontinuation of the engine and Arrowhead software engineers have done a lot of overhauling to the engine systems and tech, so it may not look like the Autodesk version of Stingray.
This is confirmed by the CEO of Arrowhead on X.
This is true. Our crazy engineers had to do everything, with no support to build the game to parity with other engines.
And yes. The project started before it was discontinued.
https://t.co/mz61TnYNGN- Pilestedt (@Pilestedt) February 21, 2024
Arrowhead’s decision to use Stingray for Helldivers 2 is a testament to the power of sticking with what you know. And focusing on crafting a good game experience. Rather than getting bogged down by the complexities of a new engine, beware shiny object syndrome.
One might reasonably think that if Helldivers 2 was still early on in development when Autodesk hung the “closed forever” sign on Stingray, a good option would have been to start over on a different engine, but it’s not that simple-Stingray isn’t just the Helldivers 2 engine, it’s the engine Arrowhead has used in most of its games over its 16-year history, including The Showdown Effect, the 2014 Gauntlet reboot, and the original Helldivers.
Stingray is what the studio knows, and when you have an experienced group of experts in a specific set of tools, you don’t give that up lightly. Just ask the fellow co-op shooter aficionados at Fatshark who also stuck with Stingray for Darktide despite starting development after Autodesk killed it.
PC Gamer Article: helldivers-2-engine-bitsquid-autodesk-stingray
Now I won’t go so far to always maintain up and keep old tech but rather to stick with things that work, rathet than reinvent things again.
In conclusion, this lesson on the success of Helldivers 2 serves as a reminder that familiarity and expertise are invaluable assets in the world of game development. By leveraging their existing tools and knowledge, studios like Arrowhead can continue to push boundaries, defy expectations, and create games that captivate audiences around the world. With some trade offs of course.
So, the next time you’re faced with the choice between adopting new technology or sticking with what you know, remember Arrowhead’s story and trust in the power of familiarity.
Links Reference
- gamedeveloper.com : arrowhead-ceo-confirms-helldivers-2-was-built-on-a-dead-engine
- pcgamer.com : helldivers-2-engine-bitsquid-autodesk-stingray
- 80.lv Articles : helldivers-ii-was-built-on-an-archaic-engine-that-you-can-t-access-anymore
- medium.com autodesk-tlv/stingray-first-impressions
An Animator Designer Dev and Apprentice World Creator. Blogging and Sharing about Anime, Games, Creativity and Various Transmedia. Thanks 👨🚀 For dropping in and reading the blog.
Originally published at http://ariabento.wordpress.com on April 8, 2024.
*Note this content is Partially generated with AI.
