Arrowhead Game Studios founder and Helldivers 2 creative director Johan Pilestedt, who now holds the position of chief creative officer at the company, is taking a sabbatical and working on an all-new game upon his return.

Helldivers 2 chief creative officer Johan Pilestedt will be taking a "sabbatical" from work, after which he'll focus on a brand new Arrowhead game.

Helldivers 2 celebrates its one-year milestone, but CCO of Arrowhead, Johan Pilestedt is taking a break after 11 years of leading the franchise.

The director of Helldivers 2 says he needs to take a break before he can start work on his studio’s next game. In a statement posted on X, game director and Arrowhead Game Studios co-founder Johan Pilestedt explained that he had been working on the game for around nine years, and the entire Helldivers series for more than a decade.

Helldivers 2 creative director Johan Pilestedt has announced he'll start work on the next game from Arrowhead Studios after he's taken a sabbatical (an extended break from work). On Twitter, he said that after 11 years of working on the IP, he has "set aside" his family, friends, and himself. As such, he's taking some time away to reconnect.

Since the start of the Russo-Ukrainian war in 2014, one Russian phrase has haunted me. It translates to “They [Ukrainians] crucified a little boy wearing nothing but his underwear.” It sounds grotesque, like something from a macabre fairytale. And it never happened, of course. But for many people in Russia, it might as well have.…

Arrowhead's boss Johan Pilestedt will be taking a sabbatical to focus on his personal life, and once he's back will work on their next game.

Helldivers 2 creative director Johan Pilestedt has announced that he'll take a break from work before Arrowhead's next game enters development.