As a fan since Helldivers 1, they deserve it.
Is that why there isnt an Xbox version? Sony paying studios to keep games off of Xbox, again?
More like a movie script being pitched to multiple studios and one of them putting up the risk/money to fund it.
A lot of these “exclusive” games are passed up by studios, not paid to be exclusive. Not saying that doesn’t also happen, but it’s not always the case, nor is it even the norm.
Sony owns the IP, they’re not paying for exclusivity, they own it.
Not sure why are you getting downvoted when you’re right.
https://trademarks.justia.com/860/42/helldivers-86042209.html
And they just got done suing Xbox so Microsoft couldn’t own the Modern Warfare IP.
Caveats like “they own it, they don’t pay so others can’t own it” are meaningless at ground level.