Why the Helldivers 2 Theme Hits So Hard | ft Will Roget

How did the Helldivers 2 theme become so instantly iconic? In this episode of Main Quest, composer Will Roget breaks down how he created the sound of Super Earth, why the Helldivers theme hits so hard, and how game music can make players feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves. *Note: This was filmed in 2025. Some information may not be up to date. Will Roget has worked across major video game franchises including Helldivers 2, Star Wars, Call of Duty: WWII, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Star Wars Outlaws, and more. In this conversation, we dive into his early love of Final Fantasy VII, learning composition through MIDI transcription, his time at LucasArts, the difference between scoring film and games, and the hidden design behind the Helldivers 2 soundtrack. Will also explains why the Helldivers 2 theme uses 5/4 time, why triplets make the melody feel like it is breaking through the rhythm, how the music follows the motion of a Hellpod drop, and how the soundtrack creates what he calls the “super democratic super crescendo.” Plus, Will talks about writing new music for Helldivers 2: Into the Unjust, the challenge of underground missions, and why the next phase of Helldivers may force players to rethink how they survive. Subscribe to Main Quest for more deep dives with the people behind your favorite games. Chapters 00:00 - Will Roget Joins Main Quest 02:52 - How Final Fantasy VII Changed Everything 06:00 - Learning Game Music Through MIDI Transcription 13:10 - Working on Star Wars at LucasArts 20:00 - Why Star Wars Music Is So Hard to Beat 25:30 - Why Scoring Games Is Like Algebra 29:20 - How Game Composers Deliver Music in Stems 38:30 - Writing Music for the Player 41:20 - Creating the Helldivers 2 Theme 51:35 - The Super Democratic Super Crescendo 01:04:00 - New Helldivers 2 Music for Into the Unjust Follow Main Quest: Instagram:   / mainquestofficial   Twitch:   / mainquestofficial   TikTok:   / mainquestofficial   Discord:   / discord   #Helldivers2 #WillRoget #MainQuest #SuperEarth #ArrowheadGameStudios #GameMusic #VideoGamePodcast #PlayStation #PCGaming