Helldivers 2 Update Boosts Player Count Amid Challenges

Helldivers 2 has witnessed a remarkable resurgence in its player base following the release of the Escalation of Freedom update, which has brought players back to the game's 'Super Earth'. Here's a closer look at the update and its effects on the game's trajectory.

Helldivers 2 Sees Player Surge

Escalation of Freedom Update Doubled Its Player Count

In just a day after the launch of the Escalation of Freedom update, Helldivers 2 experienced a doubling of its concurrent player count, jumping from an average of 30,000 to a peak of 62,819 players within 24 hours.

The reasons behind this surge are evident. The update introduced a host of new features, including formidable enemies like the Impaler and Rocket Tank, a challenging new Super Helldive difficulty level, and expansive, demanding outposts with lucrative rewards. Players also benefit from new missions, objectives, anti-griefing measures, and numerous quality-of-life enhancements.

Adding to the excitement, the launch of the new Warbond, the game’s battle pass, is set for Thursday, August 8, offering even more content to keep players engaged. This combination of fresh content and improvements has clearly sparked a renewed interest in the game.

Despite the positive surge in player numbers, the update has not been without its critics. Some players have expressed dissatisfaction with the increased difficulty resulting from continuous weapon nerfs and enemy buffs, arguing that it diminishes the game's enjoyment. Additionally, reports of game-breaking bugs and crashes have surfaced.

Although Helldivers 2 currently holds a "Mostly Positive" rating on Steam, this isn't the first instance of negative feedback.

Why Did Its Player Count Dip?

Even without counting PS5 players, Helldivers 2 has maintained a robust community on Steam since July, with an average of about 30,000 daily concurrent players. This number, while impressive for most live-service games, represents a decline from the game's peak popularity in its initial months.

At its height, Helldivers 2 attracted hundreds of thousands of concurrent Steam players, reaching a peak of 458,709. The decline was triggered by Sony's controversial decision in May to require Steam accounts to be linked with PlayStation Network, which effectively barred players from 177 countries without PSN access.

Although Sony later reversed this decision, the affected regions still cannot access Helldivers 2. Johan Pilestedt, CEO of Arrowhead Game Studios, has acknowledged the ongoing efforts to reinstate access, but the issue remains unresolved three months on.

For further insights into Pilestedt's comments and the player reaction to Helldivers 2's delisting in various countries, please refer to the article linked below.