Helldivers 2 has seen a remarkable resurgence on Steam, experiencing a dramatic player increase following its substantial "Escalation of Freedom" update. This update brought players back to the intense action on "Super Earth," leading to a significant boost in concurrent players.
Helldivers 2 Player Base Rebounds
"Escalation of Freedom" Update Doubles Concurrent Players
Within 24 hours of the update's release, Helldivers 2's concurrent player count more than doubled, jumping from a consistent average of 30,000 to a peak of 62,819.
This resurgence is attributed to the update's comprehensive overhaul. New enemies (Impaler and Rocket Tank), a challenging "Super Helldive" difficulty, expanded and more rewarding outposts, fresh missions and objectives, improved anti-grief measures, and enhanced quality-of-life features have all contributed to the game's renewed appeal. The launch of the "Warbond" battle pass on August 8th further bolsters player engagement.
Despite the positive player influx, the update has also garnered negative feedback. Players cite increased difficulty stemming from weapon nerfs and enemy buffs, impacting the overall gameplay experience. Reports of game-breaking bugs and crashes have also surfaced. While the game maintains a "Mostly Positive" Steam rating, this isn't the first instance of negative player reaction.
Previous Player Count Decline Explained
Prior to the update, Helldivers 2 enjoyed a robust Steam community, averaging 30,000 concurrent players daily (excluding PS5 players). This is noteworthy for a live-service game, yet significantly lower than its initial peak.
At its launch, Helldivers 2 reached a staggering 458,709 concurrent Steam players. This popularity plummeted after Sony mandated linking Steam accounts to PlayStation Network in May, effectively locking out players from 177 countries without PSN access. Although Sony reversed this decision, access remains restricted in those regions. Arrowhead Game Studios CEO, Johan Pilestedt, has confirmed ongoing efforts to resolve this issue, but the problem persists three months later. Further details on Pilestedt's statements and the resulting player backlash can be found in a related article.
