Helldivers 2: Player Count Surges After Major Update

Helldivers 2 has seen a remarkable resurgence on Steam following its substantial "Escalation of Freedom" update, bringing players back to the intense battles on "Super Earth." This article delves into the update's impact and the game's fluctuating player base.

Helldivers 2 Player Count Soars

Escalation of Freedom Update: A Doubled Player Base

Within 24 hours of the "Escalation of Freedom" update's release, Helldivers 2 witnessed a dramatic doubling of its concurrent player count, jumping from a consistent average of 30,000 to a peak of 62,819.

This resurgence is attributed to the update's significant additions: new formidable enemies (Impaler and Rocket Tank), a challenging "Super Helldive" difficulty mode, expanded and more rewarding outposts, fresh missions and objectives, anti-griefing measures, and overall quality-of-life improvements. The impending launch of the "Warbond" battle pass on August 8th further fuels player engagement.

Despite this positive surge, the update hasn't been without criticism. Numerous players have voiced concerns about 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 currently holds a "Mostly Positive" Steam rating, this isn't its first encounter with negative player feedback.

The Reason Behind the Initial Player Dip

Prior to the update, Helldivers 2 maintained a robust Steam community, averaging approximately 30,000 concurrent players daily since July—a significant achievement for a live-service game. However, this represented a considerable decline from its initial peak popularity.

At its height, Helldivers 2 boasted hundreds of thousands of concurrent players on Steam, reaching a staggering 458,709. This dramatic drop occurred in May when Sony mandated linking Steam accounts to PlayStation Network, effectively locking out players from 177 countries lacking PSN access.

Although Sony reversed this decision, access remains restricted in those regions. Arrowhead Game Studios' CEO, Johan Pilestedt, has confirmed ongoing efforts to restore access, but the issue persists three months later. Further details on Pilestedt's statements and the resulting player backlash following the game's delisting can be found in a related article.