I don’t think we should forget just how good Helldivers 2 still is. Arrowhead’s co-op shooter has been a victim of its own success – when it first arrived, it felt like a revelation, one of the most enjoyable, compelling, and inventive new co-op games of the last five years. Yes, cracks have started to appear. Arrowhead has been back and forth over Helldivers 2 so many times that all the fun feels like it’s been flattened out. And yes, there’s still a sour taste from the PSN debacle. But HD2 is still HD2, and the foundation remains strong. As the long-awaited Illuminate faction breaks cover, Arrowhead says it’s aware of the drop in positive sentiment, and has a big rebalancing plan inbound.
Just this week, the Helldivers 2 review bombing campaign has restarted and Arrowhead has delayed the next patch. With regards to the future of the multiplayer game, that sounds pretty severe, but we also got a tease – albeit inadvertent – of the new, enigmatic Illuminate faction. Ups and downs, rain and shine – Helldivers 2 has been through it all this year. But Arrowhead says it knows about the bad reviews and that it’s making significant changes to, well, almost everything.
“It’s been a couple of weeks since we committed to our 60-day plan, and our team has been hard at work refining the gameplay experience, addressing your concerns by doing in-depth reviews and adjustment of various systems, from weapon balancing and enemy behavior to the overall game mechanics,” Arrowhead says. “We are fully committed to ensuring Helldivers 2 meets the high standards we all expect. We see the Steam reviews and we hear you loud and clear.”
The next Helldivers 2 update will arrive on Tuesday September 17. Arrowhead explains that it will rework armor penetration, anti-tank weapons, and enemy armor and health values. In fact, the studio has reworked more than 30 Helldivers 2 weapons and stratagems. Enemies are also being changed so that they feel more “rewarding” to kill, but still, also, remain challenging.
“Enemy bots, including Hulks, will have lower armor, and the number of rockets fired by enemies like the Devastator and Gunship will be limited, making combat more balanced,” Arrowhead says. “The armor values of particularly tough bug enemies like the Charger, Impaler, and Bile Titan will also be reduced.”
The Autocannon, Heavy Machine Gun, and Anti-Materiel Rifle will all become more effective after the next update and Arrowhead is taking steps to improve flamethrowers. “We’re taking this opportunity to consider new player fantasies and design goals for these weapons and stratagems based on the feedback we’ve received and the trends we’re observing during gameplay,” the studio says.
Arrowhead also lifts the lid on its balancing processes in general – if you’ve ever logged on, discovered that something crucial has been changed, and been confused as to why the Helldivers 2 dev would make such an alteration, it explains, in some detail at least, its approach.
“Our design team, led by our chief creative officer Johan Pilestedt, analyzes player feedback, internal and external playtests, gameplay data, and the original design goals for each weapon and stratagem,” Arrowhead explains.
“This process allows us to identify discrepancies – such as weapons that are underperforming or overperforming – and make precise adjustments. The goal is to ensure that each weapon and stratagem feels powerful, responsive, and fun to use, while also fitting into the broader gameplay ecosystem.”
Hopefully these changes will be enough to win back the Helldivers 2 crowd. In the meantime, try some of the other best co-op games, or look ahead to the best upcoming PC games on their way soon.
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