Helldivers 2's recent "Escalation of Freedom" update has revitalized its player base, leading to a dramatic increase in concurrent players on Steam. Let's delve into the update's impact and the game's ongoing journey.
Helldivers 2 Player Base Soars
A Doubled Player Count After the Update
The Escalation of Freedom update resulted in a remarkable doubling of Helldivers 2's concurrent player count on Steam within 24 hours, jumping from an average of 30,000 to a peak of 62,819.
This resurgence is attributed to the update's substantial content additions. New enemies (Impaler and Rocket Tank), a challenging "Super Helldive" difficulty mode, expanded and more rewarding outposts, fresh missions and objectives, anti-griefing measures, and quality-of-life improvements have all contributed to the game's renewed appeal. The upcoming launch of the Warbond battle pass on August 8th further fuels player engagement.
Despite this positive surge, the update has also drawn some negative Steam reviews. Players cite increased difficulty stemming from weapon nerfs and enemy buffs, along with reported bugs and crashes. While the game maintains a "Mostly Positive" rating, this isn't the first time it's faced criticism.
The Previous Player Dip: A Look Back
Prior to the update, Helldivers 2 enjoyed a consistent Steam player base of approximately 30,000 concurrent players, a significant achievement for a live-service game. However, this was a considerable drop from its initial peak of 458,709 concurrent players.
This decline was largely attributed to Sony's initial requirement to link Steam accounts with PlayStation Network accounts in May, effectively locking out players in 177 countries without PSN access. Although Sony reversed this decision, the access issue persists for these regions, as confirmed by Arrowhead Game Studios' CEO, Johan Pilestedt, who continues to work towards a solution. The situation remains unresolved three months later. Further details on Pilestedt's statements and the resulting player backlash can be found in related articles.
