Helldivers 2 Escalation of Freedom Update Doubles Player Count After Downward Spiral

Helldivers 2's recent "Escalation of Freedom" update has revitalized its player base, sending Steam concurrent players soaring. Let's delve into the update's impact and the game's journey.

Helldivers 2 Player Base Rebounds

A Doubled Player Count After the Update

Following the "Escalation of Freedom" update, Helldivers 2 saw its concurrent player count double in a single day, jumping from a consistent average of 30,000 to a peak of 62,819.

This resurgence is attributed to the update's significant content additions: new formidable 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. The launch of the "Warbond" battle pass on August 8th further fuels this renewed interest.

Despite this positive upswing, the update hasn't been without criticism. Many players cite increased difficulty due to weapon nerfs and enemy buffs, along with reported bugs and crashes, as detracting from the overall experience. While the game currently holds a "Mostly Positive" Steam rating, this isn't the first time it has faced negative feedback.

The Prior Player Dip Explained

Prior to the update, Helldivers 2 maintained a healthy Steam community, averaging 30,000 concurrent players daily—a substantial number for a live-service game. However, this represented a significant drop from its initial peak.

The game's popularity plummeted after Sony mandated linking Steam accounts to PlayStation Network in May, effectively locking out players from 177 countries lacking PSN access. While Sony reversed this decision, the access issue persists for these regions. Arrowhead Game Studios CEO, Johan Pilestedt, has confirmed ongoing efforts to resolve this, but a solution remains elusive three months later. Further details on Pilestedt's statements and the subsequent player backlash can be found in a related article.