Freedom's greetings, Helldivers!
Release Captain Morris coming to you this democratic Thursday with an update from High Command.
This update focuses on what matters most right now: making HELLDIVERS 2 feel better to play.
We’ve overhauled how we approach patching to better target the pain points you’ve shared with us. That means more focus on stability, balance, and the issues that affect your experience the most.
Over 200 bugs have been fixed, along with key balance updates and quality-of-life improvements. (For a deeper look, check out Lennart and Niklas’ video breakdown.)
While new features are coming, this patch marks a big step forward: both in the game itself and in how we work to improve it. More refinements are already underway.
⚖️ Balancing
General changes
Primaries, Sidearms, Throwables, and Stratagems
Improvements have been made to increase the overall effectiveness of primary weapons, sidearms, throwables, and stratagems
Light vs. Medium Penetration Weapons
Light and medium penetration weapons now offer more distinct advantages.
Light penetration weapons generally deal a higher percentage of their total damage against durable enemies, differentiating them more clearly from medium penetration options
SMGs and Pistols
SMGs and pistols have been adjusted to emphasize their role as close-quarters weapons. Close-range damage has been increased, and damage falloff has been increased to reinforce their short-range combat identity
Melee Weapons and Throwables
Melee weapons and throwables have been improved to make each feel more impactful and unique in their function
Resupply Rack
The resupply rack is not climbable anymore
Primary weapons
SG-8P Punisher Plasma
Damage projectile decreased from 100 to 0
Damage explosion increased from 150 to 225
SG-8S Slugger
Damage increased from 280 to 330
Durable damage increased from 75 to 90
AR-23 Liberator
Damage increased from 80 to 90
Durable damage increased from 15 to 22
AR-23A Liberator Carbine
Damage increased from 80 to 90
Durable damage increased from 15 to 22
AR-23P Liberator Penetrator
Damage increased from 60 to 65
AR-23C Liberator Concussive
Damage increased from 65 to 75
Durable damage increased from 30 to 35
AR-61 Tenderizer
Durable damage increased from 22 to 30
AR-32 Pacifier
Damage increased from 50 to 55
Stun value per projectile increased from 1.5 to 2
SMG-37 Defender
Damage increased from 80 to 100
Durable damage increased from 8 to 18
Drag increased from 0.6 to 1.2
MP-98 Knight
Damage increased from 70 to 90
Durable damage increased from 7 to 18
Drag increased from 0.6 to 1.2
SMG-32 Reprimand
Damage increased from 125 to 135
Drag increased from 0.6 to 1.2
SMG-72 Pummeler
Damage increased from 70 to 85
Durable damage increased from 7 to 18
Stun value per projectile increased from 1.5 to 2
Drag increased from 0.6 to 1.2
LAS-16 Sickle
Damage increased from 55 to 60
Durable damage increased from 5 to 6
MA5C Assault Rifle
Damage increased from 80 to 90
M7S SMG
Damage increased from 70 to 80
Durable damage increased from 7 to 16
Drag increased from from 0.6 to 1.2
StA-11 SMG
Damage increased from 70 to 90
Durable damage increased from 7 to 18
Drag increased from 0.6 to 1.2
PLAS-39 Accelerator Rifle
Extra spare magazines increased from 8 to 12
Ergonomics increased from 40 to 60
Sidearm weapons
CQC-2 Saber
Damage increased from 110 to 125
Durable damage increased from 55 to 65
CQC-5 Combat Hatchet
Damage increased from 110 to 160
Durable damage increased from 55 to 80
Attack speed has been slightly reduced
CQC-42 Machete
Damage increased from 170 to 200
Durable damage increased from 80 to 100
P-2 Peacemaker
Damage increased from 85 to 95
Durable damage increased from 25 to 30
Drag increased from 0.6 to 1.2
P-19 Redeemer
Damage increased from 60 to 70
Durable damage increased from 5 to 12
Drag increased from 0.6 to 1.2
P-113 Verdict
Damage increased from 125 to 135
Drag increased from 0.6 to 1.2
M6C/SOCOM
Damage increased from 100 to 110
Drag increased from 0.6 to 1.2
P-92 Warrant
Drag decreased from 0.3 to 0
Gravity multiplier decreased from 1 to 0.3
Throwables
TED-63 Dynamite
Damage increased from 700 to 1000
Armor penetration increased from Medium to Heavy
Demolition strength increased from 30 to 40
Stagger increased from 30 to 40
Uses decreased from 4 to 3
G-7 Pineapple
Shrapnel from main explosion increased from 7 to 18
Demolition strength on the main explosion increased from 20 to 30
Inner radius on shrapnel explosion increased from 1 to 2.5m
Damage on shrapnel explosion increased from 70 to 100
Removed lifetime on the shrapnel
Shrapnel from the shrapnel explosion decreased from 6 to 0
G-50 Seeker
Higher priority for flying enemies
Highest target priority for marked target
Damage increased from 400 to 500
G-6 Frag
Uses increased from 5 to 6
G-3 Smoke
Uses increased from 4 to 5
Throwing knifes
Damage increased from 250 to 300
Durable damage increased from 100 to 150
PLAS-1 Scorcher
Plasma projectiles will now pass through foliage without losing velocity
Stratagems
PLAS-45 Epoch
Duration until explosion increased from 3 to 3.25 sec
Delayed muzzle charge VFX by 0.5 seconds so it now appears when the projectile is overcharged, improving visibility of the charge state
Damage on standard projectiles explosion increased from 400 to 500
Demolition strength on overcharged projectile increased from 10 to 30
M-105 Stalwart
Damage increased from 80 to 90
Durable damage increased from 15 to 22
FLAM-40 Flamethrower
Canister capacity increased from 130 to 150
Starting canisters increased from 2 to 3
Max spare canisters increased from 4 to 5
APW-1 Anti-Materiel Rifle
Durable damage increased from 180 to 225
Starting magazines increased from 4 to 5
Max spare magazines increased from 6 to 8
AC- 8 Autocannon
Damage increased from 260 to 325
GL-52 De-Escalator
Damage increased from 55 to 100
Durable damage increased from 55 to 70
MS-11 Solo Silo
Health increased from 800 to 1500
Enemies will not attack it
Increased demolition strength needed to destroy it
Orbital Railcannon Strike
Cooldown decreased from 210 to 180 sec
EXO-45 Patriot Exosuit
Missile Armor penetration in worse angles increased from 6-6-4-0 to 6-6-5-0
Rotary gun ammo capacity increased from 1000 to 1350
Enemies
The goal is to make light and medium armor-piercing weapons equally effective against certain common enemies by adjusting their durable damage and durable resistance values
Illuminates
Fleshmob
Targeting the faces deals extra damage to its main health, effectively creating weak spots
Main health decreased from 6000 to 5000
Most health zones are slightly more durable
Slightly less vulnerable to fire to balance health decrease
Elevated Overseer
Main health decreased from 600 to 450
Head health increased from 150 to 200
Head zone armor decreased from 3 to 2
Torso health decreased from 600 to 450
Arms health decreased from 300 to 250
Slight increase on how easy it is to set on fire
Leviathan
Now equipped with beam-based weaponry
Leviathans will not show up in missions outside of cities
Terminids
Rupture Strain enemies
Updated textures for all Rupture Strain enemies for better readability
Rupture Warrior
Movement speed when underground has been decreased
Needs to surface more often when moving underground
Its burrow attack is slightly slower and leaves more space to be dodged
Smaller damage boxes when attacking from below
Front legs armor decreased from 3 to 2
Will prefer to emerge before attacking turrets instead of destroying them from below ground
Rupture Spewer
Retuned the timing of how fast it starts to act from when it unburrows
Bile Spewer Variations
Increased size of its mouth weak spot
Brood Commanders
Slightly harder to set on fire
Warriors
Slightly harder to set on fire
Slight durable increase in head and body
Dragon roach
Spawn rate decreased
50% lower on difficulty 5,6
40% lower on difficulty 7,8,9
33% lower on difficulty 10
Destruction of the wings results in instant termination of the Dragon
Wings now have their own health pool of 4000
Increased how much damage wings take from explosion
Bile spewers
Slightly harder to set on fire
Larger body parts are slightly more durable
Hive Lord
Improved performance during Hive Lord encounters.
Automatons
Base Alarming
Automaton troopers in bases will require better visual confirmation before calling in reinforcements, instead of calling them in immediately
Devastators
Slightly harder to be put on fire
Large body parts are slightly more durable
Command Bunker Turret
Removed ragdolling from its projectiles explosion
Factory Strider
Slightly less vulnerable to fire
War Strider
Shoots 2 fewer grenades per salvo
Shoots grenades less often
Removed ragdolling from its projectiles explosions
Added weak spots aim for the eyes and the vents on the back
Scout Striders
Armored top shield is more durable
🔧 Fixes
Stratagems
Fixed an issue where Helldivers were unable to call down stratagems in the objective area of the "Nuke Nursery" cave mission
Fixed an issue with the B-100 Portable Hellbomb stratagem sometimes falling on Cave roofs in the "Destroy Spore Lung" mission
Fixed an issue with the drill objective stratagem sometimes landing in unintended places such as on top of caves, in Nuke Nursery Hive World missions
Players can now stay aiming down sights when activating the LIFT-860 Hover Pack
Crashes
Fixed a rare crash occurring when fighting Illuminates
Fixed a crash when hotjoining and readying up before other hotjoiners
Fixed a crash occurring when a player would re-join multiple times
Fixed a rare crash caused by Eagle-1
Fixed a rare bug where the Eagle-1 would never be removed from the game session and eventually cause crashes
Fixed rare crash bug that could happen when spawning in groups of enemies
Fixed crash affecting Helldivers trying to lean out from a vehicle
Fixed a crash that could happen when scrolling through the weapon customization menu
Fixed a crash that could happen during game shutdown
Weapons
Fixed armor penetration values in the Stats Menu for CQC-5 Combat Hatchet, CQC-30 Stun Baton,CQC-19 Stun Lance, CQC-2 Saber, CQC-1 One True Flag and the G-7 Pineapple grenade; the armor penetration value displayed as Medium instead of Light
Improved initial bullet alignment while strafing and riding in vehicles
Moved the first person camera further away from the MS-11 Solo Silo's Target Designator scope
Fixed the weapon reload animations desyncing when wielding armor passives that give increased reload speed
The FAF-14 Spear can now lock onto Automaton AA turrets
Fixed projectiles hitting direct center of sights when extremely close to objects
Haptics feedback is now present throughout the firing of the FLAM-40 Flamethrower stratagem
Miscellaneous
Fixed a bug where Hive Lord body parts would not spawn properly
Fixed an instance where the Helldiver couldn't re-join their previous host, if said host left a joined game in progress from the loadout
Fixed a bug where the LIFT-182 Warp Pack would sometimes get stuck suspended in the air or crash
Fixed Adreno-Defibrillator armor passive animation bug
Fixed disconnection issues when joining a solo player with 3 cross-platform players
Fixed mesh clipping for the arms on some animations
Reduced the chance of the Extraction Shuttle clipping through terrain
Fixed a flickering bug on the avatar when the Helldiver gets affected by mud or snow
Fixed a bug hole covered by terrain in one of the CR10 Mega Nests
Rupture Warriors can no longer destroy deployable turrets while still underground
Fixed an issue where the front door of the GATER could become inaccessible
Fixed a rare issue where the player could be disconnected when they are a part of a mixed platform, 3 person lobby that joins a solo player under poor network conditions
Fixed an issue with Illuminate dropships not taking correct damage during the “Repel Invasion Fleet” missions
The currency symbol for Saudi riyal is now displayed correctly in the in game shop
The Oil Rigs reverse audio will no longer continuously play if the player attempts to reverse during oil extraction
Fixed Helldivers going through the floor in the tutorial mission, when diving near the barbed wires
Fixed a rare soft-lock in tutorial
Helldiver is now killed when driving into drill holes during Nuke Nursery missions
Fixed an issue where Helldivers could enter a vehicle even though the seat got claimed by someone else first
Fixed controller vibrations behaving incorrectly when connecting or disconnecting controllers on PC
Fixed miscellaneous threading issues in the audio system
Fixed minor texture clipping issues on the floor between hellpod launchers on the ship
Fixed an issue where voice chat could sometimes change volume unexpectedly - particularly when entering caves
Optimizations
Optimized status effects
Optimized physics by only enabling powered ragdolls when needed
Optimized physics body handling for damage calculations
Optimized Automaton units and NPC eyes, by changing them from particle effects to shaders
Optimized AI behaviors by analyzing and stripping out redundant code
Reduced stuttering during drop-in sequence for missions on Hive Worlds
Improved audio IO performance
Snow distribution and overall look has been reworked
Improved performance by tweaking LOD settings for characters
Optimized asset distribution for several planets types
Optimized scattered assets such as grass on various planet types
Optimized asset distribution in Hiveworlds and Terminid caves
Optimized asset setup and geometry for assets used in Hiveworlds and Terminid caves
Optimized status effect physics and particle systems while maintaining visual feedback and fidelity
Optimized various Automaton explosion VFX
Optimized Acid Rain effects during Acid Storms
Optimized Dragonroach fire attack VFX
Made various optimizations to the fire system, including particle and light optimization.
Improved performance by optimizing the rendering of several shaders
Changed files in this update