Summary
- Helldivers 2 is gaining popularity with its unique live service model and strong community , despite some lingering bugs and repetition.
- A recent poll on the official Discord server is giving players a chance to shape the future of Helldivers 2, with options reflecting what they'd like to see in future updates.
- The game's biggest challenges include a lack of variety in missions and a need for bug fixes, both of which are being addressed through player .
Helldivers 2's refreshing take on the live service model, along with its delightful gameplay and tight-knit community, have made it a surprise hit. It already had a small, but devoted fan base due to the popularity of the original Helldivers, but it's since expanded well beyond its original audience. It's safe to say Helldivers 2 has found its foothold, and maintains a powerful grip on Super Earth troopers everywhere.
But no game is perfect, and Helldivers 2 does struggle in certain areas. There are still plenty of bugs (the other kind) that have lingered since launch, and planet/enemy repetition is a growing problem. While new content like Major Orders and surprise updates have already refreshed the Helldivers 2 experience, there are still kinks that need to be worked out. However, some recent community outreach seems to suggest developer Arrowhead Game Studios has its heart in the right place.
One High-Level Helldivers 2 Weapon Is Definitely Worth The Grind
Helldivers 2 has one powerful primary weapon locked deep into the free Warbond that is unarguably worth the grind players take on to unlock it.
Helldivers 2 Devs Are Running A Poll To Determine What Fans Want In Future Updates
More Weapons, New Armor, Different Missions, Or Bug Fixes?
On April 15, 2024, via the game's official Discord server, the developers of Helldivers 2 opened a poll to collect fan on what they'd like to see in future updates. There are four options: more weapons and balance changes, more armor, more mission and planet types, and bug fixes only. There's no word on how much weight this will be given in development, but it's presented as an opportunity for players to determine what comes next for the game.
This is only the second in a series of polls conducted on the Helldivers 2 official Discord server, the first of which measured player satisfaction.
At the time of writing, the option for new mission objectives, modifiers, planets, and biomes was leading the poll, with 37% of the vote. It only makes sense: this is probably the most expansive option. Players seem generally satisfied with the current state of equipment, balance, and technical issues in Helldivers 2, especially based on the previous poll, in which 54% of the participants ranked their enjoyment of the game as "great", and 42% as "good.". This option addresses the biggest problem players have with the game at present, and the second-most popular option addresses another prevalent issue.
Helldivers 2 Has A Problem With Variety
How The Discord Poll Could Bring New Content To Helldivers 2
The biggest problem facing Helldivers 2 today is a lack of variety in its missions. Despite repeated teasing of a third Helldivers 2 faction, there are still only two types of enemies in the game: Terminids (Bugs) and Automatons (Bots). Of course, each enemy has its own strengths and weaknesses, so different damage types and Stratagems work better in different scenarios. And new enemy types, like the flying Shriekers, have occasionally been introduced to keep things interesting. But the most devoted Helldivers 2 players are running out of content, and the rest of the player base isn't far behind.
Helldivers 2 Major Order LIBCON 1 Could Hint To A Scary Future For Super Earth
The latest major order issued to Helldivers 2 players could suggest a scary future for Super Earth as the Automatons return in even greater numbers.
Helldivers 2 doesn't have a player retention problem just yet - according to Steam, it was the number five most played game by daily players at the time of writing. But it could become stagnant in the near future, and that's a dangerous trend for a live service game. Games like Helldivers 2 usually seek to maintain healthy player bases over longer periods of time. They're not like single-player RPGs, which are designed for one-off experiences with definitive beginnings and ends. Helldivers 2 missions need to stay varied, preferably with frequent content-focused updates, to keep players engaged.
But if the results of the recent Discord poll are honored, future updates to Helldivers 2 could address its variety problems. New enemy types like the long-awaited Illuminate or Cyborgs, new planetary types that require players to adjust their thinking, or new conditions that demand different strategies would inject a little more range into the game. They would bring back old players who ran out of content, and bring in new ones to whom the new features appeal. That could not only renew player interest, but also become a great bit of marketing for Helldivers 2.
Helldivers 2 Also Desperately Needs Bug Fixes
How The Discord Poll Could Solve Helldivers 2's Technical Issues
The other major problem facing Helldivers 2 is a dire need for bug fixes. Players have experienced issues logging onto servers and ing their friends in-game. Status effects, like the recently buffed fire damage in Helldivers 2, don't deal additional damage over time as they're supposed to. Resupply boxes sometimes just don't refill sidearms.
While few of these bugs are truly game-breaking, each of them is frustrating in its own unique way. These issues have narrowed the pool of viable builds within the Helldivers 2 meta. Players actively avoid bugged weapons, even if they're otherwise satisfying, or have unique features that could make them effective. That only worsens the issues around variety; repetitive missions are even more boring when players have fewer weapons to select from every time.
New Helldivers 2 Booster Counters The Most Annoying Mission Modifier
One Helldivers 2 mission modifier can easily ruin a good run, but a new Booster works as the perfect counter to neutralize its worst feature.
In the Helldivers 2 Discord poll, the request for a focus solely on bug fixes is currently in second place. It has 27% of the vote at the time of writing. Even though it's lagging behind the option for new missions and planets, it has over 25,000 votes on its own - not an insignificant part of the server, or even the wider Helldivers 2 community, by far. As a result, while new missions and planets will likely be the top priority for future updates, bug fixes may come right behind.
Of course, there's no reason Arrowhead has to choose just one option from the poll and focus on it entirely. These votes primarily demonstrate what's most important to the players. While new missions and planets appear to be first on most players' minds, the community clearly also wants to see some widespread bug fixes. Both can be developed at the same time, with bug fixes coming out in smaller, more regular updates, while content-heavy updates are reserved for big, seasonal drops.
But no matter what comes of the Discord poll, one thing is abundantly clear: player matters for the future of Helldivers 2. Development teams take player in a variety of ways, but this kind of direct, crowdsourced is exceptionally rare. It demonstrates a real commitment to quality on Arrowhead's part. Ensuring Helldivers 2 lives up to expectations is clearly a priority.
Helldivers 2
-
- Top Critic Avg: 83/100 Critics Rec: 90%
- Released
- February 8, 2024
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence
- Developer(s)
- Arrowhead Game Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
- Engine
- bitsquid
Helldivers II is the follow-up to the 2015 multiplayer top-down single-player/co-op shooter from Arrowhead Game Studios. The sequel, which has shifted gears to a third-person shooter format, drops players into the boots of elite super-soldiers who fight to protect Super Earth from invading alien forces while taking the fight to those who threaten the "democracy of Super Earth."
- Franchise
- Helldivers
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5
Your comment has not been saved