Helldivers 2 is experiencing consistent player loss and is on a downward trajectory. Read on to discover the reasons for this decline and Arrowhead's future plans.
Helldivers 2 Loses 90% of Players in 5 MonthsHelldivers 2's Popularity Wanes Among Steam Users
Helldivers 2, Arrowhead's acclaimed alien shooter, achieved a remarkable feat as Playstation's fastest-selling game ever at launch. Despite this initial success, the game experienced a sharp decline on Steam, with player counts falling to roughly 10% of its all-time concurrent peak of 458,709 players.
Helldivers 2 encountered a major problem due to a notorious PSN issue earlier this year, when Sony unexpectedly mandated PSN account registration for Steam purchases. This excluded 177 countries lacking PSN access. Players who bought or pre-ordered in these regions were locked out, and even those who could register a PSN account felt negatively impacted. Helldivers 2 received overwhelmingly negative reviews globally, causing a dramatic player count drop. The repercussions were so severe that the game was removed from sale in countries without PSN services.
By late May, Helldivers 2 had plummeted, with SteamDB showing a 64% decrease to 166,305 players. Currently, the 30-day average has further decreased to approximately 41,860 concurrent players, a 90% reduction from its peak.
It's crucial to remember these numbers only reflect the Steam player base; a significant portion of the community for the Sony-published game remains active on PS5. Nevertheless, the Steam version is thought to have constituted a majority of its player base.
Helldivers 2 Freedom's Flame Warbond is arriving August 8
Arrowhead, in an effort to address current issues and respond to the dwindling player base and attract new players, has recently announced the upcoming Freedom’s Flame Warbond update on August 8, 2024. This new update will introduce new weapons, armor, and missions including the highly anticipated Airburst Rocket Launcher and two new capes and cards called Purifying Eclipse, a heartfelt tribute to the Liberation of Choepessa IV in the First Galactic War, and The Breach, a reminder of the final mission of the 361st Freedom’s Flame. These new additions are designed to sustain the game’s popularity and attract new players to revitalize the player base.
Helldivers 2 as a Live Service Game and Push for Content
Helldivers 2 exceeded all expectations during its launch by selling 12 million copies in just 2 weeks, outperforming God of War: Ragnarok. This is a significant accomplishment, but this isn't a sustainable path for Sony and Arrowhead's live service model. Indeed, as a live service game, Arrowhead aims for Helldivers 2 to be a lasting success. Since there's no definitive conclusion to Helldivers 2, Arrowhead can continuously introduce new cosmetics, equipment, and content, thus creating a perpetual revenue stream.
Helldivers 2 remains a significant title in the co-op shooter genre despite some difficulties. The dwindling player base underscores the need to address player concerns promptly. It will be fascinating to observe the game's future as it strives for more content and seeks to retain players' interest.
