Arrowhead Studios, the developer behind Helldivers 2, has announced a temporary suspension of content updates to focus on enhancing the game’s performance. In an interview shared on the official Helldivers YouTube channel, director Mikael Eriksson acknowledged that the latest substantial update, titled Into the Unjust, encountered “more issues than [the team] were comfortable with.” Consequently, Arrowhead has chosen to delay some upcoming content and feature updates while prioritizing stability and functionality.
The response from the gaming community has been mixed, as reflected in the recent Steam reviews for Helldivers 2, many of which cite performance problems. A particularly impactful review from a dedicated player with over 500 hours in-game criticized the game’s performance as “inexcusable,” highlighting issues such as stuttering, freezing, and crashes.
Eriksson responded to the community’s concerns, stating that the feedback has been valid and justifiable. He emphasized that the development team is taking these performance issues seriously and is committed to making necessary improvements to avoid recurrence in the future. “We are already making really big improvements and I’m confident that we will get there and we will be able to talk in more detail about this hopefully quite soon,” he added, expressing optimism about the enhancements in progress.
Additionally, Arrowhead Studios is addressing criticisms regarding the game’s installation size on PC, which currently stands at a significant 150GB—three times larger than its console counterparts. The high installation size has arisen partly due to data duplication and the use of mechanical hard drives, a topic that has garnered attention among the player base. Brendan Armstrong, the deputy technical director, noted that the studio is exploring solutions to this issue.
While the focus remains on improving Helldivers 2, Arrowhead has confirmed that there are no immediate plans for Helldivers 3. Instead, the studio aims to continue developing Helldivers 2 for years to come, similar to the longevity of renowned MMOs like RuneScape. This commitment to ongoing support and improvement offers a hopeful outlook for the game’s future, as Arrowhead seeks to address player concerns and enhance the overall experience.