Summary
- Helldivers 2 saw a near-110% increase in player count on PS5 following the release of the Omens of Tyranny update last week.
- The Omens of Tyranny update has been well-received by Helldivers 2 players thanks to new content like the Illuminate enemy faction and urban warfare maps.
- A Killzone crossover for Helldivers 2 has also been rumored in recent memory.
A new report reveals that Helldivers 2's latest Omens of Tyranny update has driven a major player count boost for the co-op shooter on PS5. Omens of Tyranny was shadow-dropped for Helldivers 2 at The Game Awards 2024, and PS5 players seem to be loving the update so far.
Helldivers 2 launched in February 2024 and quickly ascended the ranks of popularity on PS5 and PC. On Steam alone, Helldivers 2 achieved a staggering peak concurrent player count of 458,709. Sony announced in May 2024 that Helldivers 2 sold 12 million copies across PS5 and PC, but the game's popularity did slump in later months due to the PSN account-linking debacle and a plethora of nerfs to weapons and stratagems after the Escalation of Freedom update. However, Helldivers 2 has made a triumphant comeback in the past week.
Helldivers 2: How to Fight the Illuminate
Check out this collection of faction-specific tips on how to crush those Illuminate missions in Helldivers 2.
Following the debut of the Omens of Tyranny update, Helldivers 2 saw a massive popularity spike on PC with over 150,000 players tuning in to check out the new content. Pinning down player counts for Helldivers 2 on PS5 is a bit more difficult, but TrueTrophies has published some data that adds valuable context. Gathering gameplay data from 3.5 million active PSN accounts, a new TrueTrophies report found that Helldivers 2's concurrent player count jumped 109.8% on PS5 since Arrowhead released the Omens of Tyranny update last week.
Helldivers 2 PS5 Player Count Boost After Omens of Tyranny Major Update
- 109.8% higher player count week-on-week
The report notes that this spike is only 34.3% of the all-time peak concurrent player count that Helldivers 2 achieved back in March 2024. Since TrueTrophies only tracks PlayStation-specific data, though, the report likely excludes PC player counts for Helldivers 2 and is solely referring to PS5 player numbers. Moreover, the sample size of 3.5 million players is also rather diminutive compared to the 116-120 million active PSN users every month, so it's no wonder that Helldivers 2's PS5 player boost seems much lower than the near-750% popularity spike on PC after the launch of Omens of Tyranny.
Regardless of what the data looks like, there's no denying that Helldivers 2 players are very happy with the Omens of Tyranny update. The addition of the Illuminate enemy faction to Helldivers 2 was long overdue, and the 4x4 Fast Recon Vehicle and urban warfare maps are great bonuses for players as well. Additionally, with a rumored Killzone crossover for Helldivers 2 in the works, the co-op shooter may just be poised for prosperity in 2025.
Helldivers 2
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 83 /100 Critics Rec: 91%
- Released
- February 8, 2024
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Arrowhead Game Studios, Nixxes
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment, PlayStation Publishing
WHERE TO PLAY
The Galaxy’s Last Line of Offence. Enlist in the Helldivers and join the fight for freedom across a hostile galaxy in a fast, frantic, and ferocious third-person shooter.
URGENT BROADCAST – SUPER EARTH ARMED FORCES
Freedom. Peace. Democracy. Your Super Earth-born rights. The key pillars of our civilization. Of our very existence. But the war rages on. And everything is once again under threat.
Join the greatest military force the galaxy has ever seen and make this a safe and free place to live.
BECOME A LEGEND
You will be assembled into squads of up to four Helldivers and assigned strategic missions. Watch each other’s back – friendly fire is an unfortunate certainty of war, but victory without teamwork is impossible.
LOADOUTS
Rain down freedom from above, sneak through enemy territory, or grit your teeth and charge head-first into the jaws of combat. How you deliver liberty is your choice; you’ll have access to a wide array of explosive firepower, life-saving armor and battle-changing stratagems… the jewel in every Helldiver’s arsenal.
REQUISITION
Super Earth recognises your hard work with valuable Requisition. Use it to access different rewards that benefit you, your squad, your destroyer ship and our overall war effort.
THREATS
Everything on every planet wants you dead. That’s what we’re dealing with. Each enemy has distinct and unpredictable characteristics, tactics, and behavior – but they all fight ferociously and without fear or morality.
THE GALACTIC WAR
Capturing enemy planets, defending against invasions, and completing missions will contribute to our overall effort. This war will be won or lost depending on the actions of everyone involved.
We stand together, or we fall apart.
- Engine
- bitsquid
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- All platforms
- Franchise
- Helldivers
- Number of Players
- 1-4 players (online)
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Extraction Shooter, Action, Science Fiction
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
