Summary
- Helldivers 2 saw a spike in player count due to the Omens of Tyranny update release.
- The game's 24-hour peak player count on Steam is at 150,169, the highest since May.
- The Omens of Tyranny update addressed player complaints and added lots of new content.
After the recent massive Omens of Tyranny update, chaotic co-op shooter Helldivers 2 has experienced a massive player count spike. This influx of players has made Helldivers 2 more popular than it has been since April.
At the start of 2024, Helldivers 2 was released to enormous acclaim from fans and critics alike. The game offered a unique brand of chaos that few other titles could match, and was a pleasant surprise to kick off the year. Its popularity was somewhat railroaded by the PSN account-linking controversy, which led to many players turning their back on the game, despite Arrowhead Game Studios continuing to release frequent content. As 2024 comes to a close, this all seems like ancient history now, with Helldivers 2 recently winning the award for Best Multiplayer Game at The Game Awards 2024.
As seen on SteamDB, Helldivers 2 currently has a 24-hour peak player count of 150,169 on Steam. While this remains some way off its all-time peak on the platform of 458,709, it is the highest number of players the game has seen since May - conveniently around the time the Helldivers 2 PSN account-linking controversy occurred. In recent months, the game has hovered around the 25,000 to 50,000-player mark on a regular basis. This is still a very healthy community for the live service game, but its current spike is an impressive improvement.
Helldivers 2's Omens of Tyranny Update Has Sparked a Player Count Spike
It's no secret why Helldivers 2 has suddenly seen a massive influx of returning players. During The Game Awards, Helldivers 2 shadow-dropped the massive Omens of Tyranny update, perhaps the biggest content drop for the game to date. It added the highly-anticipated Illuminate faction, which long-time Helldivers fans will recognize from the original game. It also included multiple new urban missions, as well as the Fast Recon Vehicle, to traverse maps. Overall, Omens of Tyranny essentially addressed many of the biggest complaints the fans had of Helldivers 2, which could be why players are giving it another chance.
While Omens of Tyranny is a fantastic addition to Helldivers 2, Arrowhead Game Studios has never rested on its laurels since the game's release. There is going to be plenty more content coming to the game in 2025, including one rumored Killzone crossover for Helldivers 2. Nothing is confirmed at this point though, so gamers will just have to wait patiently to see what the developer announces heading into the new year.
Helldivers 2
-
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
