GamesActionHelldivers 2Helldivers 2 player counts more than double launch weekend, 300K and climbing, as the co-op shooter goes viralWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

GamesActionHelldivers 2Helldivers 2 player counts more than double launch weekend, 300K and climbing, as the co-op shooter goes viralWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Arrowhead Game Studios)

Helldivers 2

Helldivers 2has reached unexpected heights of success in the past week, with a trajectory of players that mimics previous post-launch successes like Valheim. With over 330,000 concurrent players on Steam as of this afternoon, that concurrent players line is only going up from launch weekend’s 150K peak, signaling a game that’s pulling in real viral numbers.

More Helldivers 2(Image credit: Arrowhead)Helldivers 2 weapons: Best guns of Super EarthHelldivers 2 stratagems: Understand the ordinanceHelldivers 2 loadouts: Finest kits for bug-killingHelldivers 2 armor: Which suits to wearHelldivers 2 medals: Where to claim more currency

More Helldivers 2

(Image credit: Arrowhead)Helldivers 2 weapons: Best guns of Super EarthHelldivers 2 stratagems: Understand the ordinanceHelldivers 2 loadouts: Finest kits for bug-killingHelldivers 2 armor: Which suits to wearHelldivers 2 medals: Where to claim more currency

(Image credit: Arrowhead)

Helldivers 2 key art, with Helldivers posing and firing weapons against a propagandistic backdrop.

Helldivers 2 weapons: Best guns of Super EarthHelldivers 2 stratagems: Understand the ordinanceHelldivers 2 loadouts: Finest kits for bug-killingHelldivers 2 armor: Which suits to wearHelldivers 2 medals: Where to claim more currency

As of press time the peak concurrent player count was 333,827 at about 8:10 PM UTC, 3:10 PM ET. That number comes from trackerSteamDB—which can only give us half the story, as the PlayStation-published Helldivers 2 is crossplay between PC and PS5. Last week, on February 11, there were at least a million total players, per developer Arrowhead Games' CEO.

A common meme among the community, however, is that Helldivers 2 issuffering from success. The sheer number of players has caused severe server issues for developers who were expecting peak player counts less than a quarter of the current numbers.

To make up for the rocky going Arrowhead is handing outa lot of bonus experience right now.

Helldivers 2 is a third-person cooperative shooter based on chaotic battlefields against overwhelming odds when you’re equipped with overwhelming firepower—with plenty of hilarious friendly fire along the way. In the PC Gamer review of Helldivers 2 writer Joshua Bailes called it"bombastic, funny and challenging, but still a bit buggy.“I’ll agree with that assessment, and with Joshua’s conclusion that even if a (non-giant-alien) bug ruins the conclusion of a single match, the overall experience is superb.

You can findHelldivers 2 on Steam. If you’re looking to jump into a hellpod for Super Earth, check out these11 things I wish I knew before playing Helldivers 2and then after a few hours go read8 things Helldivers 2 doesn’t tell you that are actually pretty important.

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