Summary
Helldivers 2Steam reviews have dropped to the “Mixed” territory. This notable decline in the game’s user ratings on Valve’s storefront appears to primarily stem from its ongoing server issues that are still preventing many from getting into aHelldivers 2match.
Arrowhead Game Studios' live service shooter was released for the PS5 and PC on February 8. It immediately established itself as a massive hit, having even managed toseize the title of Steam’s top-selling game fromPalworld. Three days following its release, Arrowhead revealed thatHelldivers 2sold some 1 million copies. But that massive success also created sizable problems for the game’s server infrastructure, which was initially designed to allow for around 50,000 concurrent players at launch instead of hundreds of thousands.
Helldivers 2 Steam Reviews Drop as Servers Remain at Max Capacity
Ahead of its two-week release anniversary,Helldivers 2Steam reviewshave dropped from “Very Positive” to “Mixed.” Specifically, the game now has a 68% positive user rating, based on nearly 129,000 player opinions. That’s ten points down compared to its Friday score. The recent influx of negative reviews appears to be primarily motivated by the fact thatHelldivers 2servers have once again hit their maximum capacity over this past weekend, leaving many players unable to get into a match. The game has yet to recover from that traffic surge as of Tuesday, February 20.
Arrowhead’s latest attempt at addressing the ongoing server issues was just rolled out in the form of amajorHelldivers 2update, which promises to deliver “better backend performance,” among other changes. Although it’s still too early to tell whether the patch has managed to slow down the recent wave of negative Steam reviews, it is plausible that it won’t stop new unfavorable ratings completely.
That’s because the problem with the game’s servers being at capacity is at least partially caused byHelldivers 2players refusing to log outto keep their spots in the never-ending queues, artificially inflating the shooter’s network traffic and thus further exacerbating the core issue. This exploit is only possible because the game has yet to implement an away-from-keyboard (AFK) timer, a fairly standard feature in always-online titles which would force logouts and help players who are actively waiting for a match to get into one faster.
How long the developers take to tackle this trend and resolve other issues stemming from the game’s immense popularity remains to be seen. In the meantime,Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt has been personally responding to fan grievanceson social media, assuring them that the ongoing server problems are “being worked on 24/7.” In one case, the executive went as far as to advise a prospective customer not to buyHelldivers 2"until the servers can support the capacity."
Helldivers 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Do you believe in freedom? Can you stand in the face of oppression – and defend the defenceless? Wage war for peace. Die for democracy.Join forces with up to three friends and wreak havoc on an alien scourge threatening the safety of your home planet, Super Earth, in this multiplayer co-op shooter for PS5 and PC from Arrowhead Game Studios.Step into the boots of the Helldivers, an elite class of soldiers whose mission is to spread peace, liberty and Managed Democracy using the biggest, baddest and most explosive tools in the galaxy.Helldivers don’t go planet side without proper backup, but it’s up to you to decide how and when to call it in. Not only do you have a host of superpowered primary weapons and customizable loadouts, you also have the ability to call on stratagems during play.Helldivers 2 features Arrowhead’s best cooperative gameplay yet. Collaboration will be vital: Teams will synergize on loadouts, strategize their approach for each mission and complete objectives together.1Enlist in Super Earth’s premier military peacekeeping force today. We are heroes… we are legends… WE ARE HELLDIVERS.
