Highlights
- Helldivers 2 players have continued to ask about potentially increasing the squad size to fit more than 4 players.
- However, Thomas ‘Twinbeard’ Petersson confirmed it would require a lot of work to accomplish.
- Instead of flat out saying no, if this feature were to get approved, it likely wouldn’t be anytime soon and instead off in the distant future. .
Responding to a fan, Arrowhead Game Studios community manager confirmed that increased Helldivers 2 squad sizes likely won’t be coming anytime soon. Helldivers 2 has been a massive success for both Sony and Arrowhead Game Studios, more so than anyone though considering the amount of issues the game suffered from at launch due to overwhelming numbers of players attempting to sign in. However, even the initial troubles were not enough to dissuade players from playing and Helldivers 2 continued to rapidly grow alongside the dynamic galactic war constantly shifting and evolving.
Part of the appeal of the game is Helldivers 2‘s ability to continually add content through consistent updates. These include bug fixes and quality life improvements, though Helldivers 2 is also changing gameplay with new strategems and modifiers like planetary effects. Many of the staff at Arrowhead Games have also been plenty vocal with the community, by answering questions, teasing new content, and keeping players informed on fixes. That trend has continued from the official Discord page, where the community managers can directly interact with players, including the ability to respond to feedback or inquiries.
Rumor: Helldivers 2 New Enemy Faction Models Leak
Some recent Helldivers 2 leaks give players their first look into new enemies, which allegedly belong to the Illuminate faction.
One element that players have consistently asked about is whether or not it would be possible to increase the squad size from the traditional 4 to something larger. Inside of the official Helldivers 2 Discord channel, Thomas ‘Twinbeard’ Petersson was specifically asked about the possibility of increasing the squads to include more players beyond the maximum of 4. Other live service titles, specifically those in the shooter category like The Division 2, do include content designed for larger groups of players. Destiny 2 has been producing Raid activities designed for 6 players, an increase from the typical PvE game modes designed for a fireteam of three.
Unfortunately for fans, it doesn’t seem like expanding beyond 4 players is in the cards. Twinbeard responded to the question by first admitting that the future isn’t set in stone, but for now, expanding the squad size would require a lot of work. While it seems unlikely to happen based on the amount of work required, especially as Arrowhead Game Studios continues to release updates and create new content, if it were to be a greenlit feature, the change would likely be off sometime in the distant future.
In fact, a discussion has been taking place online recently regarding how Arrowhead Games should be focusing its time on Helldivers 2, either on fixing bugs or generating new content. The debate even reached members of the Arrowhead Games including the CEO Johan Pilestedt, who weighed in with some additional context. As Pilestedt admitted, it’s very easy to say “just fix, don’t add” but considering how competitive the gaming industry is with keeping players engaged, the studio has to do both. Pilestedt even admited that it’s a hot topic internally at the studio as the team continues to find its stride and balance.
Helldivers 2
Helldivers 2 is a third-person cooperative shooter developed by Arrowhead Games Studios for the PC and PlayStation 5 where players take control of a Helldiver set to protect the citizens of Super Earth by traveling to hostile alien worlds and destroying threats. Players undergo missions, defeat enemies, and use special items called Stratagems to help turn the tide of battle in this punishing release.
- Franchise
- Helldivers
- Released
- February 8, 2024
- Developer(s)
- Arrowhead Game Studios
- Genre(s)
- Shooter
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Platforms That Support Crossplay
- PC & PS5