Helldivers 2’s Unexpected Success and the Resulting Server Issues
6 min read
Helldivers 2, the latest game from Arrowhead Game Studios, has taken the gaming world by storm. The game, which was released on February 8, 2024, has seen an unprecedented level of success, with concurrent player numbers reaching new heights. However, this success has come with its challenges, as the game’s servers have been unable to keep up with the demand.
The game’s developers, Arrowhead Game Studios, have had to temporarily cap the number of concurrent players to around 450,000 in order to improve server stability. This cap has been put in place as the team works to “get the ceiling raised” and fix other issues related to the game’s immensely successful launch.
The news of the server issues and player peak came as a surprise to many, as the game’s success was not expected to be this big. Helldivers 2 had already passed the all-time Steam concurrent record of Grand Theft Auto V, Starfield, PUBG: Test Server, Counter-Strike, and Destiny. It has also become the top game in the U.S. ahead of juggernauts Fortnite and Call of Duty.
The game’s combat feels fantastic, its missions stay fresh and interesting, and its smart progression system doesn’t nickel and dime you. These factors, along with the game’s unexpected popularity, have led to the server issues and the need for a temporary cap on concurrent players.
Arrowhead took to Helldivers 2’s Discord to share the news, saying it is “working around the clock” to solve the problems players are running into. The team is doing all it can to help players dive back in “for Freedom” in Helldivers 2. While the problem is that there are so many who want to take on the evil bug and bot forces.
The unexpected success of Helldivers 2 has shown that gamers are willing to pay for high-quality games, even if they come with a higher price tag. The game is priced at $70, which has been a topic of debate among some gamers. However, the game’s success has proven that publishers can sell more games if they price them correctly.
The temporary cap on concurrent players is a rare occurrence these days, as most games are able to handle the demand. The devs and Sony are working to resolve the issue and get the ceiling raised as soon as possible. In the meantime, players are encouraged to restart the game in order for things to sync back up.
Helldivers 2’s unexpected success has also raised questions about the future of gaming and the role of cloud servers in the industry. The game’s move to cloud servers was intended to allow for scalable resources and prevent server issues. However, the unexpected success of the game has put a strain on the cloud servers, leading to the temporary cap on concurrent players.
The unexpected success of Helldivers 2 has also led to speculation about the possibility of an Xbox port. Xbox owners have been watching PS5 and PC players spread democracy and have expressed their desire to play the game. However, it remains to be seen if an Xbox port will be developed.
In conclusion, Helldivers 2’s unexpected success has come with its challenges, as the game’s servers have been unable to keep up with the demand. The temporary cap on concurrent players is a rare occurrence, but necessary in order to improve server stability. The game’s developers and Sony are working to resolve the issue and get the ceiling raised as soon as possible. The unexpected success of Helldivers 2 has also raised questions about the future of gaming and the role of cloud servers in the industry.
As players wait for the server stability issues to be resolved, they are encouraged to check out our extensive and ever-growing Helldivers 2 wiki, how the devs will alleviate rewards issues with weekend bonuses, and our look at why Helldivers 2 is just so awesome.
Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.
Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
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Helldivers II
Helldivers II
ARROWHEAD GAME STUDIOS
FEB 8, 2024
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FWWMSonos
14 hours ago
This shows me that $70 is a dumb price point. Gamers do not like and more and more they are not paying it.
Publishers will sell more games if they price games correctly. $60 for new, big games. $40-50 for smaller, half baked GaaS with future potential. All people win including the corporate sui…
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TheGza
14 hours ago
I like shitting on Sony as much a the next guy, but the games 40 bucks which is pretty solid deal.
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2 replies
mikeyhavik815
12 hours ago
Maybe it’s just me, but I truly don’t give a shit if a game is $70 instead of $60.
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2 replies
GeneralChaos
14 hours ago
Great news for a great game. Congrats to the Arrowhead Game Studios and to Sony.
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HollowIdols
9 hours ago
You couldn’t sound anymore robotic if you tried.
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1 reply
Stone-coldmal123
8 hours ago
Having to temporarily stop people from playing because the game is so successful, is a rarity these days. Hopefully all will be sorted soon and as many players as possible get their chance to play this unexpectedly good game.
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solid_snake_gear
3 hours ago
Unexpectedly, good game? I take it you never played the first one as anyone who played that knew the sequel was going to be great.
What was unexpected was just how popular it would be, this is truly broken all expectations
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1 reply
mpgheavens
6 hours ago
Yeah, kinda funny that server issues were caused by the actual success of the game. The devs nor Sony expected it to be this big.
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spman345
14 hours ago
Phil “I’m not exactly sure who it helps” Spencer trying to join in on the fun but can’t and is bitter about it.
Eric Andre GIF
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jakefolino
2 hours ago
Pretty sure he has a ps5 that he actively plays
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Theuserwithnoname
14 hours ago
Don’t worry, if you can’t get in because of the cap, you can play Redfall.
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TheGza
14 hours ago
I played recently with a friend and we were having fun. It’s like playing a bad B movie
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gamingdevil800
14 hours ago
The player peak keeps growing 400,000 on steam alone now… so must be way over 500,000 including PS5! Wouldn’t surprise me if the game gets close to a million total players by next weekend.
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PhatTuna
13 hours ago
And that’s concurrent players. Not total number of players who have downloaded and launched into the main menu once, like game pass game stats.
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2 replies
Legend_of_Link27
12 hours ago
Happy for this studio. For people complaining here are the facts…1. they made an incredible game 2. They had no idea that it would blow up this big (no one did) 3. They are going to fix the problem and they can temporarily ONLY have 450,000 concurrent players 😂
Congrats to all the devs and wish them the best in fixing the issue as soon as possible.
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MrsDump511
12 hours ago
The entire reason (that they told us) behind killing dedicated servers and going cloud only was because they could scale the cloud resources up and down as needed so this wouldn’t happen.
It’s already been a week+.
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2 replies
gums007
3 hours ago
Game is way overrated. 20 hours played and uninstalled. Matchmaking issues aside, the games gets very boring after the first couple missions.
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DukeAtom
14 hours ago
Xbox owners watching PS5 and PC players spread democracy:
Sad Oh No GIF by Odd Creative
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NewJersey123
12 hours ago
Been tempted to get it but feel like by the time they figure this out the hype is gonna be mostly gone
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B1GPOPPA82
1 hour ago
I’m gameflying so I should have it in about a week, Bomberman135 is already in it. That COULD be our crew right there.
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