Helldivers 2 Performance Fix Coming, New DSS Features & More Teased By Arrowhead CEO

Performance has steadily gotten worse in recent months for those playing Helldivers 2 on PC, but a fix appears to be in the works, according to developer Arrowhead Game Studios' CEO, Shams Jorjani. The cooperative third-person shooter has seen steady success since its launch in early 2024, buoyed by regular new content additions, but recent developments in the in-game Galactic War have caused some players – particularly those on older PC hardware – to experience significant, often game-breaking, performance issues.

On the official Helldivers Discord server (via VG247), Arrowhead is cognizant of the game's poor performance; Jorjani had the following to say:

"we are 100% aware performance aint great now. we're tracking closely and have numerous things in motion. We'll be sharing details on what we'll do in the not too distant future."

He went on to clarify that the current issues stem from newer content added to the game:

"the more we add in terms of content the tougher performance becomes, we then have to do a bit of housekeeping. hopefully in the future we'll be able to add content that has less impact"

Subsequent discussion turned to upcoming fresh content, including new features for the Democracy Space Station, which "has barely scratched its potential," according to Jorjani, who joined players in speculation about a "Liberation Laser" fired from orbit.

Killzone Crossover Rifle Will Return To The Superstore, But Frost Weapons May Be Unlikely

Helldivers 2 Is Still Fixing Its Killzone Event Controversy

This most recent activity from Shams Jorjani in the Helldivers Discord started in response to a question about the StA-52 Assault Rifle. The weapon was part of the first phase of the game's crossover with Killzone, where it and a new armor, helmet, cape, player card, and title were available in the Superstore, where players can exchange Super Credits for cosmetics. The price of the Killzone items caused quite a stir; so much so that the second phase of Killzone items was given away for free to make amends.

The first phase items, including the StA-52, were promised to be put into the Superstore rotation, but due to its apparent randomness, certain items haven't reappeared. Responding to the inquiry about when the StA-52 will become available, Jorjani said, "we want it back asap - but things get in the way. it's going to come back - promise!" Among other feedback, the Killzone items have lead to the Superstore being expanded to multiple pages of available items in recent months.

Jorjani also hinted that frost weapons may not be on the horizon. Freezing temperatures already affect gameplay on relevant planets, but many players have long hoped for such mechanics to be utilized for specialized weaponry – the game already has fire and gas weapons, among many others. When asked about frost weapons, Jorjani said, "frost? hmm that's not something I recall being discussed [at Arrowhead]." He could be playing coy, but it's best not to read too deeply into Discord messages.

Helldivers 2 Faces Significant Performance Challenges As It Continues To Grow

An Ever-Evolving Live-Service Game

Two Helldivers connect while a monstrous Terminid in the background looms closer

Helldivers 2 has generally been impressive with its handling of live-service monetization and content updates, dropping players into a war with front lines that are constantly changing, but its very nature is now resulting in some unfortunate problems. To stay relevant among other multiplayer games, Helldivers 2 requires a constant drip of new content, but the frequent iterations have made it difficult for lower-spec PCs to keep up. Optimization is certainly possible, and Arrowhead is currently working on just that, but the Galactic War's stakes and spectacle will only continue to grow.

Even the frame rate on PlayStation 5 tends to drop when a lot is happening on-screen, so there's conceivably a tech-limited ceiling for how far the game can go. Hopefully PC performance can get back to a better place before the expected arrival of more Illuminate forces. The Helldivers have momentarily paused the advance of the Meridian Singularity, but there's likely more content coming that will push the envelope for Helldivers 2, including that teased by Arrowhead's CEO.

Source: VG247