Helldivers 2 adding new, harder difficulty level; here’s how it works

Helldivers 2 announced its “biggest update yet,” which will bring a new, harder difficulty mode, spookier swamps, and many other changes to the game. 

The co-op shooter had a dream launch, with player numbers hitting very high highs on Steam. The PlayStation console exclusive has received plenty of updates with new weapons, enemies, and, of course, capes. But after that peak, the game’s player count is seeing some low lows, with many moving away from the live-service title. 

The latest update, Escalation of Freedom, aims to bring back players and give them more reasons to stay. One of the biggest reasons players have moved to other titles like The First Descendant is the lack of mission variety in Helldivers 2. The new update will seeks to address this and other lingering troubles. 

Helldivers 2 the harder difficulty mode Combat Rating 10: Super Helldive 

The new Helldivers 2 update will add a more challenging difficulty level; Combat Rating 10: Super Helldive. 

This new difficulty level will be the hardest in the game. Arrowhead social media and community manager Katherine Baskin took to the PlayStation Blog to explain the new difficulty level. The new challenging level will “give players the intensity they are looking for,” said Baskin.

Of course, greater challenges call for greater rewards. 

Arrowhead Games is not stopping at a difficulty increase with Helldivers 2’s Escalation of Freedom update. The developers are updating the game with more mission variation. There will be new mission objectives along with bigger enemy outposts to tackle. Machines and bugs will have new outposts that will give those brave enough to fight brand new Super Sample rewards. 

Helldivers 2 adds spooky swamps with new enemies 

The new update will also bring plenty of new enemies to fight and a new spooky swamp location. 

Three new Terminids join the fight against humanity. The Impaler returns from the first Helldivers and resembles the Xen Tentacle from Half-Life. Unlike Half-Life, the Impaler reacts to everything, not just sound. A Spore Charger that can spew fog-like spores in the area and charge players is in the update. Alpha Commander is a stronger Brood Commander capable of calling new enemies to attack. 

Lastly, the new update will introduce a new planet with an ominous swamp environment. Arrowhead creative director Johan Pilestedt explains that the developers wanted to “spook it up.” The acid storm weather effect in Helldivers 2 will reduce armor for both players and enemies, which carries some interesting implications with the new hard difficulty mode. No new weapons are announced for the update. The Escalation of Freedom update launches for free on August 6, 2024.