Arrowhead Studios recently revealed that they are working on a balancing patch for co-op shooter Helldivers 2, but this has proven to be more difficult than anticipated because weapons with greater kill rates do not necessarily result in successful missions.
Helldivers 2 Balance Patch
Now that long queue times have been eliminated in Helldivers 2, the community is shifting its focus to other areas for development.
Some players complained to CEO Johan Pilestedt about a probable primary weapon modification since weapons such as the SMG, starter assault rifle, and, in particular, the Breaker shotgun were killing more people than others.
We are looking at data and doing a balance patch – you would be surprised to learn that while the breaker scores more kills. It is not overrepresented in missions that end in success…. 🤔
— Pilestedt (@Pilestedt) February 28, 2024
“We are looking at data and doing a balance patch,” Pilestedt responds on social media. However, he notes that, while the Breaker “scores more kills,” it is not overrepresented in successful missions.” So, reducing the shotgun’s bug-squashing capabilities or increasing the damage of other weapons isn’t a certain strategy to achieve this unreachable ‘balance.’
The fact that Helldivers 2 weapons include 46 secret stats complicates matters even further.
Weapon menus typically display four primary stats: damage, ammo capacity, recoil, and fire rate. However, Pilestedt recently stated that “each gun has maybe 50 stats in total,” implying that there is a lot of behind-the-scenes information that we are unaware of.
All of this led Pilestedt to a wise piece of advice, advising everyone to simply “use the one you like the most,” rather than attempting to maximize a game that, at its finest, is a hilarious riot. Spread democracy and enjoy.
Arrowhead Studios was previously preoccupied with resolving server difficulties as thousands of players rushed to the game, but the firm is now free to work on additional upgrades.
Players discovered indications of impending playable mechs and AI reinforcements, for example.