Arrowhead has released update 5.0.0 for Helldivers 2, which introduces major balance changes that actually augment weapon damage – but an upcoming message from High Command has the community worried.
The 5.5.0 update arrives alongside the jungle-inspired Python Commandos Warbond, which adds a number of fan-requested weapons, including a minigun.
But it was the incoming message from High Command – an in-universe tease from Arrowhead’s Helldivers 2 community about what lay ahead – that raised eyebrows.
“Super Earth has detected strange signals from previously unmonitored worlds on the galactic map,” the announcement reads. “The Ministry of Intelligence is investigating the source of the signals. Helldivers, stay alert and keep high.”
What does this mean? Players aren’t sure, though speculation points to something Illumination-related given the mention of “unmonitored worlds.”
As for the patch, it brings a number of fixes, including audio issues, XP modifiers, and a few crashes, as well as more optimizations and improvements. Balance changes augment weapon damage and make much needed adjustments to weapon vision. Patch notes, courtesy of Coupleare below.
In other Helldivers news, we finally have confirmation that Justin Lin is set to direct the upcoming film Helldivers 2. Lin is best known for his work on multiple Fast & Furious films and has directed the series from Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift in 2006 to Fast & Furious 6 in 2013.
Helldivers 2 Patch Notes for Update 5.5.0:
Balancing
General changes
Reduced the ergonomics penalty for magnifying scopes attached to weapons
- The goal is to make magnifying scopes more of a matter of preference by reducing the impact they have on the ergonomics of the weapon (destitute ergonomics causes the barrel of the weapon to follow the sight more slowly).
Some pistol ammo balance updates
- The purpose of this change is to augment the effectiveness of certain pistol weapons after the recent pistol ammunition rebalance, which made them more of a close-range weapon.
- Pistol cartridges redress the balance, the overall goal is to make them more effective at close range, not more effective at long range than assault or sniper rifles for example
2x red dot tube
- Reduced ergonomics modifier from (-3) to (-1)
4x combat range
- Ergonomics modifier reduced from (-6) to (-2)
10x sniper scope
- Reduced ergonomics modifier from (-9) to (-4)
- APW-1 anti-tank rifle this change also affects, so it will get increased ergonomics from 26 to 31
Primary weapon
Defender of the SMG-37
- Damage increased from 100 to 110
- Durable damage increased from 20 to 22
Reprimand of the SMG-32
- Damage increased from 135 to 140
PM M7S
- Damage increased from 80 to 90
- Durable damage increased from 16 to 18
Variable VG-70
- Persistent damage increased from 20 to 23
M90A shotgun
- Persistent damage increased from 15 to 20
Sidearm
P-2 Conciliator
- Damage increased from 95 to 100
- Persistent damage increased from 30 to 32
P-113 Verdict
- Damage increased from 135 to 140
M6C/SOCOM pistol
- Damage increased from 110 to 125
- Durable damage increased from 25 to 28
Enemies
War battles
- Reduced grenade explosion power from 50 to 30
Bill Spewer
- Artillery explosion power reduced from 50 to 30
- Force impulse after artillery explosion reduced from 60 to 40
Persecutor
- Reduced Strength power when tongue attack hits player from 40 to 35
(The power of strength is the value that determines whether the player or enemy should stagger or ragdoll.)
Game
Hotkey options for quick weapon function:
- Added modern unlimited keybinding options, allowing you to quickly change weapon functions (such as changing fire mode or ammo).
- The goal is to provide players with greater ease of exploit, especially weapons with multiple ammo types such as the Halt, Autocannon, and the modern One-Two AR.
Updated First Person View (FPV)
- We’ve updated the way First Person View (FPV) works to improve the quality of aiming in various FOV (field of view) settings.
- The goal is to make the scope size and distance more consistent across different FOV settings.
- We’ve also updated the way ergonomics work in FPV mode with the goal of improving responsiveness.
- Fixed texture flickering cases in various city locations
Amendments
Crash fixes and pliable locks
- Fixed a sporadic crash that occurred when combat music was enabled
- Fixed a sporadic crash that could occur during the “Nuke Nursery” mission.
- Fixed a crash when scorching joining a game that has just started where current players were using specific stratagems
- Fixed a sporadic crash when enemies fall through the ground
- Fix a sporadic crash when loading a mission
Weapon and stratagem fixes
- Fixed an issue with the BR-14 Judge when aiming with a 10x scope at a distance of 200 m, which caused the model to disappear
- Fixed a visual bug with the VG-70 Variable during the reload animation while aiming
- Fixed a torso clipping issue with the CE-07 Demolition Specialist armor
- Fixed Pump Action Shotguns sometimes not displaying the insertion of a modern round after reloading
- PLAS-45 Epoch now properly zooms in ADS mode like any other support weapon
- Fixed an out of ammo display for weapons with Infinite Ammo
- Fixed VO issue playing when running out of ammo when pressing the reload button while using a weapon with infinite ammo
- Fixed a diminutive bug where Supply Packs would provide ammo without consuming their charge when dropped
- Fixed a bug that resulted in stratagems being blocked after drowning while holding a stratagem ball
- Fixed a red glow that appeared when the player emptied one or two magazines of the MG-206, M-105 Stalwart, or MG-43 bulky machine gun
Enemies
- Factory Striders will no longer be thrown into the air erratically upon death
- Hellpods that hit Factory Striders will no longer remain in the air after an enemy dies
- War Striders now detonate mines
- Enemy presence around the Cognitive Disruptor Tower is now cleared from the minimap when the objective is reached
- Chargers no longer accelerate after charging is complete
- Fixed Rupture Warriors getting stuck under Sentinels
- Added a medium armored delicate point to the air vents at the rear of bunker, AA and mortar positions. This was done to ensure that these structures behave similarly to other comparable security features.
Various fixes
- Fixed terrain not being affected by explosions and entrenchment tool (PS5 only)
- Fixed an issue that resulted in no lights/flickering lights on Orbital Gatling
- Fixed a thumbnail error in the Acquisition Center menu
- Cryopods no longer plug into the Engineering Bay while the ship arrival cutscene is playing
- Fixed an armor vulnerability affecting the CE-27 Ground Beaker and CW-9 White Wolf when using the “Draw!” emoticon
- The UI will no longer display inexact objective information on the mission summary screen if the host leaves the game
- Fixed an issue when joining a non-host player in the crossplay lobby.
- Fixed NPC technician’s neck sticking out through his shirt
- The fog of war effect on the minimap while exploring caves no longer persists between missions
- Future Helldivers will no longer be blocked from tutorial progression if they die in the flag room
- Fixed an issue that caused sludge from the Auto Grinder to be susceptible to weathering even though it was enclosed in glass
- Fixed an issue that caused the missile to be incorrectly positioned in the destroyer’s hangar. This risky act of asymmetry has been corrected. The undemocratic ship operator responsible for this disgraceful display of inefficiency was immediately trained in a high-orbit prison. Kudos to the Office of Corrections Implementation!
- Helldivers will no longer be blocked from the GATER while trying to get into the driver’s seat
- Fixed an issue that resulted in missing touch controls when the controller disconnects or reconnects
- Fixed an issue in the Command Bunker where collision would not occur
Optimizations
- Optimized lights in Automaton visual effects
- Optimized in-game rock resource physics to improve performance
- Improved the way environmental effects such as dust storms, blizzards, and acid storms apply their status effects to reduce the impact on performance
- Improved ADS weapon placement and behavior
- Reduced the amount of camera clipping from weapons
- Fixed texture details used for weapons when aiming
- Improved depth of field when ADS and scopes are magnified
- Fixed textures sometimes displaying in low resolution even when memory is available (PC only)
Wesley is the news director at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. Wesley can be reached at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
