Stockholm, Sweden – The third-person shooter game, Helldivers 2, achieved a remarkable milestone over the weekend with an impressive 409,337 concurrent players on the digital gaming platform Steam. This achievement catapulted the game to the fifth spot in terms of popularity on the platform, despite its $40 price point and the fact that three of the top five games are free to play.
Launched on February 8th, Helldivers 2, a Sony-funded online extraction shooter, experienced a surge in player numbers, with 155,000 players causing server issues. However, the influx of players was partly attributed to an additional XP weekend, indicating the game’s growing popularity and success.
The game’s success is particularly notable considering its higher price point compared to the most popular paid-for title on Steam, Palworld, which costs $10 less. Even though Palworld has achieved higher peak concurrent player numbers, it is important to recognize that Helldivers 2 has garnered significant success within a shorter time frame.
Helldivers 2, heavily influenced by the movie version of Starship Troopers, originally debuted as a satirical top-down co-op shooter in 2015. The game is set on Super Earth, where players combat against Bugs, Cyborgs, and Illuminates. Its transition to a third-person view and the subsequent increase in scale have contributed to its growing popularity, further demonstrated by the substantial concurrent player numbers on Steam.
It is important to note that the reported player figures are specific to the PC platform and do not encompass PS5 players, with crossplay functionality available between the two.
According to gaming enthusiast Zach Zweizen, Helldivers 2 provides a challenging combat experience, emphasizing the brutal nature of war and the inevitability of death. The game’s approach to combat, combined with an array of tools and weapons, offers players the opportunity to become heroes in its intense battles.
Overall, Helldivers 2’s significant milestone in concurrent player numbers underscores its growing popularity on the digital gaming platform, positioning it as a noteworthy force in the gaming industry. With its unique approach to combat and engaging gameplay, the game continues to captivate a growing audience of players.