Arrowhead explains Helldivers 2 nerfs after community backlash

Helldivers 2 has just gone through a major update, which received very mixed responses from the community. The main focus of ire from fans was on the nerfs given to some weapons in the game. While this was done to balance gameplay, vocal members on social media saw it as an attack on their fun.

“Why not just make the worse weapons better?” was the general thinking of those opposed to the change. After the response to update 01.000.100, Patrik Lasota, Head of Product Testing at Arrowhead, put out a post explaining the philosophies behind the weapon changes in Helldivers 2.

Arrowhead’s balance changes were met with relief and frustration

Several threads on Reddit are divided over the new changes. Most people agree that ignoring these changes is a recipe for disaster. Before getting into the nitty-gritty of each buff and nerf, the general philosophy behind primary weapons, nerfs, and the fantasy of playing the game were explained. While acknowledging that many have reported that primary weapons aren’t powerful enough, it was explained that this was intentional. Instead of relying on a strong weapon that you spawn with, more focus should be put on Stratagems to deal with difficult enemies.

Lasota rallies against the idea of buffing weaker weapons instead of nerfing powerful ones. Yet, he doesn’t explain his reasoning, instead addressing the mindset of those against nerfs. He believes players are scared of nerfs, as they don’t want to see their favourite weapons changed. Having a fun weapon to use that is also powerful lets you play out your fantasy game. Therefore, a nerf could ruin that fantasy. However, he believes Arrowhead is treading carefully with any nerfs, so the fantasy and fun will stay intact. Read on to lean what he had to say about every major change in the game.

SG-225 Breaker

As a fan-favourite, it was always going to be dangerous to make adjustments to the Breaker shotgun. It is the meta option as a primary, and is the only primary to make the S-Tier in our Helldivers 2 weapon tier list! The update has seen its magazine capacity reduced and its recoil noticeably increased!

The calculated total damage per magazine was seen as quite high compared to other weapons, so a change was needed. Although no damage nerfs were warranted, the developers wanted to lean into the fantasy element of the gun. It should be deadly at close quarters but buck wildly when used. This way you need to pace your fire, not only to be more accurate with the shotgun but also to conserve your ammunition.

SG-8 Punisher

In contrast to the Breaker, the Punisher shotgun was seen as underperforming, so a buff came its way. Increased total ammo capacity, damage per bullet, and stagger force should give it more of a punch. It will still have a slow reload and fire rate, but with better stagger capabilities you should have enough time to get in a follow-up shot against a stunned enemy.

SG-225SP Breaker Spray & Pray

The Breaker S&P sounds great in principle, a shotgun with lower damage but an increased fire rate, letting you unleash a barrage of shells. Once again, this was a shotgun that didn’t play in-game as you would expect on paper. Therefore, the armor penetration, fire rate, and pellets per shot were increased. However, the magazine size was decreased to balance the additional firepower given.

Railgun

Another S-Tier weapon, the Railgun now has decreased armor penetration in safe mode and decreased damage against durable enemy parts. It was envisioned as an anti-tank sniper rifle that required timing and operation in the unsafe fire mode but was viewed as too easy and safe to use. The changes mean you will need to run it in unsafe mode to deal major damage to heavily armored targets, and also be more accurate. Developers are keeping an eye on other anti-tank weapons, which could gain buffs in the future. Players are already worried about how they’ll face Bile Titans and Hulks without this reliable powerhouse.

Flamethrower

A Flamethrower should strike fear into enemies, but that just wasn’t the case in Helldivers 2. This lackluster weapon gained a massive 50% DPS increase, giving a damage rate more in line with other shorter-range weapons. It’s particularly effective against Chargers now.

Laser Cannon

Originally intended as a Machine Gun with infinite ammo by the developers, the community thought the Laser Cannon should work more like the Orbital Laser, with better armor-penetrating abilities. Arrowhead has sided with the community here, giving it increased damage against durable enemy parts, increased armor penetration, and improved ergonomics to help it stay on target. As a major change from its intended design, don’t be surprised if the Laser Cannon gets another makeover in the future.

Shield Backpack

Weapons weren’t the only things hit in the update, with a couple of Stratagems included too. The Shield Backpack was vastly overperforming, becoming a must-have for most players. It gave too much safety, letting you ignore the mechanics of the game such as knockback and shockwaves. To counter that, it will now have increased delay before regenerating if not broken significantly. Once the shield breaks it will take longer to regenerate than before. Although not viewed as a total fix, these changes are seen as the first steps to balancing the Shield Backpack in Helldivers 2.

120mm and 380mm Barrages

Finally, the 120mm and 380mm Barrages have been given a decreased scatter area and increased duration. The fantasy behind them was to act as an artillery storm that rains down hell for a long duration. Barrages are meant to be different from the Eagle Stratagems, being active for longer but less accurate. This change should give more value to them, while also keeping them separate from the Eagles.

That rounds up Arrowhead’s explanation for its recent changes. For more on the co-op shooter, check out our Helldivers 2 best ship modules list and best armor guides.