Helldivers 2 Release Date Revealed: October 31st

Helldivers 2 Truth Enforcers Warbond Introduces New Weapons, Armor Sets, and CosmeticsEnforce the Truth for Super Earth This October 31, 2024

The next addition to Helldivers 2 is coming just in time for Halloween, as Arrowhead Game Studios and Sony have announced that the Truth Enforcers Warbond will drop on October 31, 2024. According to Katherine Baskin, Arrowhead Game Studios’ Social Media and Community Manager, this latest Warbond doesn’t just add a few cosmetic tweaks—it’s a full-on arsenal upgrade that will pave the way for players to "become one of Super Earth's official Truth Enforcers."

For those unfamiliar with how Warbonds work, they function like a live-service game’s battle pass, which you can spend earned Medals on to unlock specific items. Unlike traditional battle passes, however, these Warbonds are evergreen, meaning that once purchased, you’ll never lose access to them, and you can take your time unlocking their contents. Moreover, the Truth Enforcers Warbond will be available for purchase via the Acquisitions Center in the Destroyer ship’s menu. As with previous Warbonds, it will cost 1,000 Super Credits.

Based on the developer’s post on the official PlayStation Blog, the Truth Enforcers Warbond revolves around enforcing the Ministry of Truth’s ironclad ideals. Players will gain access to an array of cutting-edge weaponry and armor sets, all designed to help your Helldiver handle anything thrown at them.

One way for players to show their allegiance to Super Earth is to arm themselves with the new PLAS-15 Loyalist Plasma Pistol, a versatile sidearm capable of semi-automatic fire for rapid response or charged shots for delivering heavier damage. If players need a bit more firepower, however, the SMG-32 Reprimand is a fast-firing submachine gun that is ideal for when things get messy in close-quarters combat. The SG-20 Halt, on the other hand, is a shotgun that packs a serious punch for crowd control, as it can "alternate between stun rounds and armor-penetrating flechette rounds."

For those looking to show off their dedication to Super Earth’s ideals, the Truth Enforcers Warbond also includes two new armor sets: the UF-16 Inspector and the UF-50 Bloodhound. The former is a sleek, white light armor set with red accents, perfect for players who enjoy staying mobile while still looking stylish in their cape, the "Proof of Faultless Virtue." The former, on the other hand, is a medium armor designed for those who like to be a bit more tanky, with its red accents and "Pride of the Whistleblower" cape. Both of these armor will have the Unflinching perk, which reduces the staggering effect from taking hits.

In addition to the aforementioned capes, players will also have a chance to earn a variety of banners and cosmetic patterns for their hellpods, exosuits, and Pelican-1. There will even be an "At Ease" emote to further make it known that the Truth Enforcers mean business and are not part of the satirical, militaristic flavor of Helldivers 2.

Moreover, the Warbond will introduce the Dead Sprint booster. With this, players can keep sprinting and diving even though their stamina is drained. This will come at the cost of their health, which makes it more of a "high risk, high reward" item. It may prove useful, however, in hectic moments when the ability to quickly maneuver around enemies often makes the difference between success and failure.

Helldivers 2’s Promising Future Despite Initial Player Base Decline

Despite being a well-received release earlier this year, with 458,709 concurrent Steam players at its peak (not including PS5 players), Helldivers 2 has reportedly experienced a decline in its player base. This is primarily attributed to over 177 countries being locked out of the game after Sony initially mandated linking Steam accounts to the PlayStation Network. Although Sony reversed this decision, the game remains inaccessible to these regions to this day.

Its Steam concurrent player count subsequently dropped to around 30,000. The Escalation of Freedom update in August doubled this number to over 60,000, but it wasn’t able to maintain this player count. While this may not necessarily be a low number, especially considering it doesn't include PS5 players, it's a significant departure from the game's initial peak. As of now, Steam's concurrent player count for Helldivers 2 is hovering just below 40,000.

Whether the Truth Enforcer Warbond will revive the game's popularity remains to be seen. However, the accompanying trailer teases a lot of exciting content, and upcoming Warbond may potentially entice old players to once again fight for truth, justice, and Super Earth.