Helldivers 2 dev Arrowhead ‘experimenting with’ expanding squad size and adding ‘way more enemies’
Arrowhead Game Studios is actively experimenting with larger squads, multiple teams, and increased enemy counts for Helldivers 2, while stressing that any major expansion of the game’s scope will only come once performance and stability can be guaranteed.
Arrowhead Game Studios is actively experimenting with larger squads, multiple teams operating together, and dramatically increased enemy counts for Helldivers 2.
Speaking to IGN ahead of the launch of the Machinery of Oppression update, game director Mikael Eriksson said the studio is exploring ways to expand the scope of its co-op shooter - but stressed that performance and stability remain the top priority before any radical changes are locked in.
Eriksson said: “One of the best things about working with this game is that the cool things you can do in this universe are kind of obvious.
“Multiple squads working together, bigger squads, way more enemies, or way more friendly NPCs by your side - these are things that we know can be super cool. And yes, we’re experimenting with this.”
However, Eriksson was careful to temper expectations, making clear that no specific features are being announced.
He said: “I’m not promising anything. But we are absolutely looking into how to expand the game in ways that aren’t currently possible.”
The comments arrive as Helldivers 2 enters its third year with Machinery of Oppression, a major update that launches the Battle for Cyberstan and introduces the Cyborgs - a new Automaton-adjacent enemy faction - into the game’s ongoing Galactic War.
The community-driven meta-narrative has become a defining feature of the live-service shooter, with players collectively determining the outcome of each campaign.
Behind the scenes, Arrowhead has spent much of the past year investing heavily in technical improvements to support the game’s longevity.
Eriksson revealed that the studio has already reduced the PC install size by more than 100GB and expanded its engineering team to tackle lingering performance issues across platforms.
He said: “When we launched, we had to prove we had a live-service formula that worked.
“Now we believe we do - and that lets us ask bigger questions about what Helldivers 2 can become over many years.”
