Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead addresses Escalation of Freedom update backlash by unveiling 60 day plan to fix things like flamethrowers and ragdolling

Following the backlash that’s erupted within the Helldivers 2 community in response to the game’s recent Escalation of Freedom update, developer Arrowhead has been busy gathering feedback in various different ways. Now, the studio’s unveiled its plans to act on this feedback, which include making a number of changes within the next 60 days.

If you’re out of the loop, the inclusion of some nerfs to fire damage in the Escalation of Freedom update’s changes seemed to be the straw that broke the camel’s back for a lot of players, with many questioning whether Arrowhead was adopting the right approach to balancing. Some have even gone as far as attempting to let the Automatons reach Super Earth in the game’s galactic war as a protest of sorts against the tweaks.

Now, via a post to the Helldivers 2 subreddit, Arrowhead has shared details of its plan to act on the feedback it’s received in response to the update. “We didn’t hit our target with the latest update,” game director Mikael Eriksson wrote in the post, “Some things we just didn’t get right - and other more fundamental inconsistencies in our approach to game balance and game direction.

“All of that is on us and we are going to own that. As many of you have pointed out, and we agree, what matters most now is action. Not talk.”

The developer went on to outline that in the studio’s “aim within the next 60 days” is to accomplish the following:

• Continue to re-examine our approach to balance. Our intention is that balance should be fun, not “balanced” for the sake of balance

• Update how the fire damage mechanic works to tweak how the flamethrower serves as a close range support weapon. (A quick straight revert won’t work, as it would break other things)

• Rework gameplay to prevent excessive ragdolling

• Re-think our design approach to primary weapons and create a plan for making combat more engaging

• Re-prioritize bug fixes so that the more immediate gameplay-impacting bugs are prioritized.

• Improve game performance (frame rate is a focus)

• Rework Chargers

Beyond this roadmap of sorts, the studio says its long term aims are to improve how it communicates updates and explains balancing changes, as well as taking on more community feedback via player surveys. “Exploring [the] creation of an opt-in beta-test environment to improve our testing processes” is also on the list, with Eriksson emphasising of that aim specifically “we consider this a high-priority”.

Following Arrowhead's sharing of this plan, CEO Shams Jorjani also confirmed in a tweet that the studio "will absolutely be dropping updates to the game throughout the 60 day window. And beyond."

What do you think of Arrowhead’s plans? If you were unhappy about the Escalation of Freedom update’s changes, do they make you feel more positive about the direction Helldivers 2 is headed in balancing and feedback-wise? Let us know below!