Key Takeaways
1. Helldivers 2 reached a record player count of 500,490 after its Xbox launch, surpassing previous highs.
2. The surge in players led to server overload and crashes, affecting both Xbox and PC users.
3. Arrowhead Game Studios upgraded server capacity multiple times, from 250,000 to a final cap of 700,000.
4. The Xbox release marks Helldivers 2 as the first Sony-published exclusive available on Xbox.
5. A new Helldivers 2 x Halo ODST Warbond bundle is available for purchase, featuring exclusive in-game items.
Arrowhead Game Studio’s popular third-person cooperative shooter, Helldivers 2, has experienced a significant surge in players following its launch on Xbox. This influx has drawn many new and returning gamers, pushing the game’s servers to their breaking point.
Player Count Breaks Records
An Arrowhead developer confirmed on Helldivers’ official Discord server that the number of players reached levels that far exceeded previous records. At one point, the total player count after the Xbox release peaked at 500,490, surpassing the previous all-time high of 458,709 on Steam from about a year and a half ago.
Community posts and in-game statistics show that the player count was between 380,000 and 420,000 concurrent users on the day of the Xbox launch. According to SteamDB, 167,795 of those players were on PC, which implies that more than 250,000 active players were on consoles, with most being Xbox players.
Server Overload and Crashes
Despite the excitement, developers clarified that the actual peak player count was 500,490, which led to server overload and crashes. At one point, nearly 390,000 players were battling the Terminid, Illuminate, and Automaton factions when a widespread server crash caused the count to plummet to 146,818.
Players quickly reported issues with in-game crashes on Xbox, which hindered their ability to get past the initial cutscenes and rejoin sessions. Even PC players faced connectivity problems during this surge in player activity.
Continuous Server Upgrades
Arrowhead Game Studios had previously worked to upgrade the server capacity due to their game’s unexpected success. Initially, the server cap was raised to 250,000, then to 360,000, and finally to 700,000.
The release of Helldivers 2 on Xbox marks a notable milestone as it is the first Sony-published exclusive to be available on Xbox. This coincided with the Xbox-exclusive Gears of War: Reloaded launching on PlayStation.
In conjunction with this release, players can purchase the new Helldivers 2 x Halo ODST Warbond for 2,100 Super Credits or $19.99. This bundle includes the A-9 Helljumper Set, the MA5C Assault Rifle, the Mean Green Hellpod, the M7S SMG, the A-35 Armor Set, and the Eye of Clandestine Cape.
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