Summary
Nerfing weapons inHelldivers 2has always been a touchy subject among fans of the game, ever since the very first batch of weapon nerfs was introduced to the game. However, the most recent weapon nerfs inHelldivers 2have stirred quite the controversy, leading fans to review-bomb the game.
While this isn’t the firstHelldivers 2review-bombing controversy, it has reignited a long-running debate among fans of the game that continues to give the game a troubled reputation. As this ongoing situation divides the community,Helldivers 2fans would be wise to be aware of this important moment in the game’s history.
Why Players Are Review-Bombing Helldivers 2’s Escalation of Freedom Update
On June 10, 2025,Helldivers 2released a major update that introduced several enemies, mission objectives, a new difficulty, and several long-awaited bug fixes, known as theEscalation of Freedom update. However, despite all the good it did, this update also upset fans of the game by introducing nerfs to some ofHelldivers 2’s most popular weapons. This isn’t the first time thatHelldivers 2has faced controversy for nerfing popular weapons in the game, except this time, the situation is more complex and volatile than ever before.
Prior to the Escalation of Freedom update, tensions within the game’s community were already high. This is partly due to the PlayStation account linking fiasco still lingering unresolved. Then, not directly correlated to this,Helldivers 2recently reached record-low player numbers. Not to mention, the particular weapon nerfs that have most contributed to the community’s backlash are both Fire damage weapons, andHelldivers 2’s new Freedom’s Flame premium Warbond just dropped some new Fire-themed armor and weaponry. Consequently, this new update to the game was an unfortunate victim of poor timing on multiple counts.
Helldivers 2’s recent weapon nerfs meant well, but they couldn’t have come at a worse time.
Helldivers 2’s Escalation Of Freedom Update Nerfed Two Popular Meta Weapons
The Escalation of Freedom update included many weapon nerfs, but the two specific weapon nerfs that have seemingly rattled theHelldivers 2community the most are changes to theSG-225IE Breaker Incendiaryprimary shotgun and theFLAM-40 Flamethrowersupport weapon. The changes to these weapons from the Escalation of Freedom 1.001.002 Patch are as follows:
SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary:
FLAM-40 Flamethrower:
This controversy has reignited a long-running debate among the game’s fans about the necessity of nerfs in a strictly PvE game. Some players enjoy the challenging dynamics ofHelldivers 2’s difficulty changesbrought about by weapon nerfs, while other players are upset that some of their favorite weapons are suffering from spontaneous nerfs.
Helldivers 2’s Developers Are Aware of Players Concerns About the Recent Weapon Nerfs
The latest nerfs have caused a big enough controversy on the game’s dedicated Subreddits and Discord servers, and this commotion immediately caught the attention of the development studio behind the game. In the short time since the update was released, Arrowhead Games Studio released a development blog post explaining the intentions behind the recent weapon nerfs, seemingly as a response to the criticism. Also, theCEO of Arrowhead Game Studios has responded to the criticism, mentioning that the responses have been overwhelming and that the studio is taking the community’s feedback into consideration.
Once again,Helldivers 2is being review-bombed on Steam due to backlash caused by a recent game update. Considering that this controversy is a bit more complex than any one small change lighting such a big fuse, it may be a while before this ongoing situation and its underlying symptoms ever get resolved.
Helldivers 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Do you believe in freedom? Can you stand in the face of oppression – and defend the defenceless? Wage war for peace. Die for democracy.Join forces with up to three friends and wreak havoc on an alien scourge threatening the safety of your home planet, Super Earth, in this multiplayer co-op shooter for PS5 and PC from Arrowhead Game Studios.Step into the boots of the Helldivers, an elite class of soldiers whose mission is to spread peace, liberty and Managed Democracy using the biggest, baddest and most explosive tools in the galaxy.Helldivers don’t go planet side without proper backup, but it’s up to you to decide how and when to call it in. Not only do you have a host of superpowered primary weapons and customizable loadouts, you also have the ability to call on stratagems during play.Helldivers 2 features Arrowhead’s best cooperative gameplay yet. Collaboration will be vital: Teams will synergize on loadouts, strategize their approach for each mission and complete objectives together.1Enlist in Super Earth’s premier military peacekeeping force today. We are heroes… we are legends… WE ARE HELLDIVERS.
