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- HELLDIVERS 2
HELLDIVERS 2
A third-person shooter where squads of up to four drop onto alien worlds and fight their way back out.
Online co-op for up to 4 players, with crossplay.
- 4 online
- Crossplay
Where to buy
Playing together
- Online co-op4 players
- Local co-opNoOnline only
- YesPC, PlayStation, XboxFriends on different platforms, such as PC and PlayStation, can play together.
- YesA friend can join or leave while you are already playing, without starting over.
- NoEveryone needs to buy itFriends play free with a Friend's Pass or similar.
- Steam DeckPlayableValve's own rating
About the game
You are a soldier in a space army at war with bugs, robots and a squid-like alien force. From your ship you pick a planet, drop in with your squad and finish a main objective, plus side jobs like wiping out a bug nest. Then you hold out until the ship comes back for you. Missions pay in medals and materials for new weapons, armor and call-ins.
Up to four play together online, with crossplay between PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series. Everyone picks their own gear before the drop, and friends can join a mission that is already running. You call in airstrikes, turrets and ammo by tapping short button codes. The squad shares a pool of lives, so a fallen friend is back in seconds.
Friendly fire is part of the game, so one badly aimed airstrike can wipe out the whole team. It suits groups who laugh when a teammate bombs them by mistake.
How it feels
Kind of game
A team takes on missions or runs full of enemies. You pick gear, cover each other and pick each other up.
- At its heart
- Now and then
- Fear
- Time to hang out
- Exploring
- Sessions
- Repeatable runs
Rated on our own feel scale. 7 sources back these ratings.
Screenshots
From the Steam store page. Open one to see it full size.
If you liked HELLDIVERS 2
You will probably enjoy these too. Each one says why.
Deep Rock Galactic
Why it scores 82%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Squad shooter
- About
- Bug swarms and Alien planets
- Core to both
- Fighting
- Notable in both
- Working in sync, Tension and danger, Planning ahead, Getting better, Unlocks and progress
- Sessions
- Repeatable runs
- Co-op
- Online co-op for up to 4 players
How Deep Rock Galactic differs
- Calmer and less chaotic than HELLDIVERS 2
- 4 online
- Crossplay
Both send your squad into fights where you watch each other's backs. Both are about swarms of alien bugs and strange alien worlds. Both have a lot of fighting side by side.
But calmer and less chaotic than HELLDIVERS 2.
Starship Troopers: Extermination
Why it scores 81%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Squad shooter
- About
- Space soldiers, Bug swarms and Alien planets
- Notable in both
- Laughter and chaos, Working in sync, Tension and danger, Planning ahead, Getting better, Unlocks and progress
- Core to both
- Fighting
- Sessions
- Repeatable runs
- Co-op
- Online co-op
How Starship Troopers: Extermination differs
- Less slapstick than HELLDIVERS 2
- More building than HELLDIVERS 2
- Fits a bigger group than HELLDIVERS 2
- 16 online
- Crossplay
Both send your squad into fights where you watch each other's backs. Both are about soldiers at war in space and swarms of alien bugs. Both get loud and silly when plans go wrong.
But less slapstick than HELLDIVERS 2.
Exterminauts
Why it scores 80%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Squad shooter
- About
- Bug swarms and Alien planets
- Notable in both
- Laughter and chaos, Working in sync, Tension and danger, Getting better, Unlocks and progress
- Core to both
- Fighting
- Sessions
- Repeatable runs
- Co-op
- Online co-op
How Exterminauts differs
- Less slapstick than HELLDIVERS 2
- Coming 2027
- 3 online
- Crossplay, platforms unclear
Both send your squad into fights where you watch each other's backs. Both are about swarms of alien bugs and strange alien worlds. Both get loud and silly when plans go wrong.
But less slapstick than HELLDIVERS 2.
All co-op facts
Last checked 24 October 2026. The small numbers link to the page that states each fact.
Co-op
- Fewest players online
- Not confirmed
- Most players on one screen
- Does not apply
- Split or shared screen
- Does not apply
- Separate-device co-op
- Not confirmed
- Most players on separate devices
- Not confirmed
- Free base co-op
- No
The checked PlayStation full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
- 20212223
- Confirmed free setups
- Does not apply
- Voice chat by distance
- Not confirmed
Sources
23 pages
news.xbox.comOfficial news, read 23 October 2026
Backs Most players online, Crossplay, Crossplay between, Platforms.
- Most players online: Post by the Arrowhead community manager, dated 2025-07-03, says you play with up to three squad mates.
- Crossplay: The same post says there is cross play on all platforms.
- Crossplay between: Names PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S as the platforms of the game. PC refers to Windows.
- Platforms: Announces Xbox Series X|S for August 26, 2025, next to the existing PC and PS5 versions.
blog.playstation.comOfficial news, read 23 October 2026
Backs Crossplay, Crossplay between, Release date, Platforms.
- Crossplay: Arrowhead post dated 2024-01-09 says the game supports crossplay between PC and PS5.
- Crossplay between: Names PC and PS5. The Xbox version came later.
- Release date: Says the game arrives on PC and PS5 on February 8.
- Platforms: Names PC and PS5 as the launch platforms.
playstation.comOfficial site, read 23 October 2026
Backs Most players online, Platforms, Release date, Local co-op, Kind of game, Tension and danger, Working in sync, Planning ahead.
- Most players online: Says you join forces with up to three friends and lists up to 4 online players.
- Platforms: Lists PS5, PC and Xbox, with Xbox Series X|S from 26 August 2025.
- Release date: Shows the PS5 release as 2/8/2024.
- Local co-op: The PS5 listing shows online players only and no local players.
- Kind of game: Calls it a third-person team shooter made for co-op.
- Tension and danger: Says the fights are hectic.
- Working in sync: Says collaboration is vital.
- Planning ahead: Says teams plan their loadouts and objectives together.
store.playstation.comStore page, read 23 October 2026
Backs Platforms, Most players online, Release date.
- Platforms: Backs PlayStation 5.
- Most players online: Says it supports up to 4 online players with PlayStation Plus.
- Release date: Shows 2/8/2024.
xbox.comStore page, read 23 October 2026
Backs Platforms, Most players online, Crossplay, Local co-op, Release date.
- Platforms: Backs Xbox Series X|S. Release date shows 8/26/2025.
- Most players online: Capabilities list online co-op for 2 to 4 players.
- Crossplay: Capabilities list Xbox cross-platform co-op.
- Local co-op: Capabilities list online co-op and single player, with no local co-op.
- Release date: The Xbox date is 8/26/2025. The first release was on PC and PS5.
steamcommunity.comOfficial news, read 23 October 2026
Backs Friends can join mid-game.
- Friends can join mid-game: Patch notes dated 2026-09-22 list a fix for a crash when hotjoining on Oil Rig missions, so players can join missions in progress.
steamcommunity.comOfficial news, read 23 October 2026
Backs Friends can join mid-game.
- Friends can join mid-game: Patch notes dated 2026-10-20 fix a skin bug for late joining players.
steamcommunity.comOfficial news, read 23 October 2026
Backs Friends can join mid-game.
- Friends can join mid-game: Patch notes dated 2026-10-22 fix a crash when another player joined or left the squad.
store.steampowered.comStore data, read 23 October 2026
Backs Steam app ID, Online co-op, Local co-op, Release status, Platforms, Release date.
- Local co-op: Categories include Online Co-op and Co-op, with no Shared/Split Screen Co-op.
- Platforms: Backs windows only.
- Release date: Lists Feb 8, 2024.
store.steampowered.comStore data, read 23 October 2026
Backs Steam Deck.
- Steam Deck: Valve rates the game Playable on Steam Deck.
wikidata.orgWikidata, read 23 October 2026
Backs Wikidata item, Genres.
- Genres: Wikidata identifies the game as a third-person shooter and horde shooter.
store.steampowered.comStore page, read 23 October 2026
Backs Fighting, Tension and danger, About, Sessions, Getting better.
- Fighting: User tags include Third-Person Shooter, Shooter and PvE.
- Tension and danger: The store text says the fights are fast and hectic.
- About: The store text has you enlist in the Helldivers of the Super Earth Armed Forces and fight across a hostile galaxy. User tags include Sci-fi and Space.
- Sessions: The store text says squads of up to four are assigned strategic missions.
- Getting better: User tags include Difficult, and the store lists adjustable difficulty.
gameinformer.comPress, read 23 October 2026
Backs Laughter and chaos, Physical comedy, Unlocks and progress, Sessions, Kind of game.
- Laughter and chaos: Review from 2024-02-19 says plans fall apart in devastating, hilarious ways.
- Physical comedy: Describes a miscommunicated airstrike hitting the whole squad.
- Unlocks and progress: Describes spending XP and resources on gear between missions.
- Sessions: Describes the loop of dropping onto a planet, finishing missions and extracting.
- Kind of game: Says the kit makes it easy to specialize within a team.
pcgamer.comPress, read 23 October 2026
Backs Laughter and chaos, Tension and danger, Physical comedy.
- Laughter and chaos: Feature from 2024-02-19 says friendly fire incidents are a hoot.
- Tension and danger: Says it is still tense when the team is about to run out of reinforcements.
- Physical comedy: Describes friendly fire as a big part of the fun.
upcomer.comPress, read 23 October 2026
Backs Only one of you needs to buy it.
- Only one of you needs to buy it: Guide from 2024-02-13 says each player needs their own copy of the game. No friend pass was found.
pcgamer.comPress, read 23 October 2026
Backs Fear.
- Fear: Feature from 2026-08-12 says the newest enemies borrow from Dead Space and Silent Hill. Fear is a side flavour.
eurogamer.netPress, read 23 October 2026
Backs Exploring, Time to hang out.
- Exploring: Review from 2024-02-14 mentions points of interest and side outposts, but you mostly head for the objectives.
- Time to hang out: Describes missions that are chatty but busy.
gamesradar.comPress, read 23 October 2026
Backs About.
- About: Review from 2024-02-14 describes fighting bugs called Terminids and robots across alien planets.
steamcommunity.comOfficial news, read 24 October 2026
Backs Platforms, Friends can join mid-game.
- Platforms: The October 19, 2026 anti-cheat FAQ explicitly confirms Steam Deck and Linux players can still play with compatibility unchanged. Linux here means supported compatibility for the PC game, not a newly claimed native port.
- Friends can join mid-game: Current September and October 2026 shipped notes explicitly describe hotjoining active missions, late joiners and players entering or leaving squads.
playstation.comOfficial site, read 24 October 2026
Backs Free base co-op.
- Free base co-op: The checked PlayStation full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
store.steampowered.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Free base co-op.
- Free base co-op: The checked computer full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
store.playstation.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Free base co-op.
- Free base co-op: The checked PlayStation full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
xbox.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Free base co-op.
- Free base co-op: The checked Xbox full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.