Helldivers 2’s Hotfix This Week Will Address Cosmetic Mods

The hotfix will also fix cave fire behavior and an Easy Anti-Cheat crash, while Update 8.0 is planned for early December.

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Arrowhead plans to use Helldivers 2’s next hotfix, due this week, to address fire behaving incorrectly in caves, an Easy Anti-Cheat-related client crash, and changes that should let some cosmetic mods work again. The studio outlined those fixes and its plans for the coming months in its November developer blog.

Update 7.2 replaced GameGuard with Easy Anti-Cheat on October 20. In its latest post, Arrowhead said the switch aims to reduce cheaters in missions, while acknowledging that it also disabled some PC players’ fan-made cosmetic mods. The October 20 change remains in place, and gameplay mods that alter game code or memory are still prohibited. Arrowhead says those modifications can cause crashes and unexpected match outcomes, and accounts found using them may be banned.

After the hotfix goes live, players who previously installed mods should reinstall the game, verify its files, and launch it to check that it works as intended. They can then add cosmetic mods incrementally, verifying the files again to check which ones function. Arrowhead cautions that non-gameplay mods remain unsupported and can cause crashes or poor performance. The studio is also tracking reports that virtual machines have been unable to access the game since the latest update, and plans to share next steps with affected players who filed support tickets.

Update 8.0 is planned for early December. Jump, Hover, and Warp packs will work while players carry two-handed items, opening up additional loadout combinations. A new utility belt will let Helldivers carry small items such as remotes and detonators alongside a support weapon, without using their hands or backpack. Arrowhead says the belt will make the Solo Silo and C4 easier to use, and players will still be able to throw their sample pouch.

The update will also let players arm a Hellbomb backpack or pick it up from the ground with a long-press interact. Gas clouds will no longer slow Helldivers, new terminal puzzles will add challenges during missions, and SEAF soldiers will be able to open bunkers alongside players.

Arrowhead said the roadmap caused confusion because it marked when patches would arrive, not when their content would become available. Update 7.2 came out on October 20, and its content is due to unfold over roughly six weeks before Update 8.0 in early December. The studio says future roadmaps will give clearer timing for when content is slated to go live. It has not dated the next roadmap.

The October roadmap also described a new biome, but Arrowhead says that wording set the wrong expectation. Update 7.2 expanded the cave features first seen in Into The Unjust so they can appear across more biomes. Procedurally generated caves now reflect the planet where they spawn, and subterranean Terminid infestations can occur on any non-ice planet. If a planet is not liberated quickly, it can become a hive world. Game Masters can use these infestations to direct the Galactic War and its storylines.

Hellpod steering and stratagem ball targeting and bouncing are still in development. Arrowhead says the team has been playtesting the changes internally since Devoid of Liberty released, but needs more rounds of testing. The fixes are unlikely to arrive with Update 8.0, and the studio has not given them a release date. Its teams are also planning next year’s major updates and campaigns, using community feedback to guide quality-of-life work and further development of the game’s core.

Which early December change would make the biggest difference to your loadout? Follow the cosmetic-mod fix and the upcoming gear changes on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.

Helldivers 2 is a cooperative third-person shooter in which squads of up to four players are deployed from orbit onto hostile planets to complete strategic missions. Players select loadouts of weapons, armor, and stratagems that allow them to call in orbital strikes, supply drops, vehicles, and turrets during combat. Friendly fire is always active, requiring coordination between teammates. The game features a persistent galactic war where community-wide performance determines which planets are liberated or lost.