Helldivers 2 Players Aren’t Happy About the Slugger Nerfs

Some Helldivers 2 players are unhappy with recent changes to the Slugger weapon brought about by the game’s latest update. The new Helldivers 2 patch brought some new features and balancing changes to the game’s growing arsenal of weapons, once again shifting the debate over which tools are the best.

Though Helldivers 2 is barely two months old, every change made to the game by developer Arrowhead Game Studio inspires quick reactions. This is especially true of any changes to weapon properties, as weapons are critical to ensuring players can effectively fight their Terminid and Automaton enemies. Huge debates arise about which Helldivers 2 primary weapon is best, given that primary weapons like the standard issue Liberator assault rifle or Breaker shotgun are what players will spend the majority of their time shooting. New primary weapon options are also the main way Arrowhead is handling post-release monetization, as some new items like the Punisher Plasma and Incendiary Breaker are exclusive to the game’s Premium War Bonds.

Complaints Arise after Helldivers 2 Slugger Shotgun Changes

Not long after Arrowhead deployed Helldivers 2 update 01.000.200, complaints began popping up in the game’s official communities and on social media. The patch fixed bugs and adjusted game balance on some mission types, but also changed the properties of some weapons, including the popular SG-8S Slugger shotgun. The Slugger is a variant of the Helldivers 2 SG-8 Punisher shotgun, modified to fire powerful “slug” rounds instead of the Punisher’s pellets. In general, the changes to the Slugger reduced its overall damage and its ability to stagger larger enemies and destroy certain structures.

Players who enjoyed the Slugger and saw it as the best counter to some deadly Helldivers 2 Automaton enemies were not happy with the changes, calling the weapon’s weakening unnecessary. The mood was particularly negative in light of the same update’s boosts to the JAR-5 Dominator, a magazine-fed slug shotgun exclusive to the Steeled Veterans War Bond. The Dominator received upgrades to its damage output and staggering ability.

Some complaints centered around the perception that the Slugger lost its unique role in the weapon hierarchy. They claimed that the upgrades to the premium Helldivers 2 Dominator make it an outright replacement for the Slugger. Others suggested that the changes would have been easier to accept had the Slugger not also lost some staggering ability, since prior to the update it was the favored tool for stunning deadly Automaton Devastator enemies.

The issue of weapon balance is always a hot topic in games centered around combat, but Helldivers 2 must tread carefully, as many of the game’s newest weapons were released via Premium War Bonds. Player reactions to new Helldivers 2 weapon changes will be especially fierce if the perception sets in that Arrowhead is giving players who pay an unnecessary advantage, even though the game itself doesn’t have a competitive mode. Time will tell if the changes will stick or be rolled back later.

Helldivers 2

Helldivers 2 is a third-person cooperative shooter developed by Arrowhead Games Studios for the PC and PlayStation 5 where players take control of a Helldiver set to protect the citizens of Super Earth by traveling to hostile alien worlds and destroying threats. Players undergo missions, defeat enemies, and use special items called Stratagems to help turn the tide of battle in this punishing release.

Franchise

Helldivers

Released

February 8, 2024

Developer(s)

Arrowhead Game Studios AB

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence

Platforms That Support Crossplay

PC & PS5