Helldivers 2 Cross-Progression Feature Not Planned, Arrowhead Confirms

Helldivers 2 continues to sustain a loyal player base months after its February 2024 release, but Arrowhead Game Studios has made clear that one of the community’s most persistent requests will not be granted. The studio confirmed that cross-progression—a feature that would allow players to share progress and unlocks across platforms—is not on the roadmap.

The news came through the game’s official Discord server, where Arrowhead’s community manager, Katherine Baskin, wrote: “We have no plans to add cross progression currently.” Her statement was reinforced by CEO Shams Jorjani, who added that while the studio “would love” to implement it, “other things take priority.” That short clarification closed months of speculation about whether the feature might appear in a later update.

Cross-progression has become a benchmark feature across many modern multiplayer games, particularly those operating under live-service models. Its absence can fragment communities and discourage players from maintaining multiple platform accounts. For Helldivers 2, which now spans PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox following its multi-platform rollout earlier this year, the lack of such connectivity stands out. Yet the studio’s explanation reflects a pragmatic focus on core performance rather than peripheral quality-of-life improvements.

The statement arrived amid a broader period of introspection for Arrowhead. Over the past few months, Helldivers 2 has faced recurring performance problems and technical instability across all systems. In late October, game director Mikael Eriksson publicly acknowledged these issues and explained that his team was prioritizing fixes and optimization above new content. That approach mirrored the tone of Jorjani’s remarks: a studio recalibrating its priorities to protect the game’s long-term stability rather than expanding its feature list prematurely.

Helldivers 2’s growth since launch has not been straightforward. The game’s rapid expansion, fueled by strong word of mouth and its signature cooperative chaos, brought with it the strain typical of live-service scaling. Each major update introduced new assets, weapons, and missions, but also new sources of instability. Dataminers have uncovered redundant files and replicated models in the game’s assets—symptoms of what developers often refer to as “feature bloat.” These layers of accumulated content can compromise stability over time, forcing studios into the difficult balance between maintenance and innovation.

That tension now defines Helldivers 2’s development cycle. Arrowhead has delayed content updates and scaled back experimentation to stabilize its infrastructure. While fans continue to push for new systems such as cross-progression, the studio’s immediate focus lies in reinforcing the game’s foundations—optimizing performance, reducing crashes, and improving synchronization across platforms.

Jorjani’s phrasing—“other things take priority”—suggests an internal order of operations designed around sustainability. Helldivers 2’s longevity depends on predictable performance and reliable servers more than on feature parity with other shooters. The studio’s transparent communication, even when the news disappoints, has become a consistent part of its public posture since launch. Players may not like every answer, but they rarely have to guess where the team stands.

The question now is how long Arrowhead can maintain momentum without introducing major new incentives for returning players. Live-service games thrive on novelty, but too much too soon risks undermining stability—the very issue the studio is trying to resolve. Arrowhead’s decision to suspend cross-progression plans may frustrate veterans with multiple accounts, yet it reflects a deliberate shift toward restraint after a year of constant updates and patches.

Helldivers 2 has already weathered significant criticism, from server outages at launch to uneven frame rates on high-end PCs. Despite that, its community remains active and vocal. Many players see the current development slowdown as a necessary correction rather than a step back. The game’s core mechanics—tight squad coordination, friendly fire tension, and procedural mission design—remain intact and continue to drive its appeal.

The cross-progression issue may eventually be revisited, especially as the game matures under Sony’s publishing support. For now, though, Arrowhead’s stance appears firm. Helldivers 2’s roadmap points toward stability, not expansion, as the defining measure of its next phase. The decision may not align with player expectations, but it reflects a studio aware of the limits of its capacity and the consequences of overextension.

Read also Game October Fix, where Helldivers 2’s deputy technical director, Brendan Armstrong, explained the game’s unusually large 150GB PC install size. He revealed that most of the footprint comes from duplicated data meant to optimize loading on mechanical hard drives — a compromise to support players who haven’t yet moved to SSDs.