Helldivers 2 Crossplay: A Comprehensive Guide to United Frontlines

Helldivers 2, a cooperative shooter built around teamwork, fully supports crossplay, enabling players on PC, PlayStation 5 (PS5), and Xbox to squad up and fight for Super Earth as one united force. This feature is designed to be straightforward and automatic, ensuring a seamless multiplayer experience across different platforms.

Understanding Helldivers 2 Crossplay

Crossplay in Helldivers 2 means that the game's matchmaking system automatically pulls players from all supported platforms by default. This allows you to queue for missions and instantly encounter players regardless of whether they are on PC, PS5, or Xbox. The core design philosophy of Helldivers 2 emphasizes cooperative play, making crossplay essential for fostering a broad and active community. Arrowhead Game Studios, the developer, designs games with co-op as a priority, ensuring that squads can succeed together.

How to Play with Friends Using Crossplay

While automatic matchmaking connects players across platforms, teaming up with specific friends requires using the in-game Friend Code system. This process is quick and designed to get you into missions with your chosen squadmates efficiently.

Follow these steps to add friends and play together via crossplay:

1. Ensure Crossplay is Enabled: Before starting, confirm that crossplay is active. You can check and toggle this setting in the 'Options' menu, under the 'Gameplay' tab. It is typically enabled by default. 2. Access the Social Menu: Open the Social menu within the game. On PS5, you navigate this with controller prompts; on Xbox, you use Xbox inputs; and on PC, you use a mouse and keyboard. 3. Generate Your Friend Code: Look for the 'Your Friend Code' section at the bottom of the Social menu and select the option to 'Generate Friend Code'. This will create a unique eight-digit code. 4. Share Your Code: Provide this eight-digit Friend Code to your friends who play on other platforms. 5. Friend Adds Your Code: Your friend needs to go to their Social menu, select the 'Search' option at the top, and enter your Friend Code. 6. Send and Accept Request: After entering the code, they can send you a friend request. You will then need to accept this request, which will add them to your in-game friends list. 7. Invite or Join Squad: Once added as friends, you can easily invite them to your squad or join their existing session directly from your friends list. The system works uniformly across all platforms, ensuring no one is excluded.

Managing Crossplay Settings

Helldivers 2 provides options to control your crossplay experience and lobby privacy:

Known Issues and Troubleshooting

While Helldivers 2's crossplay is generally smooth, some players have reported minor issues. These are typically not game-breaking but can impact the experience.

Common issues include:

Cross-Save and Cross-Progression

Helldivers 2 does not support cross-save or cross-progression. This means that your game progress, unlocked items, armor, and any purchased downloadable content (DLC) or limited-time content will not transfer between different platforms. If you switch from PC to PS5, or vice versa, you will start with a fresh account on the new platform. Linking your Steam and PlayStation Network accounts does not copy game data between PS5 and PC copies of Helldivers 2. There are currently no plans to implement cross-progression.