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How to fix Helldivers 2 matchmaking issues

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Two soldiers in a Helldivers 2 trailer.
Sony Interactive Entertainment
A soldier in silhouette in Helldivers 2.
Arrowhead Game Studios

Helldivers 2 is a ridiculously-fun squad shooter for PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam. With a major emphasis on co-op play, one of the core features of any multiplayer game is matchmaking. This is the game’s ability to group random players together for an online session. While this should be a pretty automated process that players don’t have to worry about, some Helldiver fans have reported failed matchmaking. If you keep finding yourself unable to land in a lobby, here’s a couple of things you can try to fix the issue.

How to fix matchmaking issues

Before offering some potential solutions, know that these are workarounds and not official remedies to the problem. Arrowhead has stated in its official Discord that it is aware of the problems and is working on a fix. However, if you just can’t wait to get back to blasting bugs with your pals, here are some methods some players have found success with.

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Helldivers 2 Matchmaking workaround (Easy)
byu/Quiet-Leadership2909 inHelldivers

The first two easy methods are to attempt to turn off Crossplay. Helldivers 2 is on PlayStation 5 and PC, with Crossplay enabled by default. Turning it off in your settings, restarting the game, and attempting to use matchmaking again have allowed some players to find matches. Another, less elegant way some players have managed to brute force their way past the error is to simply spam the Quick play option until they are let through.

Another odd fix found on Reddit involves going into a game, deploying an SOS beacon, and then quitting the match. When you return to your ship, you may be able to join up with other players.

These options are hacky workarounds as opposed to proper fixes, but they’re your best bet for now. Try these if you’re feeling frustrated with constant matchmaking failures, but you might want to wait for a patch for a true fix.

Can you play Helldivers 2 solo? 

A Helldivers 2 player fires a laser canon.
Sony Interactive Entertainment.

Indeed you can, but you may find yourself wanting some assistance on harder difficulty settings. Generally speaking, approaching the game as a solo player is relatively easy when playing on Trivial and Easy difficulty settings. Medium and Challenging modes are a little tougher to handle on your own; but once you’re playing on Hard or Extreme, it’s going to be very difficult to stay alive without some friends by your side.  

How many people are playing Helldivers 2?

As of March 2024, there are more than 265,000 players logged into the world of Helldivers 2 per month.

Jesse Lennox
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jesse Lennox covers all things gaming but has a specific interest in all things PlayStation, JRPGs, and experimental indies…
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