How to fix Helldivers 2 matchmaking issues

By Jesse Lennox and Michael Bizzaco Updated April 14, 2024

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.

Recommended Videos

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.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Jesse Lennox has been a writer at Digital Trends for over four years and has no plans of stopping. He covers all things…

Topics

How-To Guides

Gaming

How to rebind skills in Avowed

A spellcaster holds a book in Avowed.

Making proper use of all your best abilities in Avowed is the easiest of the tips and tricks you can take into the game. When you begin, you will have your healing and mana potions set on your quick select bar, followed by the first skill you unlock and first companion ability. That's great in the early game, but it isn't long before you unlock new skills that you want on that slot more than what is put there for you. You can always access all your abilities through the tactical menu, but that is a bit cumbersome. Instead, here's how you can remap your quick skills to whatever you want.

Gaming

How long is Avowed?

An environment shot of the Dawnshore Eastern Overlands in Avowed.

When it was first revealed, Avowed drew a lot of comparisons to Skyrim. Both are fantasy RPGs playable in first or third-person and set in open worlds, so it made some sense to compare the two. However, Obsidian later clarified that Avowed was not an open world in the same sense as an Elder Scrolls, and was more hub-based like The Outer Worlds. This left fans wondering just how long of an RPG this would be. Even though the game will be available on Game Pass, it is important to know how long or short of a time investment is before deciding when you want to start it. Here's how long you can expect to spend exploring the Living Lands in Avowed.
How long is Avowed?

Even though the world in Avowed isn't anywhere close to as big as Skyrim, each zone is dense with activities, side quests, and secrets. Your playtime will heavily depend on how much optional content you decide to partake in. In our experience, doing most of the primary side content, our playthrough took around 35 hours. Had we focused only on the main story, we predict it could be finished in between 15 and 20 hours depending on the difficulty level and your individual skill. This is roughly the same as The Outer Worlds.

Gaming

How to fast travel in Avowed

An environment shot of the Dawnshore Eastern Overlands in Avowed.

When Avowed was first revealed, it drew a lot of comparisons to a game like Skyrim. While there are some similarities, such as playing in third-person or unlocking new abilities, the Living Lands are not nearly as expansive as that other open-world game. You will need plenty of tips and tricks to survive, but getting around is one of the first problems you will want to overcome. Quests will take you back and forth across the zones, so fast travel will make your life much easier. Here's how to unlock and use fast travel.