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Helldivers 2’s Devoid of Liberty update launched on September 22, 2026, the same day Steam tracking recorded a daily peak of 92,181 concurrent players. But that was not the highest peak in the available post-April history: PlayerStats records 146,674 on August 12. The figures show a September spike, not a new high since April—and they do not prove the update caused it.
How many people were playing Helldivers 2?
SteamPlayerStats recorded a daily peak of 92,181 concurrent players on September 22, 2026, the launch date of Devoid of Liberty. That was the highest daily peak in the rolling 30-day chart displayed by SteamPlayerStats when accessed, but it was below a higher August observation in PlayerStats’ stored history.
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PlayerStats lists a peak of 146,674 concurrent Steam players on August 12, 2026. Its history begins April 17, 2026, and the tracker describes this as its highest stored observation—not a verified lifetime record. The September peak therefore was not the highest in that available post-April record.
These figures are Steam concurrent-player peaks, not counts of unique people, sales, or activity across every platform. Sony’s separate figure of more than 22.9 million players across PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC is cumulative reach reported as of August 9, 2026; it cannot be compared directly with a one-day Steam concurrency peak. Trackers can differ in coverage, and displayed values may change.
#1 Best Overall
- BECOME A LEGEND - You will be assembled into squads of up to four Helldivers and assigned strategic missions. Watch each other’s back – friendly fire is an unfortunate certainty of war, but victory without teamwork is impossible.
- LOADOUTS - Rain down freedom from above, sneak through enemy territory, or grit your teeth and charge head-first into the jaws of combat. How you deliver liberty is your choice; you’ll have access to a wide array of explosive firepower, life-saving armour and battle-changing stratagems… the jewel in every Helldiver’s arsenal.
- REQUISITION - Super Earth recognises your hard work with valuable Requisition. Use it to access different rewards that benefit you, your squad, your destroyer ship and our overall war effort.
- THREATS - Everything on every planet wants you dead. That’s what we’re dealing with. Each enemy has distinct and unpredictable characteristics, tactics, and behaviour – but they all fight ferociously and without fear or morality.
What did the Illuminate update add?
Arrowhead’s September 22 launch announcement marks the start of the Devoid of Liberty arc, with the first signs of a threat emerging from the Void. The 7.0.0 notes, published October 5, detail content and progression changes associated with the arc:
- New Illuminate enemies, including the Crusher and Wretch.
- SEAF support squads and tools.
- Rank progression expanded from level 150 to level 300.
The dates refer to different events: the official feed dates the live launch to September 22, while the 7.0.0 notes page is dated October 5. Sony had announced on August 12 that the Devoid of Liberty arc was beginning, describing the first signs of a threat from the Void.
Rank #2
- BECOME A LEGEND - You will be assembled into squads of up to four Helldivers and assigned strategic missions. Watch each other’s back – friendly fire is an unfortunate certainty of war, but victory without teamwork is impossible.
- LOADOUTS - Rain down freedom from above, sneak through enemy territory, or grit your teeth and charge head-first into the jaws of combat. How you deliver liberty is your choice; you’ll have access to a wide array of explosive firepower, life-saving armour and battle-changing stratagems… the jewel in every Helldiver’s arsenal.
- REQUISITION - Super Earth recognises your hard work with valuable Requisition. Use it to access different rewards that benefit you, your squad, your destroyer ship and our overall war effort.
- THREATS - Everything on every planet wants you dead. That’s what we’re dealing with. Each enemy has distinct and unpredictable characteristics, tactics, and behaviour – but they all fight ferociously and without fear or morality.
Did Devoid of Liberty cause the player spike?
The timing is consistent with a connection: the September 22 update launch and the 92,181 Steam peak share a date. But a same-day peak does not establish that the update caused the rise. PlayerStats cautions that player-count data alone cannot identify whether an update, sale, or another event drove a change.
There is relevant context around the higher August peak, too. Sony announced that Helldivers 2 joined the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog on August 12—the same date PlayerStats records the 146,674 peak. That overlap is not proof that catalog access caused the August figure, just as the September overlap does not prove the update caused its peak. The available figures do not isolate the effects of updates, subscription access, promotions, or other factors.
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- Join the Helldivers and fight with friends for freedom:
- Immerse yourself in the battle for freedom - We need brave citizens traveling through the galaxy to free unpredictable, hostile worlds and spread our message of peace, freedom and guided democracy - in fast, fast-paced and wild missions.
- Become a legend - As part of the elite troops of Over-Earth, you have the entire power of the military at your disposal. Rise in the ranks as you complete vital missions, turn the tide in battle and protect the front.
- The Galactic War - As the Galactic War rages on multiple fronts, campaigns are fought, won and lost. Our enemies abandoned by the flag fight us at every turn, but we will not rest until every being has its freedom!
- Pre-order now for three armour sets: "TR-7 Brand Ambassador" - SUMY Corp advertising armor. As part of a hugely successful marketing campaign for Frozen Yogurt, "TR-62 Knights" - Designed to provide justice even in the darkest corners of the galaxy. & "Cavaliers of Democracy TR-9" - Carriers of this armour do not ride a horse, but are carried into battle on the faithful horse of freedom.
What the “highest since April” claim gets wrong
If “highest since April” means that September’s peak beat every peak recorded after April, the claim is misleading: PlayerStats’ history begins April 17 and includes the higher August 12 observation. A narrower claim is supported: SteamPlayerStats’ September 22 figure was the highest in the 30-day chart it displayed when accessed. Neither tracker establishes a verified all-time record.
The most defensible summary is that Devoid of Liberty’s September 22 launch coincided with a 92,181-player Steam peak, while the available stored history shows a higher peak of 146,674 in August.
What Arrowhead said about what comes next
In an official post dated September 25, Arrowhead Creative Director Mikael Eriksson wrote: “Stability will stay the priority between updates, and the campaign structure work above is the one to watch for going forwards.” That is his statement in the context of that post, not a broader or more recent roadmap commitment.
Quick Recap
Sources
- Arrowhead Game Studios via Steam Community: official announcements, including the September 22 launch notice and September 25 post.
- Arrowhead Game Studios: “Devoid of Liberty: 7.0.0” update notes, dated October 5, 2026.
- SteamPlayerStats: HELLDIVERS 2 player count and rolling Steam chart.
- PlayerStats: HELLDIVERS 2 player count and stored history through October 7, 2026.
- Sony Interactive Entertainment: PlayStation Plus Game Catalog announcement, August 12, 2026.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
