Sometimes I just want to take out some alien scum on my lonesome. Is that too much to ask? As more video games force you to play with strangers in an attempt to unite humanity, here’s the answer to whether you can play Helldivers 2 offline.
Is Helldivers 2 online only?
Unfortunately, Helldivers 2 doesn’t have an offline mode. The main premise of Helldivers is for you, the player, to join forces with other Helldivers (friends or strangers) and eradicate the factions invading the Sol system. The Super Earth is under threat from the Terminid and Automaton.
Helldivers must complete Major Orders by working together under timed conditions. Any failure or success within the Major Order’s allotted time will move the Liberation Campaign forward, giving everyone a new Major Order to complete.
Any offline play is chosen during mission selection on the Galactic War console. Avoid any player names and signal icons that indicate a SOS Beacon has been placed.
Do you need PlayStation Plus to play Helldivers 2?
You must own PlayStation Plus to play Helldivers 2 on PS5. While Helldivers 2 is a strictly online experience, this doesn’t mean that you cannot play solo. Set your Matchmaking Privacy to Friends Only to avoid joining random people. Never join a Quickplay session, and choose planets that aren’t occupied by other Helldivers. Yes, your session may be rather limited as friendly ships hover over the Operations you’re interested in, but this is the price of playing solo.
You can see if other Helldivers are already in a mission on the Galactic War console. Simply avoid these sessions and pick a different Operation. You can also filter through unlocked difficulty levels to reduce the chances of running into other players. However, I don’t recommend solo players attempt higher difficulties and team-based missions alone.
Be mindful that you could orbit a planet at the same time as another Helldiver. You can either exit the game or attempt to redeploy at another Operation at the Galactic War console. Do not enter the Hellpod; otherwise, you’ll have to complete the mission with a new party member.