Helldivers 2’s First Big Update of 2025 Lets You Emote While Ragdolling Once Again, Tweaks Balance, and More

Helldivers 2's substantial 2025 update, patch 01.002.101, is now live, introducing significant gameplay adjustments and bug fixes. This over 5GB patch enhances spray weapon gas durations, restores emoting during flight or ragdoll states, and implements numerous balance tweaks.

Approaching its first anniversary, Helldivers 2's ongoing Galactic War narrative continues with the recent introduction of the Illuminate faction. The update's substantial size hints at potential unannounced content additions beyond the documented changes.

A particularly noteworthy fix addresses a visual glitch with the Stalker's tongue (the developers remain discreet about the fix's complexity).

Helldivers 2 Update 01.002.101 Patch Notes:

Balance Adjustments:

• General: Spray weapon gas effects now last 10 seconds (increased from 6). A despawn timer prevents Illuminate dropship wreckage from obstructing paths.
• Helldiver: Jogging is now permitted while carrying two-handed items (barrels, SEAF Artillery Rounds).
• FRV: Grenade and stratagem deployment is authorized while leaning from the FRV. FRV handling has been improved for cornering.
• Sidearms: Starting magazines increased to 3 (from 2), spare magazines to 5 (from 4).
• Stratagem Support Weapons (TX-41 Sterilizer): Crosshair drift and camera climb recoil reduced. Gas effect duration increased to 10 seconds.
• Armor Passives (Siege Ready): A bug granting extra ammo to all weapons (not just primaries) remains unfixed for now, pending further evaluation. The Armory description will be updated accordingly.
• Backpacks (AX/TX-13 “Guard Dog” Dog Breath): Reworked for improved effectiveness. Ammo conservation is prioritized by targeting only non-gassed enemies. Targeting logic now originates from the Helldiver's position, with increased range (20m from 10m). Gas effect duration increased to 10 seconds.
• Stratagems (MD-6, MD-I4, MD-17 Anti-Personnel/Incendiary/Tank Mines): Cooldowns reduced to 120 seconds (from 180). Damage increased significantly. Mine deployment spread widened to reduce chain explosions.
• SH-20 Ballistic Shield Backpack: Now blocks melee attacks until destroyed.

Bug Fixes:

• High Priority: Emoting is re-enabled during falls/ragdolling (without affecting fall damage). Illuminate spawner ship shields are now vulnerable to impact grenades. Collision gaps within Illuminate ships are fixed. Health packs fully restore stims. High-damage weapons detonate spawned Hellbombs.
• Crash Fixes: Numerous crash fixes related to mission aborts, hot-joining, emotes, fires, drop-in sequences, reloading, armor changes, tutorial completion, extraction, projectile fire, carryable objectives, text language changes, and SG-20 Halt reloading.
• Social & Matchmaking: Improved matchmaking for regional proximity. Difficulty lobby matching improved. Chat history persistence fixed.
• Weapons & Stratagems: Emplacement use while using text chat improved. Arc weapon accuracy against Impaler tentacles enhanced. E/AT-12 Anti-Tank Emplacement armor penetration tag corrected. Stratagem turrets no longer target Illuminate Tesla Towers. Melee weapon physics adjusted. B-1 Supply Pack stim sharing restored. Heat weapon visual bug fixed.
• FRV: FRV reinforcement prevents minor collisions from causing explosions. Camera improvements prevent underground sticking. Rooftop drops reduced. Non-QWERTY keyboard input support added. Enemy launch distance adjusted.
• Helldiver: Ragdolling into FRV no longer causes vehicle ejection. Civilian car vaulting/climbing restored. Post-ragdoll sliding fixed. Stuck prone gliding animation fixed. Missing pickup animations added.
• Enemies: Stalker tongue visual bug fixed. Enemy reaction to missed shots improved.
• Miscellaneous: Various audio, civilian pathing, visual (floating heads), and damage feedback fixes.

Known Issues:

• High Priority: Black box terminal clipping, DSSP pathfinding, Evacuate Colonists mission pathfinding, Dolby Atmos on PS5.
• Medium Priority: Pelican-1 ramp clipping, explosive ragdolling, cape display, "This is Democracy" emote unintended consequences, AX/TX-13 ammo display, Barrager Tank stats, LAS-5 Scythe zoom, charge-up weapon firing rate.