Multiplayer Guide: How Co-Op and Matchmaking Works

Helldivers 2 is a multiplayer game that can be played with up to four people. Find out if Helldivers 2 supports split-screen co-op, its gameplay, and matchmaking tips here!

How to Play Multiplayer

Multiplayer Guide
Finish Tutorial to Access Multiplayer Play Co-op with Friends Play Co-op with Randoms

Finish Tutorial to Access Multiplayer

Before you can start playing in multiplayer, you need to finish the opening tutorial of the game first. Familiarize yourself with the controls and how to play the game before diving into multiplayer!

A Beginner's Guide to Helldivers 2

Play Co-op with Friends

To play with your friends, form a Squad through the Social Menu screen by pressing the Menu button. To join a friend's squad or to invite them to yours, select their profile in the Friends List.

You will be the one picking out the mission if you are the leader of the squad. You can choose a mission using the Galactic War table.

Is Helldivers 2 Crossplay?

How to Add Friends Using Friend Codes

If your friends are not showing up on the Social Menu screen, give them your Friend Code. Alternatively, you can ask them for theirs!

Play Co-op with Randoms

You can also play co-op with players who are not on your Friends List by hosting a lobby or joining one. Another way is to use the Quickplay feature.

How to Host a Mission

You can have other players join your lobby if you have the Matchmaking Privacy set to Public in the Options Menu. To host a mission, select a mission that does not have a squad yet in the Galactic War table.

You can wait on the ship for people to join or start the mission and hope that someone will eventually join. There is no guarantee that others will join your lobby.

How to Select an Ongoing Mission

To manually select an ongoing mission, go into the Galactic War table. After that, select a sector and a planet. Missions will display the number of people currently playing them.

How Quickplay Works

Quickplay is the fastest way to deploy if you do not mind joining a random planet and mission. To use this feature, press the Quicky Play button when opening the Galactic War table.

Co-op Gameplay

How Co-op Works
Complete Missions with Other Players Communicate with Other Players Friendly Fire is Enabled No Local Co-op for All Platforms

Complete Missions with Other Players

The squad will be aiming to complete the same objectives in a mission. Everyone will get the same rewards when the mission is completed, even those that joined halfway through the mission.

All Mission Types

Communicate with Other Players

You want to communicate with your other squad members to do better in your missions. You can do so by using in-game voice chat, a message text box to type on, an emote wheel, or the ping feature.

Coordinating who will do certain tasks, when to use everyone's Stratagems, and who will go to certain locations are key to a successful mission!

Friendly Fire is Enabled

You can damage and kill your allies with friendly fire. This applies not just to grenades, stratagems, but also from the bullets of your regular weapons; generally anything that deals damage.

No Local Co-op for All Platforms

While the original game had couch co-op, Helldivers 2 does not support split-screen mode since it is an online game. With this, you cannot play Helldivers 2 with another person on the same PC or console!

Is Helldivers 2 Coming to Xbox?

Matchmaking Tips

Matchmaking Tips
Scaling is Based on the Difficulty Use SOS Beacons Join Specific Planets Using Quickplay

Scaling is Based on the Difficulty

When joining a mission through the Galactic War table, you will be matched with players at the difficulty you selected. This also applies to Quick Play.

Difficulty does not scale with the player count, so squads with fewer players or playing solo are at a disadvantage, especially in higher difficulties.

How to Join Any Difficulty

You can join any difficulty by forming a squad formed with friends. The leader's difficulty is what everyone in the squad will be playing in.

Use SOS Beacons

If you are having trouble with a certain mission, use an SOS Beacon to allow other players using the Quickplay function to find your game faster than others.

Join Specific Planets Using Quickplay

To get in a mission in a specific planet when using the Quickplay function, select a planet first in the Galactic War table. Then, press the Quickplay button.

How Many Players in Helldivers 2?

Co-op has a 4 Player Limit

Helldivers can be played by 1-4 players. You can play solo if you want by changing the Matchmaking Privacy so randoms won't join you.

Helldivers 2 Player Count

Helldivers 2 Related Guides

Beginner's Guide to Helldivers 2

All Tips and Tricks

All Tips and Tricks Guides
How to Unlock New Weapons	List of All Boosters
Infinite Stratagems Glitch	Multiplayer Guide
Difficulty Levels Differences	How to Get All Samples
Trophy Guide and List of Achievements	How to Fix Stuck in Drop Pod Bug
Can You Change Ship Name?	How to Farm XP Fast
How to Get Armor Piercing Rounds	What Happens if You Abandon an Operation?
Are Hive Lords in Helldivers 2?	How to Get Medals
How to Emote	How to Go First Person Mode
Are There Weapon Upgrades?	How to Fix Mic Not Working
Can You Play Helldivers 2 Solo?	Eagle Rearm Guide
All Planetary Hazards	How to Enable FPS Counter
Battle Pass Guide: How to Progress Warbonds	All Title Level Unlocks
Character Creation Guide	What is the Max Level?
How to Fix Friend Request Pending Bug	How to Destroy Outposts