Helldivers 2's big Escalation of Freedom update finally fixes broken social menus after months of players asking, adds a new "eerie and foggy" swamp planet to die on

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There are also new acid storms

Helldivers 2 Escalation of Freedom
(Image credit: Arrowhead Game Studios / PlayStation)

The Helldivers 2 Escalation of Freedom update introduces a brand new swamp-based planet and a social menu fix that players have been requesting for months.

The huge new Helldivers 2 update is already primed to shake up the third-person shooter in some big ways that we weren't prepared for. Take, for example, the new swamp-based planet, which is dubbed as an even more "eerie and foggy version" of any swamp planets we've previously seen in Helldivers 2.

Coincidentally, Escalation of Freedom also boasts a charming new planetary hazard: Acid Storms. This feature lowers armor ratings for both players and enemies, which is both a blessing and a curse. I'd be interested to see whether this new planetary hazard is directly linked to the new swampy planets, or whether it's a galaxy-wide threat.

For months now, Helldivers 2 players have been constantly asking Arrowhead to overhaul the in-game social menu. The trouble is that the social menu was wildly inconsistent and wouldn't always let players join their friends in the game, but now Arrowhead has "resolved some issues related to inconsistent social menu options" and has "improved reliability of social menu options."

Additionally, Arrowhead has resolved issues regarding friend codes not generating properly, and players should now find it easier to send, accept, and decline friend requests. "We have fixed several issues and still have things to improve but know that we are aware and working tirelessly on this, we thank you for your patience and understanding," Arrowhead writes.

Elsewhere, the Escalation of Freedom update adds the new Automaton's human processing plants, a new type of optional objective that sounds nothing short of nightmare-inducing. 

Hirun Cryer
Hirun Cryer
Freelance Writer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.