Fixes for not getting Helldivers 2 Medals for Major Orders

Helldivers 2 Major Order medals reward notification
(Image credit: Sony)

If you're not getting medals after completing Major Orders in Helldivers 2, you're not alone as this is a common problem to do with the way rewards are distributed. The short answer is essentially that the system developer Arrowhead uses in Helldivers 2 isn't good at dishing out medals to all players all at once after Major Orders, so the reward drops are staggered. However, if your Medal count isn't increasing, it could also be that you've reached the limit! Here's what we know about not getting Helldivers 2 Medals after Major Orders and some possible fixes and tips.

Why am I not getting Medals for Major Orders in Helldivers 2?

Helldivers 2 Liberate Crimsica Estanu and Hellmire planets from terminids

(Image credit: Sony)

There are two possible causes for not getting Medals after a Major Order in Helldivers 2:

  • Your Medals are taking a while to get to you as part of a staggered release for Major Order rewards.
  • You've reached the Medal cap of 250 Medals.

To explain that first reason more, not getting Helldivers 2 rewards and medals after Major Orders isn't a problem on your end and is to do with how Arrowhead distributes these rewards. To reduce issues, Medals are handed out in waves over the course of several days after a Helldivers 2 Major Order ends. That means some players get their rewards right after the end of a Major Order, while others might get notified of Medal rewards several days later.

This is something all of us on the guides team have experienced and there's no real fix for this problem as it's purely to do with Arrowhead's systems, so the best you can do is be patient – you will get your rewards, but they might take a while. A Helldivers 2 community manager recently acknowledged the problem and said that an overhaul of the rewards delivery system is in order as it's currently not very reliable.

Helldivers 2 Medals cap explained

Helldivers 2 Cutting Edge Warbond

(Image credit: Sony)

The other reason you might not be getting your Major Order rewards in Helldivers 2 is because you've reached the Medal cap and can't earn any more. As mentioned, the limit is 250 Medals, and once you've reached the limit, any extra Medals you earn are lost forever – spending some of your Medals doesn't allow you to get any back, unfortunately.

That means the only way to get around this is to spend your Medals when possible. Medals can only be spent on Warbond items, such as those in Helldivers 2 Steeled Veterans and Democratic Detonation. I usually hover at around 200 Medals to ensure I don't lose any when I complete a Personal Order or suddenly get delayed Major Order Medals. If the same happens to you, it might prompt a major spending spree with this huge backlog of pay, which you can use to unlock weapons in Helldivers 2. Otherwise, there's obviously no way to increase this cap unless Arrowhead does so for all players in a future patch, so fingers crossed.

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Will Sawyer
Guides Writer

Will Sawyer is a guides writer at GamesRadar+ who works with the rest of the guides team to give readers great information and advice on the best items, how to complete a particular challenge, or where to go in some of the biggest video games. Will joined the GameRadar+ team in August 2021 and has written about service titles, including Fortnite, Destiny 2, and Warzone, as well as some of the biggest releases like Halo Infinite, Elden Ring, and God of War Ragnarok.

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