Helldivers 2 release time – the countdown to the long-awaited co-op shooter is on for PC and PS5 fans

A group of Helldivers assemble in some art work for Helldivers 2
(Image credit: Arrowhead Game Studios)

The Helldivers 2 release time is nearly here, with the long-awaited co-op shooter sequel coming out in under 24 hours, as you can see from our handy countdown below. 

The gist of the first Helldivers that released around nine years ago is that an elite task force of, yes, Helldivers saved the world from a bug-like foe called the Terminids, Cyborgs, and the technologically sophisticated Illuminates. 

The century that's passed has been filled with rapid expansion thanks to the faster-than-light travel technology taken from the Illuminates, which is fueled by the remains of Terminids. It was all going well until those Terminids broke free of their farms and a new foe appeared. As such, the Helldivers – you – are being brought back in for more co-op shooter fun.  

As for what happens next, it's somewhat down to you. Arrowhead Game Studios game writer Stephen Flowers tells PlayStation.Blog that the story will continue beyond the game and is influenced by what the direction that the community takes. 

"What's unique about the story of Helldivers 2 is that it's driven by the player community," he says. "Planning for that is a huge challenge – we have what we think will happen, but we ultimately can't control what the players do. Which as a player I find cool, but as a writer I find really scary.

"As for the story ahead, all I can say is that the galaxy will look very different a few months from now than it does today. "

If that all sounds good to you, the Helldivers 2 release time is down below, as is the countdown, so you can see when it launches regardless of where you hang your hat.

Helldivers 2

(Image credit: Sony)

Helldivers 2 release time

February 8

  • 1am PT
  • 4am ET
  • 9am GMT
  • 10am CET

An early one for plenty, then. Thankfully, the Helldivers 2 pre-load has opened up to everyone across PC and PS5, so you can ensure that everything is downloaded and ready to go by the time the release time comes around.

Helldivers 2 countdown

Here are more of the must-play games of this winter if you need some more games to busy yourself with.

Deputy News Editor

Iain joins the GamesRadar team as Deputy News Editor following stints at PCGamesN and PocketGamer.Biz, with some freelance for Kotaku UK, RockPaperShotgun, and VG24/7 thrown in for good measure. When not helping Ali run the news team, he can be found digging into communities for stories – the sillier the better. When he isn’t pillaging the depths of Final Fantasy 14 for a swanky new hat, you’ll find him amassing an army of Pokemon plushies.