Background

Helldivers 2, a game developed by Arrowhead Game Studios and published by Sony, has been facing issues with players who have older CPUs. The problem stems from the game's requirement for AVX2 (Advanced Vector Extensions) support, a feature that has been present in many CPUs since 2013.

Despite the requirement, some players with older hardware were able to play the game since its launch on PC last year. However, the developer has now started enforcing the AVX2 check, resulting in players being locked out of the game.

Player Backlash

Players who have been affected by the issue have taken to the Helldivers 2 Discord server to express their frustration. One user stated that they had spent over 600 hours playing the game and were now being locked out, prompting them to consider asking for a refund.

A server moderator, Birby, responded to the complaints, explaining that the AVX2 check in the script is experimental and can throw false positives. The moderator also blamed users for not following the stated minimum system requirements, stating that they should not be surprised if their outdated hardware cannot run the game.

Developer Response

Later in the day, Arrowhead Game Studios' community manager, Baskinator, posted an update on Discord, stating that the team is working on a fix for the AVX2 issue. The community manager apologized for the struggles players have faced and thanked them for their patience.

This is not the first time Sony has made an unpopular move with regards to Helldivers 2 on PC. Last year, the company had forced PSN account requirements on PC users, but later pulled back after receiving negative reviews on Steam.