Helldivers 2already has a wide variety of weaponry, especially when it comes to primary weapons. Consequently, any primary weapons that get added in future updates forHelldivers 2will naturally have some tough competition to live up to. Otherwise, new weapons could get overshadowed by the existing meta. Ultimately,the future of primary weapons inHelldivers2may need to make some big changes in order to stand out from some of the best primary weapons that players already have access to.
Among the existing primary weapons inHelldivers 2, one of the biggest factors that distinguishes these weapons is their unique damage types and Elements, with some offering explosive, Fire, and Arc, which are all great utilities. Based on this trend,Helldivers 2may need to continue introducing new damage types and unique Elements, among other potential solutions, to make future primary weapons feel fresh, even if it means outperforming the existing meta.
How Helldivers 2 Can Keep Weapon Variety Fresh with Future Primary Weapons
Medic Primary Weapons
The P-11 Stim Pistol inHelldivers 2is quite a powerful buildcrafting tool as a sidearm and therefore a primary weapon version of a support-role weapon could have big potential to shift the current meta inHelldivers 2. Especially considering that the originalHelldiversfeatured its own “medic gun,” the REP-80 support weapon, reviving this weapon type could be a natural fit inHelldivers 2, especially if it gets adapted as a primary weapon.
Unlike the Stim Pistol only being capable of healing players, the REP-80 from the originalHelldiverscould also repair Vehicles, Mechs, and Sentry Stratagems, so having this kind of buildcrafting tool could be a game-changer forSentry Stratagem loadouts inHelldivers 2.
New Elements or damage types
Adding weaponry based on new Elemental damage types seems to be the pattern so far withHelldivers 2’s premium Warbonds, so this already seems like a natural progression for the game. By now, there have been explosive, Fire, Laser, Arc, and Plasma primary weapons, so without introducing any new Elements, this still leaves room for Gas primary weaponry, which admittedly sounds quite powerful. Rather, it might be necessary to experiment with entirely new Elements and damage types beyond this to help make newly added primary weapons feel unique, such as Cryo, Acid, and/or Bleed.
Silenced Primary Weapons
Helldivers 2could also add a fresh new variety of primary weapons by offering silenced weapons, either as entirely new weapons or by adding silencers/stealth capabilities to existing base weapons. Especially since the Scout body armor perk already exists in the game, which decreases the range that enemies can detect players within, not adding proper stealthy primary weapons that complement thisbody armor perk inHelldivers 2arguably feels like a missed opportunity.
The throwing knife and melee weapons can be used as silent weapons inHelldivers 2, though weapon fire, explosives, and Stratagems will typically get players detected.
Primary Melee Weapons
So far, theStun Lance and Baton inHelldivers 2are quite powerful due to their stun capabilities that leave enemies vulnerable to countless follow-up attacks, but they lack heavy armor penetration to be able to handle some of the deadliest enemy units among each faction. As a result, adding melee weapons to the primary weapon slot could be the key to balancing armor penetration for melee weapons, since not having a traditional primary weapon would be quite a risky sacrifice.
It’s important for weapons that get added to the game in the future to be meaningful additions. However, given how powerful the existing primary weapons meta inHelldivers 2is, introducing weapons that truly feel fresh and unique might mean pushing the limits of the meta to a new extreme.
