Category: Video Games

Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead Game Studios has temporarily capped concurrent players to 450,000 to help with server stability as it works to “get the ceiling raised” and fix other issues related to its immensely successful launch.

Arrowhead took to Helldivers 2’s Discord to share the news, saying it is “working around the clock” to solve the problems players are running into.

“Hello divers! Earlier tonight we had server related issues with a concurrent player spike,” Arrowhead wrote. “This lead to some mission payouts failing, some players being kicked to their ships, or being logged out.

“Our team is working around the clock to solve these issues. While we’ve been able to mitigte some of the causes, we are still struggling to keep up with the scaling that is needed to accommodate all our Helldivers.

“Therefore, we’ve had to cap our concurrent players to around 450,000 to further improve server stability. We will continue to work with our partners to get the ceiling raised.

“If you have progression-related issues, please restart the game in order for things to sync back up. Thank you for your continued patience!”

As we reported yesterday, the team is doing all it can to help players dive back in “for Freedom” in Helldivers 2. The problem is there are so many who want to take on the evil bug and bot forces. While we wrote that Helldivers 2’s Steam concurrent player record had passed that of Starfield, PUBG: Test Server, Counter-Strike, and Destiny, it has since reached 405,514 and knocked down Monster Hunter: World, Kathy Rain, Hitman 2, and Grand Theft Auto V. Yes, Helldivers 2 has taken down GTA.

While we don’t know the numbers on PlayStation 5, it has become the top game in the U.S. ahead of the likes of juggernauts Fortnite and Call of Duty.

In our Helldivers 2 review, we said its “combat feels fantastic, its missions stay fresh and interesting, and its smart progression system doesn’t nickel and dime you.”

As you wait for the server stability issues to be resolved, we encourage you to check out our extensive and ever-growing Helldivers 2 wiki, how the devs will alleviate rewards issues with weekend bonuses, and our look at why Helldivers 2 is just so awesome.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

The weekend is coming to a close, and so many great deals will leave with it! The biggest deals we found this weekend involved all kinds of sales and discounts for Nintendo Switch titles. Below, we’ve compiled the best deals available for Sunday, February 18. Take advantage of these offers before it’s too late!

Resident Evil 4 for $29.99

2023’s Resident Evil 4 is one of the best remakes out there on current generation consoles. Following Leon S. Kennedy, you travel to a remote village in Europe with a mission to locate the President’s missing daughter. This Resident Evil title is the perfect blend of action and horror. Right now, Amazon has the title half off for all consoles, which matches the all-time low.

Super Mario Odyssey for $39.99

Super Mario Odyssey is still one of the best games available on Nintendo Switch. From the stunning Kingdoms to the numerous new gameplay elements, this is a title any Switch owner should have in their collection. Odyssey is best known for its Capture mechanic, which allows Mario to use Cappy and take over different enemies and objects in the environment. This title doesn’t go on sale too often, so pick up a physical copy at a discount this weekend!

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 for $39.99

If you haven’t played Xenoblade Chronicles 3, you’re missing out. Following Noah and Mio, you’ll travel through Aionios – a world frozen in time. The third mainline entry in the Xenoblade series added the ability to switch between characters while in combat, which opened all kinds of doors for gameplay styles. At $39.99, this is a steal with hundreds of hours worth of content awaiting you.

Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 for $34.99

Great news for stealth action fans: Woot has Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 for $34.99, which is the lowest price we’ve seen yet. This is a great package with the first three Metal Gear Solid games, in addition to Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. If you’ve yet to play through the Metal Gear series, the Master Collection is how to do so on modern platforms.

Save $20 Off Kirby and the Forgotten Land

Kirby and the Forgotten Land is still one of the most overlooked Nintendo Switch titles. Forgotten Land marks the first full 3D game in the entire series, with a massive amount of new gameplay mechanics and offerings compared to its 2D counterparts. If you’ve yet to play Kirby and the Forgotten Land, pick the title up for a discount this weekend!

Save on Fire Emblem Engage

If you’ve yet to check out the latest Fire Emblem title, Best Buy has an ongoing sale that will save you up to $30 on Fire Emblem Engage. Featuring characters from the entire series, Engage was released last year as the seventeenth mainline title in the Fire Emblem series. With a solid discount like this, now is a great time to check out the game.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage for $29.99

Amazon currently has Assassin’s Creed Mirage available for just $29.99. Ubisoft looked to take the series back to its roots for this release with a classic setting and refreshed gameplay mechanics. You can expect an action title with plenty of stealth abilities to sneak around its map. If you’re an Assassin’s Creed fan who has felt burnt out with recent entries, Mirage is a refreshing change of pace. We gave the game an 8/10 in our review, stating the game is “a successful first step in returning to the stealthy style that launched this series.”

Splatoon 3 for $39.99

One of the most popular multiplayer titles you can find on Switch, Splatoon 3 is packed with all sorts of exciting modes you can spend dozens of hours in. The title improves a vast amount of features from Splatoon 2, while also bringing in some fresh new ideas too. You can find new classes, new weapons, and new maps immediately when hopping in. With the Side Order expansion set to release next month, now is the perfect time to hop in and get familiar with the world of Splatoon.

$20 Off The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is an essential Nintendo Switch game. Featuring a revolutionary open world, hundreds of hours await for you to explore each area across the map. By regaining control of the four legendary Divine Beasts, you might be able to stop Calamity Ganon and save both the Kingdom of Hyrule and Princess Zelda. If you’re a new Nintendo Switch owner, pick this up while you can for a discount.

Save $30 Off the JBL Clip 3

The JBL Clip 3 is currently on sale for $39.99, which is a discount of $30. JBL Bluetooth speakers are known for their excellent sound quality, and this is no exception. With the portability of the Clip 3, you can attach it to a backpack, cooler, or bag with ease. Bring this with you on your next vacation or day trip for up to ten hours of listening without a charge.

Link’s Awakening for $39.99

Any Nintendo Switch owner should check out The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. This remake of the classic Game Boy title features a beautiful overworld filled with puzzles and dungeons to explore. To find the Wind Fish, you’ll need all the help you can get. At $40, this is a fantastic price we don’t see too often for one of Nintendo’s biggest IP. My Best Buy Plus members can even save an additional $10!

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe for $39.99

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe is the latest Kirby game to hit the Switch, bringing updated graphics and new features to the Wii game. Widely considered as a great entry in the series, you’re getting a great deal with almost $19 of savings on a Nintendo title just about one year old. You can play with up to four friends and tackle each mission together. The fun doesn’t stop after the campaign, though! After you clear the main story, you can play as many subgames as you’d like in the Merry Magoland amusement park.

Save $20 Off Fate/Samurai Remnant

Fate/Samurai Remnant is a release that went under the radar for many last year. The title is a collaboration between Type-Moon, Omega Force, and Koei Tecmo. If you’re a fan of Fate, you’ll notice plenty of familiar characters throughout the game, including Musashi, Gilgamesh, and plenty more! This is a fantastic action RPG experience that’s especially worth picking up at $40.

The House of Mouse has churned out excellent games for PlayStation in recent years, whether they’re programmed exclusively for the PS5 or PS4 titles that can be played on the PS5 as well. Whichever version you have, you can experience the same magic playing fun Disney games as you can get from watching any Disney movie or show.

Now that Disney owns Marvel, Star Wars, and various other franchises, more games than ever seemingly fall under the ‘Disney’ umbrella. Below we’ve outlined five of the best Disney (or Disney adjacent) titles you can play on your PS5 right now. You can also check out our list of the best PS5 games overall.

Disney Dreamlight Valley

Disney Dreamlight Valley is the perfect life sim game for Disney Adults who love Animal Crossing, can’t get enough of Stardew Valley, and wish to interact with their favorite Disney characters outside of the theme parks. You play as a custom avatar that works to bring the titular land back to its former glory after it’s plagued by the Forgetting, a supernatural event that caused some of the Disney characters living in Dreamlight Valley to lose their memories and others to flee to their homeworlds as a result of the Night Thorns.

Although rebuilding Dreamlight Valley and constructing homes for the people who left it takes a lot of hard work and resources to forage for, you get to befriend every Disney character you meet, even the villains. The game provides a pretty chill experience right that you can share with the whole family sitting on your living room couch.

Read our review of Disney Dreamlight Valley.

Kingdom Hearts 3

Although it was released on the PS4 in 2019, Kingdom Hearts 3 pairs remarkably well with the PS5 thanks to Square Enix making its graphics more enhanced than its predecessors. The game follows Sora on yet another adventure with Donald and Goofy to regain his Power of Waking after failing his Mark of Mastery exam in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance; Riku and King Mickey searching for Aqua, Terra, and Ventus; and Kairi and Lea (formerly Axel of Organization XIII) training to become Keyblade wielders themselves — all in preparation for the final battle against Master Xehanort.

In addition to new gameplay mechanics such as Attraction Flow and Athletic Flow, Kingdom Hearts 3 has worlds inspired by Toy Story, Monsters Inc., Big Hero 6, Tangled, and Frozen (complete with the obligatory “Let It Go” cutscene). It also has the Re:Mind expansion, adding more meat to the main game’s story and offering you the chance to test your mettle against the data versions of Organization XIII members and the mysterious Yozora. If you’re up for the challenge, that is.

Overall, it’s an excellent installment in the Kingdom Hearts franchise and worth playing while we wait for Kingdom Hearts 4.

Read our review of Kingdom Hearts 3.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

A Grammy Award winner for Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is considered to be the the best Star Wars games ever made. The story is set five years after the events of Fallen Order, with Jedi Knight Cal Kestis as he fights the Galactic Empire while searching for a place to hide from them.

You can customize Cal to look however you envision him to be, wield a Lightsaber similar to Kylo Ren’s with a new stance, and experience top-notch level design packed with more NPCs than you’ve seen in the previous game — or games outside of Star Wars, for that matter. Jedi: Survivor will make you feel immersed in the world of Star Wars with a kickass soundtrack to boot.

Read our review of Star Wars: Jedi Survivor.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Sony may have a tight grip on Spider-Man despite Disney owning every Marvel superhero, but we’re still giving Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 from Insomniac Games a spot on this list. The PS5-exclusive title centers on Peter Parker and Miles Morales struggling to balance their personal lives with their superhero duties as new threats loom over New York City, including Kraven the Hunter, whose supernatural powers turn the city into a hunting ground for superheroes, and the Venom symbiote which, as in Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man 3, turns Parker into a bully and threatens to destroy his relationships.

The game picks up where Spider-Man: Miles Morales left off, and employs multiple elements from its predecessors, plus extra features such as new web-based gadgets and Spidey suits tailored to each Spider-Men and their play styles, including the Venom suit for Peter. It got so popular, it sold 2.5 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release and received a promotion on Wheaties cereal. It’s no surprise it’s our pick for the best Spider-Man game ever made.

Read our review of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.

Disney Speedstorm

If you want a racing game where you can race against nearly every Disney character in existence, Disney Speedstorm from Gameloft Barcelona has you covered. The free-to-play PS5 game plays the same as Mario Kart, only the racetracks are themed after the worlds of each racer’s films and franchises, such as Mickey and Friends, Mulan, Monsters Inc. Beauty and the Beast, Frozen, and Pirates of the Caribbean; and minor characters serve as Crew Members to their respective racers to boost their stats (i.e. Orange Bird plays Crew Member to Figment).

Disney Speedstorm has all the makings of a good crossover racing game save for the gacha-esque microtransactions — something other racing titles like Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing and Mario Kart 8 didn’t have to resort to. Who wouldn’t want to race against Mickey Mouse as Mulan, Sulley, Jack Sparrow, or even Elsa?

Read our review of Disney Speedstorm.

Looking for more Disney? Check out our list of the best Disney games on Nintendo Switch.

Cristina Alexander is a freelance writer for IGN. She has contributed her work to various publications, including Digital Trends, TheGamer, Twinfinite, Mega Visions, and The Escapist. To paraphrase Calvin Harris, she wears her love for Sonic the Hedgehog on her sleeve like a big deal. Follow her on Twitter @SonicPrincess15.

Helldivers 2 is off to a great start as it has already passed the all-time Steam concurrents of games like Destiny 2 and Starfield alongside being a PlayStation console exclusive. However, developer Arrowhead Game Studios has said those massive amounts of players are causing server capacity issues it is working “without delay” to fix.

While we don’t know the player numbers on PlayStation 5, SteamDB has revealed that Helldivers 2 has reached an all-time concurrent max of 333,827, which puts it 28th all-time ahead of Starfield, PUBG: Test Server, Counter-Strike, Destiny 2, and Naraka: Bladepoint. As of this writing, it is sitting at 219,670 concurrent players.

Arrowhead took to X/Twitter to address those fans who are experiencing issues diving in “for Freedom.” Rest assured, the team is doing all it can to fix any issues plaguing the game so all players can take out some bugs, bots, and more without worry.

“Despite our best efforts to increase server capacity to accommodate all of you who want to dive for Freedom, we are experiencing capacity issues,” Arrowhead wrote. “We are once more working without delay to improve the issue and we hope to have a fix in place as soon as possible. Thank you.”

We here at IGN certainly get the appeal of this “rare modern multiplayer game the does almost everything right.” In our Helldivers 2 review, we said its “combat feels fantastic, its missions stay fresh and interesting, and its smart progression system doesn’t nickel and dime you.”

We will keep you updated on the status of the servers, and until then you can check out our extensive and ever-growing Helldivers 2 wiki, how the devs will alleviate rewards issues with weekend bonuses, and our look at why Helldivers 2 is just so awesome.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.