Helldivers 2’s unexpected levels of early popularity were a surprise, but they were also deserved. With a sensible price point, great community building, and addictive co-op shooter action, it was a blast. In recent weeks, though, player counts have tumbled as the cadence of updates slowed down. However, the huge new Escalation of Freedom update has now arrived, and player numbers on Steam are already experiencing a massive surge.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Helldivers 2 weapons, Helldivers 2 stratagems, Helldivers 2 system requirements