Helldivers 2 CPU Requirement Update Locks Out Some PC Players

Helldivers 2 became unplayable for some PC players as some systems suddenly no longer meet the game’s new requirement: AVX2 CPU support.

While the minimum game’s specs listed on the Steam page haven’t yet changed, recent optimizations quietly introduced a hard AVX2 dependency, locking out gamers using older processors that lack the instruction set. That includes CPUs released before 2013, which were previously able to run the game just fine.

AVX2, short for Advanced Vector Extensions 2, is a CPU instruction set that enables faster and more efficient processing. AVX2 is a powerful tool for developers looking to boost performance, but it is not universally supported, especially on hardware more than a decade old.

As of the time of writing, minimum Helldivers 2’s specs listed on Steam required a 64-bit processor and operating system, Windows 10, processor Intel Core i7-4790K or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X, 8 GB RAM,  Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 470 and 100 GB available in storage space.

Due to the issue The Helldivers 2’s Discord server got flooded with frustrated players unable to launch a game they’ve already paid for and invested hundreds of hours into. Moderators tried to share fixes and suggestions, ranging from driver rollbacks to checking CPU spec sheets and clearing mods, but the core issue remains. Some players who could previously run Helldivers 2 now can’t, with no official update or warning from the game’s developer, Arrowhead, or publisher, Sony, yet. Gamin.News has reached out to both companies for clarification.

As of November 2024, Helldivers 2 has sold over 15 million copies worldwide. Additionally, the game has already received 16 awards and two honorable mentions across various categories at multiple industry-recognizing ceremonies.