Helldivers 2’s First Big Update of 2025 Lets You Emote While Ragdolling Once Again, Tweaks Balance, and More

Helldivers 2's substantial 2025 update, patch 01.002.101, is now live, introducing significant gameplay adjustments and bug fixes. This over 5GB patch increases spray weapon gas duration, restores emoting during flight and ragdolling, and implements numerous balance changes.

Approaching its first anniversary, Helldivers 2's evolving Galactic War narrative continues with the recent addition of the Illuminate faction. The update's sizable download size hints at potential unannounced content additions beyond the documented changes.

A notable, and somewhat bizarre, fix deserves mention:

Resolved a peculiar visual glitch affecting the Stalker's tongue (details are best left unsaid).

Helldivers 2 Update 01.002.101 Patch Notes:

Balance Adjustments:

• General: Spray weapon gas duration increased from 6 to 10 seconds. A despawn timer added for Illuminate dropship wreckage to prevent path obstructions.
• Helldiver: Jogging while carrying two-handed items (barrels, SEAF Artillery Rounds) now permitted.
• FRV: Grenade and stratagem deployment allowed while leaning from the FRV. FRV handling improved for cornering.
• Sidearms: Starting magazines increased from 2 to 3; spare magazines increased from 4 to 5.
• Stratagem Support Weapons (TX-41 Sterilizer): Crosshair drift and camera climb recoil reduced. Spray weapon gas duration increased (as above).
• Armor Passives (Siege Ready): A bug granting extra ammo to all weapons (not just primaries as intended) remains unfixed for now, pending further evaluation. The Armory description will be updated later.
• Backpacks (AX/TX-13 “Guard Dog” Dog Breath): Reworked for improved effectiveness, prioritizing gas-unaffected enemies. Targeting logic refined, range increased from 10m to 20m. Spray weapon gas duration increased (as above).
• Stratagems (MD-6, MD-I4, MD-17 Anti-Personnel/Incendiary/Tank Mines): Cooldown reduced to 120 seconds (from 180). Damage increased; deployment spread increased by 20% to reduce chain explosions.
• SH-20 Ballistic Shield Backpack: Now blocks melee attacks until destroyed.

Bug Fixes:

• High Priority: Emoting restored during falls/ragdolling (without fall damage reduction). Illuminate spawner ship shields now take impact grenade damage. Collision gaps in Illuminate spawner ships fixed. Health packs fully restore stims. High-damage weapons now detonate Hellbombs.
• Crash Fixes: Numerous crash fixes addressed, including those related to mission aborts, hot-joining, emote switching, fires, drop-in sequences, reloading, armor changes, tutorial completion, extraction, projectile fire, carrying objectives, text language changes, and SG-20 Halt reloading.
• Social/Matchmaking: Matchmaking improved for regional proximity. Difficulty lobby matching enhanced. Chat history persistence fixed.
• Weapons/Stratagems: Emplacement retention during text chat. Arc weapon accuracy improved against Impaler tentacles. E/AT-12 Anti-Tank Emplacement armor penetration tag corrected. Stratagem turrets no longer target Illuminate Tesla Towers. Melee weapon physics adjusted. B-1 Supply Pack stim functionality restored.
• FRV: FRV reinforcement to prevent minor impact explosions. Camera improvements. Rooftop drops reduced. Non-QWERTY keyboard input support added. Enemy launch distance adjusted.
• Helldiver: Ragdolling into FRV fix. Civilian car vaulting/climbing fixed. Ragdoll ground sliding fix. Stuck prone gliding animation fix. Pickup animation fix.
• Enemies: Stalker tongue visual bug fixed. Enemy reaction to missed shots improved.
• Miscellaneous: Various audio, civilian pathing, visual (floating heads), and damage feedback fixes.

Known Issues:

• High Priority: Black box terminal clipping. Stratagem ball physics. DSSP balancing/functionality. Pathfinding issues in Illuminate Evacuate Colonists missions. Dolby Atmos issues on PS5.
• Medium Priority: Pelican-1 extraction ramp issue. Explosive ragdolling. Cape display in Armory. "This is Democracy" emote spacewalk bug. AX/TX-13 ammo indicator. Barrager Tank armor/weak points. LAS-5 Scythe zoom. Charge-up weapon firing rate issues.

This update significantly enhances the Helldivers 2 experience, addressing player feedback and introducing gameplay refinements.