The Helldivers 2 Devoid of Liberty update 7.0.0 launched on August 12, 2026, expanding the Illuminate front with a new Void biome, unfamiliar objectives and two mutated enemies. Arrowhead has also introduced friendly SEAF soldiers, raised the level cap to 300 and improved several frequently discussed mechanics, including assisted reloads, Stim inputs and heavy-landing recovery. Newcomers who want to enter the Galactic War with established progression can Buy Helldivers 2 Account and choose an option that matches their preferred level, equipment and available resources before heading into the Void.Devoid of Liberty is not limited to new battlefield content. It includes detailed ammunition changes, GATER upgrades, enemy behavior improvements, platform-specific graphics updates and numerous crash fixes. Here is a complete breakdown of the most important additions and balance changes confirmed in the official Arrowhead update notes.
| Update feature | Confirmed details |
|---|---|
| Update name | Devoid of Liberty |
| Version | 7.0.0 |
| Release date | August 12, 2026 |
| Platforms | PS5, PC and Xbox Series X|S |
| Main enemy faction | Illuminate |
| New environment | Void biome and Void-affected planets |
| New enemies | The Wretch and The Crusher |
| New allied support | SEAF NPC platoons |
| New level cap | Level 300 |
| Emote capacity | Increased from four to eight |
| Major gameplay changes | Assisted reload rework, GATER upgrades and improved Stim inputs |
| Major balance changes | Short-magazine ammunition, sidearms and selected Stratagems |
Devoid of Liberty takes the Galactic War deeper into territory controlled and transformed by the Illuminate. A strange presence has appeared on the Galactic Map, and Super Earth has classified the affected region as being devoid of liberty.The Void has permanently altered planets within its reach. According to the official PlayStation overview, these changes become more significant as squads approach the Void. The environment is therefore more than a different visual backdrop: it is connected to new enemies, mutations and mission objectives.Arrowhead describes this content as a new biome and a series of Void planets. It should not be confused with a single open-world map. Instead, the Void represents a new battlefield environment within the ongoing Galactic War.
The update gives Helldivers several new objectives involving Illuminate facilities and Void research.
New primary objectives include:
Destroying Illuminate spires.
Destroying Illuminate gateways.
Completing data-reconnaissance operations.
Infiltrating Illuminate structures with a squad.
Players may also encounter new secondary objectives:
Eradicating Void mutations.
Extracting materials for research.
Opening a secondary extraction zone.
The secondary extraction zone is particularly useful during longer operations. Completing the corresponding objective can give a squad another location from which it may evacuate, potentially shortening the journey to extraction.However, this is an optional objective rather than a permanent rule. Not every mission automatically provides two extraction zones. Players must find and complete the relevant objective before gaining access to the alternative evacuation point.
Two new mutated enemies emerge from the Void. They occupy very different battlefield roles and force squads to reconsider their target priorities.
The Wretch is fast, agile and designed to overwhelm players at close range. It can dodge incoming attacks, leap toward Helldivers and rapidly reduce the distance between itself and its target.
Effective responses to the Wretch include:
Acquiring the target before it enters close range.
Using accurate weapons that can track quick movement.
Maintaining awareness of flanking enemies.
Concentrating fire instead of attacking several Wretches inconsistently.
Slow projectiles or weapons with poor handling may struggle against its evasive movement. Players should be especially careful when reloading because the Wretch can exploit short openings and immediately pressure an isolated Helldiver.
The Crusher is one of the new mutated enemies introduced on the Illuminate front. Both the official Arrowhead update notes and the PlayStation Blog overview identify durability, offensive strength and regeneration as its defining characteristics.
Relentless forward pressure: Arrowhead describes the Crusher as being on a “deathmarch,” meaning it continues advancing while forcing Helldivers to respond under pressure.
High damage resistance: The Crusher can withstand heavy incoming damage, so players should not expect a few isolated shots or a short burst of fire to stop it.
Powerful offensive capability: PlayStation’s official overview confirms that the Crusher can both absorb and inflict heavy damage, making prolonged close-range encounters especially dangerous.
Regeneration: Damage alone may not be enough to eliminate the Crusher if the squad gives it time to recover. Its regeneration distinguishes it from enemies that can be weakened gradually across several disconnected engagements.
Sustained attacks are essential: Arrowhead specifically advises players to wear the Crusher down “quickly and consistently” without pausing. In practical terms, squads should maintain concentrated fire and avoid leaving the enemy undamaged for extended periods.
Exact statistics remain undisclosed: The official announcements do not provide the Crusher’s health, armor rating, attack damage or regeneration speed. Any loadout recommendation based on exact numerical thresholds should therefore be treated as unverified unless supported by reliable in-game testing.
The Super Earth Armed Forces now participate directly in eligible operations. SEAF soldiers can appear through a planet modifier, meaning they are not guaranteed to join every mission.
When the modifier is active, SEAF troops can arrive on dropships and fight alongside the player-controlled squad. Their battlefield functions include:
Following Helldivers toward objectives.
Attacking enemies with rifles and heavy weapons.
Providing medical support with Stims.
Destroying enemy spawners.
Responding to selected player commands and interactions.
Xbox’s official introduction to the SEAF team identifies four allied soldiers:
C. Zhang: A squad leader equipped with a Liberator and radio pack. He issues orders through unique voice lines and animations.
STIMmothy: A medic who uses a Stim Pistol and syringes to keep the squad alive.
A. Aaronson: A rifleman carrying standard SEAF equipment.
B. Devaux: A heavy specialist armed with an MG-43 Machine Gun and EAT.
SEAF troops can also respond to actions such as saluting, shaking hands and hugging. These interactions give the allied NPCs more personality without removing their practical role as combat and medical support.

Update 7.0.0 raises the Helldiver level cap from 150 to 300. Arrowhead has added 15 new ranks across the expanded progression range, with each rank receiving its own title and icon.The update notes do not state that exclusive weapons or major combat abilities are locked behind these higher levels. The confirmed additions are ranks, titles and icons that recognize players who continue progressing beyond level 150.The emote wheel has also doubled in size. Players can now equip eight emotes instead of four, making it easier to carry a mixture of salutes, celebrations and cooperative interactions.
Assisted reloading previously demanded strict coordination because the assisting player generally had to carry the relevant ammunition backpack. This separated the weapon from its ammunition and made the system difficult to use with randomly matched teammates.
Under the new rules, an assisted reload can be performed as long as one of the following conditions is met:
The weapon user carries the correct ammunition backpack.
The assisting Helldiver carries the correct ammunition backpack.
The weapon user can now retain the backpack and still receive help from another squad member. This should make team reloads more practical for backpack-fed support weapons.The loadout interface has also been updated. Stratagem weapons that require backpacks now display a backpack icon, while expendable weapons that cannot be reloaded display a separate drop-weapon icon.
The GATER has received a Super V48 Interceptor engine and an upgraded transmission. These changes improve its speed, handling and responsiveness.
Additional GATER upgrades include:
Increased ammunition capacity and health.
Stronger knockback and impact damage.
A lower chance of rolling sideways.
Enemies no longer attacking an empty GATER unless it is drilling.
Weapons no longer incorrectly locking onto the GATER’s tank.
The R-2124 Constitution now supports full stripper-clip reloading when its magazine is completely empty. If rounds remain in the magazine, the full clip reload will not activate.Heavy-landing recovery has also been shortened by approximately 40%, falling from 1.32 seconds to 0.8 seconds. This allows Helldivers to regain control faster after landing from a significant height.Stim inputs are now remembered for a short period when healing is temporarily unavailable. If the action becomes possible within the allowed window—up to approximately two seconds—the Helldiver will automatically use the Stim.
Short-magazine attachments previously offered too few benefits compared with drum magazines. Several anti-personnel sidearms also had limited ammunition relative to competing secondary weapons.Update 7.0.0 increases the starting and spare magazines of the affected equipment. These changes improve ammunition economy rather than directly increasing weapon damage.
| Weapon or attachment | Spare magazines | Starting magazines | Additional change |
|---|---|---|---|
| AR-23 Liberator Short Magazine | 12 → 16 | 7 → 9 | — |
| AR-23P Liberator Penetrator Short Magazine | 12 → 16 | 7 → 9 | — |
| AR-23C Liberator Concussive Short Magazine | 12 → 16 | 7 → 9 | — |
| AR-23A Liberator Carbine Short Magazine | 12 → 16 | 7 → 9 | — |
| AR-59 Suppressor Short Magazine | 12 → 16 | 7 → 9 | — |
| SMG-37 Defender Short Magazine | 9 → 12 | 6 → 8 | — |
| SMG-72 Pummeler Short Magazine | 9 → 12 | 6 → 8 | — |
| SMG/FLAM-34 Stoker Short Magazine | 10 → 13 | 6 → 7 | Reload time: 2.8 → 2.3 seconds |
| SG-225 Breaker Short Magazine | 9 → 11 | 6 → 7 | — |
| SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary Short Magazine | 9 → 11 | 6 → 7 | — |
| SG-225SP Breaker Spray & Pray Short Magazine | 16 → 20 | 11 → 12 | — |
| P-113 Verdict | 8 → 10 | 4 → 6 | — |
| M6C/SOCOM Pistol | 8 → 10 | 5 → 6 | — |
| P-19 Redeemer | 4 → 6 | Not specified | — |
The adjustments labeled “Short Magazine” only apply to those attachments. They do not change every magazine configuration available for the corresponding weapon.The Stoker receives the most comprehensive improvement in this category. It gains additional starting and spare magazines, while its reload duration falls from 2.8 to 2.3 seconds. The faster reload should reduce its vulnerability during close-range engagements.
The Eagle Napalm Airstrike has received a larger area of effect. Its explosion radius increases from eight to 10 meters, and the bombs are distributed across a wider pattern to cover more ground with fire.
MD-17 Anti-Tank Mines receive the following changes:
Demolition strength increased from 30 to 40.
Improved ability to destroy colony walls.
Ability to destroy Bug Holes from outside in more situations.
Hunters and their variants can now attack FRVs more consistently. Veracitors also receive several behavior and interaction changes: they can guard outposts, and their charges should no longer pass through buildings and obstacles.Gatekeeper encounter frequency has been increased to more closely match Veracitor appearances. SEAF troops can destroy enemy spawners, while enemies can now climb stairs during Establish Communication Uplink missions.
Devoid of Liberty includes numerous technical fixes across all supported platforms. Major examples include:
Fixed crashes involving Core Drills, fire spread and Mortar Sentry targeting.
Fixed a Cyberstan crash affecting some CR7 and higher missions.
Fixed a Windows crash involving multiple monitors with different DPI scales.
Prevented Exosuits from becoming stuck in trees during delivery.
Fixed network desynchronization that could block SEAF Artillery shell insertion.
Restored Super Credit spawning in Factory Cities.
Fixed several enemy navigation, collision and animation problems.
PS5 Pro now supports the upgraded PSSR upscaler. PC users should see reduced screen-edge ghosting when using NVIDIA DLSS, while additional improvements address upscaling quality and blocky nebula artifacts.
Devoid of Liberty is a substantial expansion of the Illuminate warfront. The Void biome, new mission objectives, Wretch, Crusher and SEAF allies provide fresh battlefield content, while the level-300 cap gives veteran players another progression target.Its quality-of-life changes are equally important. Easier assisted reloads, faster heavy-landing recovery, improved Stim inputs, stronger GATER performance and expanded ammunition reserves directly affect regular missions. Players preparing new loadouts for the Void campaign can also explore Cheap Helldivers 2 Items before returning to the battlefield. By combining new content with detailed balance and technical improvements, Helldivers 2 update 7.0.0 gives both active and returning players several compelling reasons to rejoin the Galactic War.