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Helldivers 2: How to play privately

Artwork for Helldivers 2

Credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment

This Helldivers 2 explains how to play privately.

Helldivers 2 is something of a revelation for gamers everywhere. Ever since its arrival on PC and PS5, players have been entranced by its non-toxic community and emphasis on cooperation.

This is a notable departure from many popular multiplayer games these days, which are often criticised for their overly competitive player bases.

In Helldivers 2, players must work together with the entire community to save the galaxy from alien threats. Battles take place across numerous planets, and every mission contributes to the wider war effort.

As such, you are encouraged to play with random teammates. This often leads to random players joining your squad and accompanying you in battle.

Naturally, however, some players don’t like this and prefer to play alone or with friends only. After all, there’s no guarantee that a random player will work well with your squad.

So, if you want to play privately and prevent random players from joining your squad, how do you do it?

How to play privately in Helldivers 2

To play privately in Helldivers 2, press the Options button and go to the “Options” tab. Select “Gameplay” and switch “Matchmaking Privacy” to “Friends Only”.

Screenshot showing how to play privately in Helldivers 2.
Switch “Matchmaking Privacy” to “Friends Only”.

This will prevent any players you don’t know from joining your squad in Helldivers 2.

It’s worth noting that the game’s missions, particularly at higher difficulties, can be significantly more challenging with less players in the squad.

Therefore, you should consider whether playing alone or with a smaller squad is actually beneficial.

You should also bear in mind that any missions you fail will benefit the Automatons or Terminids overall, so playing with a smaller squad can have the unintended consequence of negatively impacting the galactic war effort.

Do you prefer to play with others or alone in Helldivers 2? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to check out our other gaming articles.

Joe Harby

About Author

Joe is one of the editors and founders of Downtime Bros and an accredited critic. He has more than a decade of experience in journalism and communications. He is passionate about everything in the worlds of gaming, movies, and TV, as demonstrated by the countless words he has written about them. He is overly proud of his Bloodborne platinum trophy and plays too much Call of Duty. Follow him on Twitter and check out his reviews on OpenCritic.

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