Best Helldivers 2 mods for PC & how to install them
A few months on from release and Helldivers 2 PC players can actually make use of some mods when playing the game. Despite Helldivers being online-only and having a very sensitive anti-cheat system, some users have managed to get utility and cosmetic mods working.
It's worth noting that, although no one has reportedly been banned for using mods like this yet, it could happen, so you'll have to use them at your own risk.
We also won't be promoting anything that can be construed as cheating here, with my list below focusing solely on cosmetic mods and utilities to improve performance.
Best Helldivers 2 mods
Using DirectX to boost performance
A super useful mod for those still having performance issues, Using DirectX to boost performance is a script that launches the game through DX11 instead of 12 to help the game run better and clear the shader cache.
This is actually something you can do manually through Steam too, if you don't want to download the mod. To do this:
- Right-click Helldivers 2 in your Steam library
- Select 'Properties'
- Click the text box below 'Launch Options'
- Enter "--use-d3d11" without the speech marks
- Start the game
Master Chief
Click to enlargeSome of the armour in Helldivers is reminiscent of other big sci-fi properties, and many players have asked if the iconic Master Chief armour will ever be added as a potential crossover.
While it's been confirmed that we shouldn't expect to see any official crossovers soon, you can still use the Master Chief armour through the use of a mod. You can replace the B-01 Tactical or FS-55 Devastator outfits with the green armour and pretend your're in Halo.
Star Wars Ships
As you stand on your command frigate in Helldivers and look out, you can see the ships of other players in view as they provide support to divers below.
With the Star Wars Ships mod, these ships can now be turned into Imperial Star Destroyers, while your Pelican-1 extraction ship becomes a Republic Gunship.
Star Wars Enemies
Click to enlargeMuch like the last mod, Star Wars Enemies brings the galaxy far, far away to our own Milky Way by replacing the Automaton enemies with B1 and B2 Battle Droids, Droidekas, and more.
ODST Helmet
Another simple cosmetic mod is the ODST Helmet, which replaces the SC-34 Infiltrator with the iconic piece of gear donned by the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers - Halo's version of the Helldiver.
How to install mods
Installing mods for Helldivers 2 is a bit different than most games that are found on the Nexus Mods site, as you can't use the mod manager for them.
Click to enlargeThis means each mod will need to be manually downloaded and then added to the game's data folder. This isn't as difficult as it sounds, so I'll explain the general process for what to do. However, you should still consult the installation instructions on each mod individually.
- Download your chosen mod from the Nexus Mods site by selecting the mod page, clicking 'Files', and then choosing 'Manual Download' for the file you want
- Open the new ZIP archive, which should be in your 'Downloads' folder
- You should have WinRAR or 7-ZIP installed for this part, so you can actually unpack the file
- Unpack the ZIP archive to your desktop or a folder of your choosing
- Now, navigate to the Heldivers 2 data folder. This can be down two ways:
- Right-click Helldivers 2 on Steam and choose 'Properties. Press the 'Installed Files' tab and then click 'Browse…'
- Alternatively, follow this address in Windows Explorer: (your Steam install location) > Steam > steamapps > common > Helldivers 2 > data
- Drag the files into the data folder and press 'Yes' to overwrite the files if necessary
You can now load up the game and the mods should have activated for you to begin using.
Check out our Helldivers 2 homepage for more guides. We've also covered the best weapons, the best Stratagems, how to farm Samples, and how to get Super Credits for free.
