Helldivers 2 Performance Patch Has Upscaler Issues
Helldivers 2 and the "Stay on Target" Performance Patch
Helldivers 2 is a third-person cooperative shooter developed by Arrowhead Game Studios and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for PC and PlayStation 5. The game received a significant update, Patch 01.000.100, titled "Stay on Target", which was intended to resolve long-standing performance complaints by adding official support for GPU upscaling technologies. According to a report by Rock Paper Shotgun, the update has not worked flawlessly for all players, with many reporting the upscalers are greyed out or require a restart to function. Arrowhead has acknowledged the issues and is working on a fix.
Key Facts
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Game Title | Helldivers 2 |
| Developer | Arrowhead Game Studios |
| Publisher | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| Release Date | February 8, 2024 |
| Patch Version | 01.000.100 ("Stay on Target") |
| Platforms | PC (Steam), PlayStation 5 |
| Genre | Third-Person Shooter, Cooperative |
| Upscalers Added | Nvidia DLSS, AMD FSR, Intel XeSS |
| Additional Options | Anti-aliasing choices, Motion Blur slider |
| Reported Issue | Upscalers greyed out, requiring a game restart |
| Developer Status | Aware of the issue, actively working on a fix |
| Primary Report | Rock Paper Shotgun (Will Judd, May 2024) |
What Does the "Stay on Target" Performance Patch Add to Helldivers 2?
Patch 01.000.100 ("Stay on Target") for Helldivers 2 adds native support for Nvidia DLSS (including Frame Generation), AMD FSR, and Intel XeSS upscaling technologies. The update also includes new anti-aliasing options and an adjustable motion blur slider, allowing players to fine-tune visual quality and performance.
Patch 01.000.100 adds official Nvidia DLSS, AMD FSR, and Intel XeSS support to Helldivers 2 alongside new anti-aliasing and motion blur settings.
Why Are Players Experiencing Issues with the Helldivers 2 Upscalers?
Players are experiencing issues with the new upscalers in Helldivers 2 because the settings are often greyed out upon first launching the game after the patch. Rock Paper Shotgun reported that a full game restart is frequently required for the DLSS, FSR, or XeSS options to become selectable in the graphics menu.
"The new upscalers aren't working brilliantly for everybody... you might need to restart the game before these options will show up."— Rock Paper Shotgun, reporting on Helldivers 2 Patch 01.000.100
A bug in Patch 01.000.100 prevents the new upscalers from activating immediately, requiring players to restart Helldivers 2 to access Nvidia DLSS, AMD FSR, or Intel XeSS.
Has Arrowhead Game Studios Issued a Response to the Patch Problems?
Arrowhead Game Studios has acknowledged the technical issues stemming from the "Stay on Target" patch. The developer confirmed to the community that it is aware of the bug causing the upscalers to malfunction and is actively developing a fix to restore proper functionality for all PC configurations.
Arrowhead Game Studios confirmed it is actively working on a fix for the Helldivers 2 patch bugs affecting the activation of the new Nvidia DLSS, AMD FSR, and Intel XeSS upscalers.
Who Is This Patch For?
The "Stay on Target" patch is intended for the large PC player base of Helldivers 2 who have struggled with inconsistent frame rates and stuttering since the game's launch in February 2024. It specifically targets users of Nvidia, AMD, and Intel GPUs who can utilize deep learning or spatial upscaling to improve performance.
| User Segment | Expected Benefit | Current Patch Status |
|---|---|---|
| Nvidia RTX GPU Owners | Performance boost via DLSS Super Resolution and Frame Generation | Requires game restart to activate |
| AMD Radeon GPU Owners | Performance boost via FSR | Requires game restart to activate |
| Intel Arc GPU Owners | Performance boost via XeSS | Requires game restart to activate |
| General Low-End Hardware | Smoother gameplay and higher framerates | Inconsistent results reported; bug present |
The Helldivers 2 performance patch is designed for PC players seeking higher framerates through Nvidia DLSS, AMD FSR, and Intel XeSS, though a bug currently requires a game restart to utilize these features.
Common Questions
Do I need to restart Helldivers 2 to use the new upscalers?
Yes. According to Rock Paper Shotgun's analysis of Patch 01.000.100, the Nvidia DLSS, AMD FSR, and Intel XeSS options are frequently greyed out until the game application is fully closed and relaunched.
What upscaling technologies does the Helldivers 2 patch support?
The patch supports all three major upscaling technologies: Nvidia DLSS (Super Resolution and Frame Generation), AMD FSR, and Intel XeSS. It also adds new anti-aliasing options and a motion blur intensity slider.
Is Arrowhead Game Studios fixing the Helldivers 2 upscaler bug?
Yes, Arrowhead Game Studios has publicly acknowledged the issue affecting the activation of the upscalers. The developer stated they are aware of the problem and are actively working on a software fix.
Sources and Methodology
This article is synthesized entirely from the published report by Will Judd at Rock Paper Shotgun, titled "Stay on target: Helldivers 2 gets a big performance patch with upscaler support, but it isn't working brilliantly for everybody". The original article can be found at the provided URL. Official developer status was sourced via the community updates referenced in that report. This article was last updated on October 26, 2024.