Helldivers 2 Cosmetic Mods After Easy Anti-Cheat: Are They Allowed?

Helldivers 2 swapped GameGuard for Easy Anti-Cheat on 20 October, and some PC players lost their mods overnight, including purely cosmetic ones. In its November developer blog on 10 November, Arrowhead Game Studios finally drew a clear line: cosmetic mods should start working again with a hotfix due this week, while mods that touch gameplay stay banned. Here's what the studio has said, and what it hasn't.

Are cosmetic mods allowed in Helldivers 2?

Tolerated, but not supported. Arrowhead says it appreciates "the creativity behind cosmetic and non-gameplay mods" and has been reviewing how the Easy Anti-Cheat change stopped them working. It also says plainly that no mod is officially supported, that non-gameplay mods may cause crashes or poor performance, and that using any mod is "at your own discretion".

The studio won't say which mods are safe. In its anti-cheat FAQ, Arrowhead says it "cannot determine what's safe vs. unsafe to use", so there's no approved list.

Why did my cosmetic mods stop working?

Because of the anti-cheat switch. When Arrowhead moved to Easy Anti-Cheat on 20 October, it warned that some non-malicious cosmetic mods would need updates from their creators to keep working. The 10 November blog goes further and admits the code changes themselves disabled cosmetic mods. Arrowhead has made adjustments that "should allow some cosmetic mods to be functional" with the next hotfix, which it said on 10 November would arrive this week.

Note the "some": not every mod is promised to come back.

Can you get banned for using mods?

For gameplay mods, yes. Arrowhead says any mod that changes the game code or game memory is, technically, "indistinguishable from an attempt to cheat", and that these mods stay prohibited. Accounts found using gameplay mods may be banned.

For cosmetic mods, Arrowhead's ban warning doesn't name them, but it doesn't promise they're safe either. If you think Easy Anti-Cheat is blocking a harmless mod or other software, Arrowhead asks you to tell its support team on Zendesk.

How do I check whether my mods still work?

Arrowhead's steps, for after the hotfix is out:

1. If you had mods installed before, reinstall the game.
2. Verify the integrity of the game files in Steam.
3. Start the game and check it runs as it should.
4. Add your cosmetic mods one at a time, re-verifying the game files as you go, to find out which ones work.

Arrowhead also suggests verifying your files first if you aren't sure whether a mod affects gameplay, so your installation matches the official version.

Does Easy Anti-Cheat work on Steam Deck and Linux?

Yes. Arrowhead says Steam Deck and Linux compatibility is unchanged and that Easy Anti-Cheat adds no new hardware requirements. Virtual machines are a different story: the studio is tracking reports that they can no longer reach the game since the last update and says it will update players who have opened support tickets.

What else is in this week's hotfix?

Besides the cosmetic mod fix, Arrowhead says the hotfix will fix fire misbehaving in the new bug caves and an Easy Anti-Cheat crash. Full details come with its patch notes.

What's in the next big update?

Arrowhead's next major update is due in early December. Changes it has already locked in:

• Jump, Hover and Warp packs usable while carrying two-handed items.
• Hellbomb backpacks can be armed or picked up from the ground with a long press.
• Gas clouds no longer slow Helldivers down.
• A new utility belt for small handheld items such as remotes and detonators, so they no longer take up your hands or backpack.
• New terminal puzzles.
• SEAF soldiers can open bunkers with you.

The long-requested fixes to Hellpod steering and stratagem bouncing are still in internal playtesting and will likely miss that update, Arrowhead says, though it calls its confidence in them high and hopes players won't have to wait much longer.