Helldivers 2 Replaces GameGuard With Easy Anti-Cheat

Arrowhead Game Studios has replaced GameGuard with Easy Anti-Cheat in Helldivers 2 as part of update 7.2.0, released on October 20, 2026. The developer introduced additional security measures to combat cheating, protect cooperative gameplay, and preserve the integrity of the game's ongoing Galactic War. The change also affects PC modifications, although the studio says cosmetic mods remain welcome.

According to the developer's announcement on Steam, the previous anti-cheat implementation did not provide the desired level of protection. Easy Anti-Cheat is used in more than 200 games, and Arrowhead expects the transition to improve its ability to address unauthorized modifications that disrupt other players' experiences.

In its explanation of the decision, Arrowhead acknowledged the limitations of its previous approach.

"The implementation of GameGuard for Helldivers 2 wasn't as effective as it could have been [...] In the end we decided to take another path with EAC. EAC is an industry standard used in over 200 games, and we believe this will be an effective way to protect the Galactic War and will better protect fair gameplay and the integrity of the game." the studio said.

The update also introduces additional security tools designed to strengthen the new anti-cheat system. Arrowhead said the measures target cheating modifications that can provide unfair advantages, interfere with other participants, or manipulate the game's shared campaign.

The developer also addressed concerns about legitimate community-created content. It recognized that modifications are an established part of PC gaming and distinguished cosmetic changes from tools that interfere with fair play.

"We know mods are part of the DNA of PC gaming and gaming communities as a whole. In general, we appreciate the creativity behind cosmetic and non-gameplay mods, which players can enjoy without negatively impacting those who play alongside them," the studio said.

Arrowhead warned that the transition could temporarily affect modifications that previously worked with Helldivers 2. Some cosmetic mods may require updates from their creators, while modifications that affect other players' experiences may no longer function under the new system.

The studio explained the distinction between harmless customization and modifications that undermine fair competition.

"Where we need to improve is how we protect players against modifications that create unfair advantages or negatively impact others, which goes beyond software manipulation to tamper with our game." the developer said.

Arrowhead has encouraged players who believe a harmless modification has been incorrectly blocked to contact its support team through Zendesk. The studio has not indicated that all cosmetic modifications will be prohibited, leaving compatibility dependent on the individual modifications and their creators' updates.

The change also preserves compatibility with Linux-based gaming systems. GamingOnLinux reported that the developer's frequently asked questions confirmed that Steam Deck and Linux compatibility would remain unchanged. Its testing found the updated game continued to run on Fedora KDE, while the report said Proton support remained enabled.

Update 7.2.0, titled Devoid of Liberty, also includes weapon balancing, stratagem adjustments, gameplay fixes, and performance improvements. According to the patch notes summarized by IGN, the changes address multithreaded performance, reduce stuttering during intense combat, and improve stability on systems with fewer CPU cores, including Xbox Series S.

Several weapons received damage or recoil adjustments, while the PLAS-39 Accelerator Rifle received a reload-time reduction from 3.3 seconds to 2.7 seconds. The patch also fixes issues involving vehicle customization, crashes, mission objectives, and enemy behavior.

Separately, Helldivers 2 remained unavailable through its UK Steam store page in reports published on October 20. GamingOnLinux said the problem also affected Horizon Forbidden West and other games published by Sony. Sony was aware of the issue, but a resolution had not been confirmed in the reports.