Helldivers 2 has officially launched its holiday event, the Festival of Reckoning, bringing festive chaos to the battlefield just in time for the holiday season. Running from December 18 through December 31, the limited-time event introduces new Major Orders, experimental gameplay features, and a selection of free Stratagems available to all players.
Festival of Reckoning Returns Bigger Than Ever
The Festival of Reckoning previously appeared in Helldivers 2 last year, but in a much smaller form. The 2024 version of the event lasted only three days, giving many players a limited opportunity to take part. This year, Arrowhead Game Studios has significantly expanded the event’s duration. In a tongue-in-cheek explanation, the developer joked that the “Reckoning Fund” is overflowing with credits, allowing this year’s festival to be longer, louder, and more explosively festive.
Limited-time events like this have become one of Helldivers 2’s greatest strengths as a live-service game, consistently giving players a reason to return and continue spreading Managed Democracy across the galaxy.
Free Experimental Stratagems Available for a Limited Time
During the 2025 Festival of Reckoning, players are encouraged to “deck the halls with the limbs of Super Earth’s enemies” while completing holiday-themed Major Orders. Alongside these objectives, Arrowhead is granting players access to several experimental Stratagems, completely free for the duration of the event.
These limited-time Stratagems include a 120mm EMS projectile that stuns enemies, a fire-based Gatling Barrage, and an Orbital Walking Barrage that deploys smoke. In-game dispatches will inform players which celebratory Major Orders are currently active and which mandatory festive Stratagems are available. According to Arrowhead, no Stratagem category is off-limits, and Premium Warbond Stratagems will also rotate into the event lineup.
Community Hopes for Permanent Stratagem Customization
The arrival of these experimental Stratagems has sparked renewed discussion within the Helldivers 2 community. Many players argue that since the content is already complete, it should remain in the game permanently. A popular Reddit thread suggested that customizable Stratagem upgrades could become a meaningful form of late-game progression.
These ideas echo comments made last month by Arrowhead Game Studios CEO Shams Jorjani, who stated he was “100% for” the addition of Stratagem customization. While no official timeline has been announced, the Festival of Reckoning appears to be serving as a testing ground for potential future systems.
Performance Improvements Put Helldivers 2 Back on Track
The holiday update arrives at a crucial moment for Helldivers 2. Earlier this year, the game struggled with performance issues as its growing content began to impact stability, with PC file sizes ballooning to nearly 150 GB. Recent updates have significantly reduced the game’s file size and improved performance across platforms.
Arrowhead has since shifted its development strategy to focus on optimization and stability before adding more content. With these improvements in place, the game now appears to be heading in a positive direction.
Looking Ahead to the Future of Helldivers 2
With performance steadily improving and player confidence returning, Helldivers 2 seems poised for a strong future. If Arrowhead can resolve the remaining technical issues early next year, players can likely expect even more ambitious updates and experimental features for one of the most chaotic and entertaining live-service shooters available.
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