Helldivers 2: Does the co-op shooter currently run on Linux and Steam Deck?

Developed by Arrowhead Game Studios and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Helldivers 2 was released simultaneously on PC and PlayStation 5 on 8 February (buy the PS5 version on Amazon here) and has already attracted over 80,000 concurrent players on Steam alone since its release yesterday – not including PlayStation users.

Although the press reviews are still to come, the PS5 version of Helldivers 2 is currently listed on the Sony Store with 4.5 stars and over 2,000 reviews. The PC version on Steam is faring much worse, with an average rating of “mixed” and just under 10,000 reviews, with Steam users complaining mainly about technical problems.

Helldivers 2 can only be played with tricks on the Steam Deck

Liam Dawe of GamingOnLinux has taken a look at third-person shooter Helldivers 2 on Linux and Steam Deck, and gives tips on how to play the game, which has been rated “borked” by ProtonDB. “On my Desktop Linux install with Kubuntu 23.10, it actually worked right out of the box with Proton 8.0-5. However, others have been reporting issues with it not launching. While on Steam Deck (current latest Preview), my testing there showed it simply wouldn’t launch with Proton 8, Proton 7 or Proton Experimental,” the tech journalist writes on GamingOnLinux.

But according to user reports on GitHub, Helldivers 2 will also run on the Steam Deck if you use the unofficial Proton GE by Redhat developer Thomas “GloriousEggroll” Crider in version 7-55. However, this requires the game to be running in desktop mode, as the anticheat software ‘nProtect GameGuard’ apparently does not allow the game to be run in regular Gaming Mode on the Steam Deck. You may also have to tap the touchscreen once to activate the controller controls.

Ideally wait before buying Helldivers 2 for Linux or Steam Deck

“I have not tested online play with a group yet, only solo play,” says Liam Dawe of GamingOnLinux. As nProtect GameGuard” is an anti-cheat system that runs in kernel mode, updates could break Helldivers 2 on Linux and Steam Deck at any time. We therefore advise against purchasing the Steam version for use with the Linux compatibility layer Proton at this time.

Technology has been with me all my life, starting with Nintendo consoles, followed later by my first self-built PC experiences, until I disappeared into the Apple camp for a long time. But since I discovered Linux for myself, I’ve been using the free operating system with enthusiasm on my laptop and workstation PC. Since 2022, I have been working as an IT journalist for PC Games Hardware, among others, and am now a news editor with a focus on Linux for Notebookcheck.