There are several conflicting reports on Helldivers 2’s AFK Timer, which was added last week in order to combat high server load. More specifically, it was added to prevent people from sitting idle in order to lose their place in what were once packed-to-the-brim servers.
Is Helldivers 2’s AFK Timer Even Working?
As of today, February 28, no. The AFK timer that was added to the game doesn’t appear to be actually kicking anyone, regardless of how long they’re been sitting idle. This could be due to an infinite Stratagem glitch that surfaced after the patch that added it, or it could be an intentional change since the server cap was raised to 800,000 players.
Perhaps the AFK timer only activates when servers are near capacity – it would certainly be a welcome bit of nuance to keep folks from unnecessary loading screens if they have to step away to dispense democracy into their toilet.
How Should the Helldivers 2 AFK Timer Work?
The AFK timer patch note reads that it will “…kick players who remain idle for 15 minutes back to the title screen.” That said, it isn’t currently working so, uh, chill with your buddies while you stand as still as possible to your heart’s content.
All that said, the peak concurrent players has only reached 372,000 in the last 24 hours, and unless there’s some kind of major patch or event you can probably expect that to steadily decline, as all counts do. With the massive boost to server size, it’s unlikely we’re going to run into the same server issues that plagued the game’s first two weeks.
Now’s as good a time as ever to jump in and help the cause – especially since we just lost the infamously intense Malevalon Creek. If you’re looking for some early-game guidance, check our Early Game Strategem Guide!
