Developer Arrowhead Game Studios has released the first major patch for Helldivers 2, and it adds additional environmental challenges to the game alongside mission changes, updates to weaponry, bug fixes, and more. It's live as of this morning and arrives less than a day after the team teased the incoming arrival of mechs as usable vehicles for players. 

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of Minor Patch 01.000.100 is the addition of new environmental challenges that appear at random on many of the game's various planets. Arrowhead says that includes fire tornadoes, meteor showers, "and many more." The other big change affects Eradicate missions, which task helldivers with killing a specified amount of bug enemies in a small area. Eradicate missions now require more kills and enemies spawn more often, but the time to complete these types of missions is longer. 

Other changes in Minor Patch 01.000.100 include a decrease to the Breaker's magazine capacity (with increased recoil, too), decreased armor penetration for the Railgun, and more damage per second for the flamethrower.

Here's a full rundown of weaponry changes: 

• Breaker: Decreased magazine capacity from 16 to 13, increased recoil from 30 to 55
• Railgun: Decreased armor penetration in Safe Mode, decreased damage against durable enemy parts
• Flamethrower: Increased damage per second by 50%
• Laser Cannon: Increased damage against durable enemy parts, increased armor penetration, improved ergonomics
• Punisher: Increased total ammo capacity from 40 to 60, increased stagger force, increased damage from 40 per bullet to 45 per bullet
• Breaker Spray & Pray: Increased armor penetration, increased fire rate from 300 to 330, increased number of pellets from 12 to 16 per shot, decreased magazine size from to 32 to 26
• Energy Shield Backpack: Increased delay before recharging
• 380mm and 120mm Orbital Barrages: Increased duration of the bombardment, decreased spread

This update arrives after the official Helldivers 2 X account (formerly Twitter) teased the arrival of Mechs. However, despite the tease, we still don't know exactly when to expect these machines to hit the battlefield – it sounds sooner than later though!

HELLDIVERS! The EXO-45 Patriot Exosuits are in full production in the factories of Tien Kwan. Ready for deployment on the battlefield soon! pic.twitter.com/MfqDbWLhuG

— HELLDIVERS™ 2 (@helldivers2) March 5, 2024

For more about the patch, head here for the full release notes, including bug fixes and remaining known issues. After that, read Game Informer's Helldivers 2 review to find out why it's one of the top-scoring games of 2024. 

Are you excited about these changes? Let us know in the comments below! And remember...DEMOCRACY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!