Home > News > Helldivers 2 Board Game: Exclusive Hands-On Preview

Helldivers 2 Board Game: Exclusive Hands-On Preview

Author：Kristen Update：Apr 18,2025

Last year, Arrowhead's Helldivers 2 took the multiplayer gaming world by storm, offering players a thrilling experience of spreading democracy across the stars through intense combat against aliens and robots. Now, Steamforged Games, fresh from their successful adaptation of Elden Ring into a board game, is turning their attention to Helldivers 2. This fast-paced, frenetic board game adaptation is now available for backing on Gamefound. IGN had the privilege of playing a prototype and engaging in a detailed discussion with the game's designers, Jamie Perkins, Derek Funkhouser, and Nicholas Yu, to gain insights into this exciting tabletop venture.

Helldivers 2: The Board Game

17 ImagesDevelopment of Helldivers 2: The Board Game began shortly after the video game's launch last year. It captures the essence of what made the video game so popular: tense firefights, chaotic surprises, and a teamwork-centric experience, while also introducing unique tweaks to enhance the formula.

Helldivers 2 remains a cooperative, objective-based skirmish game designed for one to four players. The designers recommend solo players control two characters. Players assume the roles of different Helldiver classes, each with unique perks, action cards, and a powerful one-per-game "Act of Valor" ability. The prototype included the Heavy, Sniper, Pyro, and Captain classes. Players equip a kit comprising primary, secondary, and support weapons, grenades, and three strategems, with recommended loadouts listed on class cards, although seasoned players can customize their setups.

Gameplay unfolds on grid-based boards that expand as you explore, revealing sub-objectives and primary objective locations, such as Terminid hatcheries in the prototype. As players progress, increasingly difficult enemies spawn, and a mission timer adds urgency, maintaining the frenetic and tense atmosphere synonymous with Helldivers.

The prototype focused on destroying Terminid hatcheries, but the final release will feature multiple objectives. Jamie Perkins confirmed that the base game will include two main factions – the Terminids and the robotic Automatons – with each boasting 10 unit types. Though not confirmed, there's potential for the Illuminate faction to appear in future expansions, given Steamforged Games' history with stretch goals.

A key aspect of the adaptation is handling the sense of being overwhelmed and outnumbered. Helldivers opts for fewer but stronger enemies, emphasizing tactical, close-up combat that becomes progressively challenging.

Turns involve players and enemies contributing action cards to a shuffled pool placed on an initiative tracker, similar to Steamforged's Elden Ring game. Combat relies on dice rolls, with a unique twist: every four action cards played triggers a random event, often disrupting plans and adding to the game's excitement.

For Helldivers, combat involves rolling dice based on weapon specifications, with damage determined by the roll's total value. Every five points inflict a wound on enemies. This straightforward system eliminates the need for complex modifiers or defense calculations, focusing on the impact of each attack. Friendly fire is possible, particularly with area attacks, adding a strategic layer as players might sacrifice a teammate to eliminate a tough enemy, with reinforcements available.

A highlight of the board game is the 'Massed Fire' mechanic, which recreates the cooperative shooting experience from the video game. Nic Yu explained that this feature encourages teamwork by allowing multiple players to target the same enemy within range, enhancing group play and reducing downtime between turns.

While players can choose to go solo, the Massed Fire mechanic incentivizes teamwork and keeps all players engaged. On the enemy side, combat is more straightforward, with enemies inflicting set damage or effects, causing players to draw wound cards. Three wounds result in a character's death, but players can respawn based on chosen difficulty settings, restoring their full loadout.

One notable absence from the board game is the galactic war feature from the video game. Jamie Perkins explained that Arrowhead wanted the board game to feel distinct, positioning it as a training simulation for Helldivers. Despite this omission, the designers have focused on maintaining the Helldivers feel, incorporating unexpected events, stratagems that can backfire, and a dwindling pool of reinforcements.

Jamie estimates the game's core mechanics are 75-80% finalized, with room for adjustments based on community feedback and potential new ideas. Despite concerns about recent tariffs affecting the board gaming industry, Steamforged Games plans to proceed as intended, with flexibility to adapt if necessary.

After playing the prototype, the systems in place, such as random events and the Massed Fire mechanic, promise epic moments. However, while the tactical focus with larger enemies is appreciated, there's a desire for more smaller enemies to enhance the shooting experience. Enemy attacks could also benefit from more dynamic outcomes, possibly using dice rolls to introduce variability.

Looking forward, there's excitement about what additional surprises Steamforged Games has in store for Helldivers 2. The prototype has sparked eagerness to explore new Helldiver classes, game types, and combinations with different enemies and biomes. The question on everyone's mind is: Where are we dropping next?