Helldivers 2 — Xbox Launch‑Day Starter Guide

Best settings, what to unlock first, and crossplay basics for new Xbox Divers (with a critical no cross‑progression warning).

Before you drop: what’s new on Xbox (and what isn’t)

• Release & platforms. Helldivers 2 landed on Xbox Series X|S on Aug 26, 2025, joining PS5 and PC.
• Crossplay works across all three platforms. Xbox, PlayStation, and PC players can match and squad up together.
• No cross‑progression / no cross‑save. If you’ve been playing on PS5/PC and move to Xbox, your progression, unlocks, DLC, and Warbond progress do not carry over. A move between platforms is a fresh start. (Same applies if you switch accounts on the same platform.) Plan accordingly.

TL;DR setup checklist (5 minutes)

1. Display Mode: Performance (60fps target) on Series X/S; Quality (30fps) for eye candy. Details below.
2. Turn off Motion Blur & Depth of Field; raise FOV a notch for awareness.
3. Controller tweaks: lower deadzone, set Aim Acceleration to 0, reduce Camera Shake, enable “Remember Aim Mode / Weapon Mode,” and map Push‑to‑Talk.
4. Crossplay: Generate & exchange Friend Codes from the in‑game Social menu; keep Crossplay on; set Matchmaking to Friends Only if needed.
5. Unlock path: Early Stratagems (EAT‑17, Eagle Airstrike), first Ship Module (Donation Access License), then your first Warbond (Cutting Edge for Sickle or Democratic Detonation for Eruptor/GP‑31).

Best Xbox settings (image clarity, responsiveness, readability)

1) Video & performance

• Performance vs Quality.
  • Series X: Performance mode targets 60fps at ~1080p; Quality runs at up to 4K/30fps. In stress, Performance can dip to the low/mid‑50s; Quality tends to stay near 30. Recommendation: Performance for gameplay; Quality if you prioritize resolution.
  • Series S: Performance mode has been remarkably stable at 60fps in early testing, while Quality sits near 30fps with lower internal resolution. Recommendation: Performance.
  • The Xbox Store also lists Series X|S optimization with 60fps support.
• Clarity toggles (huge wins):
  • Turn OFF Motion Blur and Depth of Field for sharper target tracking and less smearing in hectic fights.
  • Bump FOV up a few ticks to broaden peripheral vision (don’t overdo it—extremes can distort targets).
  • Optional: Turn Film Grain/Chromatic Aberration off if you prefer a clean image.
• TV/console extras:
  • On your Xbox: Settings → General → TV & display: enable 120Hz and VRR if your display supports them (smoother frametime at 60).
  • On your TV: enable Game Mode to reduce input latency.

2) Controller & aiming

• Aim Acceleration: 0 (linear, more predictable).
• Look Sensitivity: start near 4–5, adjust in small increments.
• Aim/Scope Sensitivity: set slightly lower than hip‑fire for steadier ADS.
• Deadzone: lower toward 0.05 if your sticks are healthy; raise slightly if you see drift.
• Camera Shake: Low/Weak (less visual disruption during explosions).
• “Remember Aim Mode” & “Remember Weapon Mode”: ON so the game respects ADS mode and fire‑mode preferences when swapping gear.
• Button mapping: keep Dive easy to reach; consider remapping Ping and Throw Grenade to avoid accidental team‑kills (you will do this—friendly fire is always on).

3) Stratagem inputs (enter codes without getting eaten)

• By default you hold a shoulder and use the D‑Pad to input the code. Practice “rolling” your thumb through inputs so you can keep moving.
• In Accessibility/Controls, you can toggle the stratagem list instead of holding the button (many players find this helps while kiting swarms).

4) Audio & comms

• Voice Chat: Set to Push‑to‑Talk if you don’t want an open mic; map a convenient button. (Audio → Voice Chat.)
• Consider Midnight Mode or lowering peak effects if explosions drown out callouts.
• Adjust Dialogue up a notch—barks can warn you about heavy armor and spawns.

What to unlock first (and why)

A) Day‑one Stratagems (cheap, effective, always relevant)

Unlocks use Requisition and level gates at the Ship Management terminals aboard your Destroyer.

1. EAT‑17 (Expendable Anti‑Tank) — early, versatile, no backpack slot.
   Fast call‑in and short cooldown; deletes early heavies and structures and lets you keep a backpack free for Supply Pack/Shield. Great training wheels for armor.
2. Eagle Airstrike — low‑skill, high‑impact mob clear.
   Your first true “oh no” button for bug clusters and bot squads; unlocks early through the Hangar tree.
3. Supply Pack — squad sustain.
   Lets you carry and hand out ammo/stims; raises your team’s uptime and reduces wipe chance on longer objectives.
4. Machine Gun Sentry (or Autocannon Sentry later) — area denial.
   Great for upload/defend objectives and for pulling aggro off your squad while you input codes or revive.
5. Orbital Gas Strike (Bridge) — control & chip damage.
   Excel at space denial and forcing enemies out of lanes; complements Eagle strikes well.

Later goals (as you rank up): Railcannon Strike (huge single‑target delete), Eagle 110mm Rocket Pods, Orbital Laser; and support weapons like Railgun, Autocannon, Recoilless Rifle for consistent armor solutions.

B) First Ship Modules (Samples well spent)

Ship Modules are the most powerful long‑term upgrades in Helldivers 2 and cost Samples (green/orange/pink) and later Requisition. Start with cheap, high‑impact picks:

1. Donation Access Licence (Patriotic Administration Center, Tier 1).
   Support Weapons deploy with maximum magazines—massive quality‑of‑life if you love Stalwart/Autocannon/Railgun. Cheap and feels amazing immediately.
2. Targeting Software Upgrade (Bridge, Tier 1).
   Faster orbital deployment (= less time stationary inputting codes).
3. Zero‑G Breech Loading (Orbital Cannons, Tier 2).
   –10% orbital cooldowns—over a long mission, this is lots more bombardment.
4. Liquid‑Ventilated Cockpit → Expanded Weapons Bay (Hangar Tiers 1–3).
   Faster Eagle rearm and +1 Eagle use per rearm = more reliable air cover on objectives.

These recommendations align with community‑tested “best modules” and are evergreen for any team composition.

C) Your first Warbond(s): which page to buy first

Warbonds are permanent—they never expire—so you can buy older ones and progress at your pace. That’s great news if you’re starting on Xbox now.

• Cutting Edge → LAS‑16 Sickle (Pg. 1, 20 Medals).
  A laser assault rifle with effectively infinite ammo (cool‑down limited). Superb against bots & Illuminate, reliable versus bugs with smart fire discipline. Excellent first primary for resource‑poor squads.
• Democratic Detonation → R‑36 Eruptor and GP‑31 Grenade Pistol.
  Eruptor (Pg. 2) is a long‑range, explosive primary that deletes objectives and heavies; the GP‑31 (Pg. 3) gives you a grenade launcher in your sidearm slot, freeing Stratagems for other tools—both are meta‑defining early investments.
• Chemical Agents → G‑4 Gas Grenade (Pg. 1).
  Exceptional crowd control that slows and confuses enemies—great for new squads learning spacing and area denial.

Launch‑week tie‑in: the Halo: ODST Legendary Warbond also went live on Aug 26, 2025. If you’re a Halo fan, you can chase those themed weapons/armors at your leisure.

Three ready‑made starter loadouts

Remember: Friendly fire is always on. Space out, call throws/strikes, and never cluster on objectives.

1) “General Purpose” (all factions, all biomes)

• Primary: LAS‑16 Sickle (Cutting Edge)
• Secondary: GP‑31 Grenade Pistol (Democratic Detonation)
• Stratagems: EAT‑17, Eagle Airstrike, Supply Pack, Machine Gun Sentry
• Booster: Hellpod Space Optimization (if owned) or Vitality
• Why: Infinite‑ammo primary + pocket explosives + air cover = you’re never dry and you always have a solution.

2) “Bug‑control” (Terminids)

• Primary: Incendiary Breaker (Steeled Veterans) or Cookout (Freedom’s Flame) if owned
• Secondary: Redeemer or GP‑31
• Stratagems: Eagle Cluster Bomb, Orbital Gas Strike, Stalwart (or Flamethrower), Supply Pack
• Why: Fire and gas shred hordes; Stalwart handles mid‑range chaff while you reposition.

3) “Anti‑armor Bots” (Automatons)

• Primary: Sickle or Diligence
• Secondary: Senator (if owned)
• Stratagems: Recoilless Rifle or Autocannon (armor delete), Railcannon Strike, EAT‑17, Guard Dog Rover
• Why: Reliable headshots + multiple anti‑armor layers; Rover helps while you input codes.

(For more “what’s strong now” weapon context, see the up‑to‑date best weapons and equipment tiering. Use it to plan your next Warbond purchases.)

Crossplay: how to squad up across Xbox, PS5 and PC (in seconds)

Crossplay is on by default. To party with friends on other platforms:

1. Open the Social menu (click the Right Stick on Xbox by default).
2. At the bottom, Generate your 8‑digit Friend Code and share it.
3. Your friend Searches that code in their Social menu and sends a request.
4. Accept, then Invite from your in‑game friends list.
   You can also disable Crossplay (Options → Gameplay) or set Matchmaking Privacy to Friends Only/Invite Only if you’re organizing a 4‑stack.

Voice chat tips: In Options → Audio, set Voice Chat to Push‑to‑Talk and bind a convenient button so you can call strikes and revives without hot‑miking your living room.

Series X vs Series S quick notes

• Series X: Use Performance for mission play (60fps target). Consider Quality for cinematic screenshots or low‑intensity farming. Expect occasional dips in the heaviest firefights.
• Series S: Performance has tested consistently at 60fps in early footage; Quality is 30fps with notably softer resolution.

Play smarter, extract more (launch‑week habits that pay off forever)

• Ping and plan. Ping objectives, call your strike vectors, and count down throwables aloud (“Gas going left in 3‑2‑1”).
• L‑shapes beat circles. When defending, form 90‑degree fire lanes and let sentries watch your flank; never cluster.
• Carry two answers to armor. E.g., EAT‑17 + Recoilless, or Autocannon + Railcannon. Redundancy saves runs.
• Farm samples deliberately. Rotate through POIs, extract on time—Ship Modules are your best early snowball.
• Respect extraction timers. Stop greed‑looting when the Pelican spawns. Managed Democracy can wait till the next op.
• Revive discipline. Clear the add‑pack first, then revive; chain‑wipes happen when everyone sprints to the same corpse.
• Keybind comfort > theory. If a setting makes you hesitate, change it. Confidence beats a “perfect” layout you don’t use.

A sample first‑week unlock roadmap (new Xbox account)

Day 1–2:

• Turn on Performance, fix blur/DoF, set controller & PTT.
• Unlock EAT‑17, Eagle Airstrike, Supply Pack, Machine Gun Sentry.
• Buy Donation Access Licence, then Targeting Software Upgrade with samples.

Day 3–4:

• Choose first Warbond: Cutting Edge (Sickle) or Democratic Detonation (Eruptor/GP‑31).
• Start saving for Zero‑G Breech Loading and Liquid‑Ventilated Cockpit → Expanded Weapons Bay.

Day 5–7:

• Round out anti‑armor (Recoilless/Autocannon/Railgun) and a second Eagle or orbital of choice.
• Practice crossplay squads nightly; add friends via code so you always have a ready fireteam.

One last time: the no cross‑progression warning ⚠️

If you’ve been playing on PS5 or PC and you’re “moving” to Xbox: this is a brand‑new account with zero carryover—progress, limited‑time items, DLC, and Warbond unlocks won’t transfer. If that changes later, the developer will say so—but today, platform moves start fresh.