Helldivers 2 players who have invested hundreds of hours into the game are suddenly finding themselves locked out due to a requirement for AVX2 (Advanced Vector Extensions) support in their CPUs. The issue has sparked frustration among players, with some calling for refunds and expressing disappointment at being unable to continue playing a game they love.

The requirement for AVX2 support, which has been a feature in many CPUs since 2013, was not properly enforced in the software, allowing some players with older hardware to play the game since its launch on PC last year. However, it appears that the developers, Arrowhead Game Studios, and publisher Sony have now started enforcing the requirement, leaving players with older CPUs unable to launch the game.

Players have taken to the Helldivers 2 Discord server to express their frustration, with one user stating, "600+ hours in a game I love just to be locked out is making me so frustrated to the point I just want to ask for a refund instead of fixing their mistakes." Server moderator Birby responded to the complaints, explaining that the AVX2 check in the script is experimental and can throw false positives. However, Birby also placed the blame on users for not following the stated minimum system requirements, saying, "I don't like to have to tell people their 13-year-old processor is out of date... You should never be surprised if your out-of-spec machine can't run the game."

While Birby's response may be technically correct, it fails to acknowledge the fact that many players with older CPUs have been able to play the game without issue until now. Furthermore, for players who have invested significant time and effort into the game, being told that their hardware is no longer supported can be a bitter pill to swallow. The situation is particularly frustrating for those who have PCs or laptops that are not upgradable, and would need to spend a significant amount of money on a new system to continue playing.

This is not the first time that Sony has made an unpopular move affecting PC Helldivers 2 players. Last year, the company faced backlash for requiring PSN account requirements for PC users, but eventually pulled back on the decision after receiving negative reviews on Steam. It remains to be seen how Sony will respond to the current situation, but for now, players with older CPUs are left feeling locked out and frustrated.

The incident highlights the importance of clear communication and transparency from game developers and publishers regarding system requirements and hardware support. It also raises questions about the responsibility of game developers to support older hardware, particularly in cases where players have invested significant time and effort into a game. As the gaming industry continues to evolve, it will be important for developers and publishers to balance the need for cutting-edge technology with the need to support a wide range of hardware configurations.