Helldivers 2 swaps GameGuard for Easy Anti-Cheat; some mods may break

The team behind Helldivers 2 has replaced the co-op shooter’s anti-cheat software. In an announcement on the game’s Steam page, posted on October 20 (15:00 KST), it said the switch from GameGuard to Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) was taking effect that same day, together with extra security tools meant to make the new system more effective.

Two changes aimed at cheat mods

The post describes two steps. First, new security measures target cheat mods that have been circulating recently; the team says some players have used them to tilt their own matches, spoil games for squadmates and even manipulate the community-wide Galactic War campaign. Second, GameGuard is gone and EAC takes over.

Asked why it dropped GameGuard, the team said its implementation in Helldivers 2 “wasn’t as effective as it could have been.” It describes EAC as an industry standard found in more than 200 games.

What it means for mods

Until now, the developers had said little about modding beyond warning that they could not vouch for mods’ safety or usability. The new post goes further. It says cosmetic and other non-gameplay mods are welcome as long as they do not hurt other players, while mods that give an unfair edge are the problem the change is meant to solve.

In practice, mods that alter other players’ experience may no longer work, and some harmless cosmetic mods may need an update from their creators before they run again. The team will not say which mods are safe, since using them is at each player’s own discretion. Anyone who thinks EAC is blocking a harmless mod or other software is asked to contact official support through Zendesk.

Hardware, Steam Deck and Linux

According to the post’s FAQ, the switch to EAC does not change the game’s hardware requirements, and Steam Deck and Linux compatibility stays as it was, so players on those systems can keep playing.

What we don’t know yet

The announcement does not list which mods are affected, and it gives no timeline for further anti-cheat or modding changes beyond calling these first steps.