How to play Helldivers 2 online multiplayer matchmaking (public)

Helldivers 2 offers exciting, adrenaline-pumping shooting action, but what made my experience ten times better was facing the bug invasion with other players! If you're eager to jump into multiplayer action, here's how to play Helldivers 2 online multiplayer matchmaking.

How to play online multiplayer in Helldivers 2

Joining a public multiplayer match in Helldivers 2 is easier than you might think. Once you start the game, go to the Options menu and click on the Gameplay tab. Find the Matchmaking Privacy option and set it to Public. Afterwards, go to the War Table and press the Quickplay button when prompted.

Related: All Helldivers 2 difficulty settings, explained

All that's left for you to do is wait for the matchmaking system to find a public mission with players eager to have you in their team. If you still haven't unlocked the multiplayer option, it's likely because you haven't gone through the tutorial—complete the basics training and you'll be ready for combat!

How to set up a multiplayer match in Helldivers 2

Currently there's no way to set up a match before deployment. If you want to have players join your mission, you'll need to place an SOS beacon signaling to other players that you're in need of reinforcements. To do so, open your Stratagems menu, select the SOS beacon and place it on the ground.

If for some reason no-one is joining your mission, try changing the crossplay option off and then on again. This resets the filter and improves matchmaking, but if that doesn't work, it's likely due to an internal server error. If you don't succeed, wait for a while and try again.

Can't find any matches in Helldivers 2? Check out How to fix Helldivers 2 Quickplay not working, failed to join error right here on Pro Game Guides!