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Helldivers 2 Patch 7.2.2 Buffs the AMW-20 APEX and Corrects Bushwacker Numbers

By MetaPatchAI Gaming · Published · Updated

Oct 30, 2026 — Arrowhead's latest Helldivers 2 hotfix is small, but if you've been frustrated that the AMW-20 APEX couldn't punch through things its peers could, this one's for you. Patch 7.2.2, part of the game's Devoid of Liberty update series, went up on the official Steam news feed on Thursday, Oct. 29, with a reworked APEX stratagem, a display fix for the LAS-44 NOVA, a correction to last patch's Bushwacker numbers and a pair of crash fixes.

AMW-20 APEX: built to break things now

The patch notes lay out three problems with the APEX: its demolition strength was too low to destroy objects that comparable weapons like the Anti-Materiel Rifle and Autocannon could, its high caliber made damage drop-off over distance too steep, and the armory showed incorrect armor penetration information.

The changes, per the official notes:

  • Caliber decreased from 60 to 20, which the developers say means lower damage drop-off over longer distances so it works better as a sniper.
  • Demolition strength increased to 30, letting it destroy larger objects such as cover and container doors, in line with weapons of similar power.
  • Armor penetration now correctly displays as "Anti-Tank" in the armory.

The practical takeaway: the APEX should now behave more like a long-range heavy hitter and less like a weapon that falls apart past mid-range.

LAS-44 NOVA: display fix only

The LAS-44 NOVA gets no stat changes. The notes say incorrect armor penetration info confused players about how it would perform, so it now correctly displays armor penetration as "Anti-Tank." If you skipped the NOVA because the armory undersold it, it may be worth another look.

Bushwacker correction

The developers admit the SG-22 Bushwacker changes in the previous patch "were calculated incorrectly." According to 7.2.2, the correct values are:

  • Damage increased from 405 to 486
  • Durable damage increased from 108 to 135

For context, the earlier 7.2.0 patch notes on the same official feed (in the version we could read) had listed the Bushwacker's damage going from 450 to 540, so the corrected numbers are lower than what players were originally told. The notes do not say whether the in-game values were ever actually set to the 7.2.0 figures or whether only the posted notes were wrong.

Crash fixes and a music change

  • Fixed a rare renderer crash on PC and Xbox.
  • Fixed a rare crash on boot.
  • Removed two music tracks. The notes say this does not affect gameplay, but do not say which tracks or why.

Where 7.2.2 fits

This is the third entry in the Devoid of Liberty 7.2 line. Per the official Steam feed, 7.2.0 introduced Easy Anti-Cheat, the Scope of Authority Warbond and a broad weapon balance pass, and 7.2.1 on Oct. 22 was a hotfix for a crash when players joined or left a squad. 7.2.2 reads like cleanup: fixing data that confused players and correcting the last patch's math.

What's confirmed / not confirmed

Confirmed (official Helldivers 2 patch notes, Oct. 29, 2026): - AMW-20 APEX: caliber 60 → 20, demolition strength increased to 30, armor penetration now shown as Anti-Tank. - LAS-44 NOVA: armor penetration now shown as Anti-Tank. - SG-22 Bushwacker corrected values: damage 405 → 486, durable damage 108 → 135. - Rare renderer crash (PC and Xbox) and rare boot crash fixed; two music tracks removed.

Not confirmed: - Which two music tracks were removed, and why. - Whether PlayStation 5 players were affected by the renderer crash; the notes name only PC and Xbox. - Whether the Bushwacker ever used the higher 7.2.0 values in-game. - Any known issues; the Known Issues heading in the feed version of the notes contained no entries we could read.

Sources

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