How to fix nProtect GameGuard anti-cheat error in Helldivers 2

Besides reports of crashes and freezing pouring in, Helldivers 2 players have also been logging cases where the game’s anti-cheat program, named nProtect GameGuard, throws an infuriating error, preventing them from playing the game. If you’re one of the affected, here’s how you can fix it. 

nProtect GameGuard anti-cheat error in Helldivers 2, explained

After a day of players trying to figure out the error’s cause on their own, Arrowhead Game Studios finally acknowledged the notorious nProtect GameGuard anti-cheat error in Helldivers 2, which has been blocking the game’s launch process.

While the developer is currently working it out with the anti-cheat vendor, luckily, it has shared an official workaround to bypass the error for now. 

Apparently, a conflict between the nProtect GameGuard anti-cheat program and existing programs on the affected user’s system is causing the anti-cheat program to “detect false positives,” preventing the game from launching. To stop this from happening, the devs suggest closing other running programs on your PC or console, including “antivirus, fan cooling, or streaming video overlay programs.”

How to fix Helldivers 2‘s nProtect GameGuard anti-cheat error

Simply put, disable your PC’s anti-virus tool and avoid using third-party apps to enhance performance or customize your peripherals. You can also try allowing the Helldivers 2 executable through your anti-virus’ firewall, which should also fix its crashing errors. Some players have managed to fix the error by manually whitelisting the Gameguard folder. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Locate and open the Helldivers 2 install folder on your PC. 
2. Open the bin folder in the Helldivers 2 folder and delete the existing folder named GameGuard in the bin folder. 
3. Launch the game using the executable, which will create a new version of the GameGuard folder. 
4. Copy the path to this newly created GameGuard folder.
5. Finally, open the anti-virus program and dig up its settings. You should be able to whitelist additional apps here, and when you find the option, whitelist the GameGuard folder using the path you copied.

Doing this should solve the Gameguard error in Helldivers 2 on PC for now, but the devs are working on a permanent solution for both PC and PlayStation platforms.

The Arrowhead Game Studios team hasn’t yet identified all programs that can cause this error, so it has requested the community’s help to identify legitimate programs and get them whitelisted. If you’re looking to help, you can always submit a report via the official support page.