In a cruel switcheroo, Helldivers 2 sends players to “cleanse” bug babies right after we chose to save Super Earth children

Merciless



Congratulations, Helldivers. You decided to save the children instead of securing valuable armaments in the latest Major Order. The reward for such a selfless act? Nothing. Now go kill some bug babies, says High Command. 

Earlier this week, Helldivers 2 gave players yet another choice: secure the Anti-Tank Mines Stratagem on one planet, or save stranded, hospitalized children on another. Some divers thought it would be funny to say “no, thanks” to the Anti-Tank Mines for a third time. Some thought saving the kids was just the right thing to do. Others hoped Arrowhead might reward the valiant act anyway. Regardless, Helldivers 2 players rallied to save the children and successfully completed the Major Order.

Developer Arrowhead Game Studios didn’t drop a secret in-game reward for players, but it did donate to a real-life children’s charity, while also posting an in-universe crayon drawing from said kids. “Dear Helldivers,” the children’s letter reads, “Thank you so much for saving us. They told us you made a lot of sacrifices (mines/lives) to help us. We’ll always be grateful. Now, we can grow up to become Helldivers too. With Liberty, The Very Sick Children of Super Citizen Anne’s.” Super Earth will eventually need to reload their supply of human space bullets (divers in pods), so maybe saving the kids wasn’t so selfless. 

After celebrating the safety and liberty of our young ones, Helldivers 2 is now pulling a somewhat evil switcheroo. Rather than fighting to save human babies, the new Major Order is sending divers to literally blow up bug babies. “Reduce the Terminid population and clear planets for citizen settlement, utilizing the new Hive Breaker Drill to cleanse their nurseries,” an in-game note reads. 

The Major Order gives players a week to liberate five planets: Fori Prime, Crimsica, Estanu, Nivel 43, Estanu, and the dreaded Hellmire. Doing so will net divers with 55 Medals. It’s an ugly order, but at least we’re only drilling holes into the planet, not turning it into a gaping black hole.

Helldivers 2 CEO explained we’re never getting a story mode because “that’s like building an entirely new game.”