What a violent year Helldivers 2 has had. The unexpected hit shooter released way back in February, but the galactic war at the center of its narrative doesn’t feel like it’s been raging for ten whole months. Time flies when you’re having fun exterminating bugs.
To commemorate Helldivers 2’s mostly incredible year, I’ve recorded an abridged history of the Second Galactic War so far. I tried to keep to the biggest events, the best community actions, and chose not to exhaustively list every major order. I was able to log a surprising amount from memory, but this would not have been possible without the tireless work of the Helldivers Fandom wiki, which does actually list every single major order. For a complete accounting of the war so far, go here.
The Second Galactic War begins
- Period: February 2024
- Key events: Battle of Malevelon Creek, TCS Construction
- Liberty Levels: Maximum
A two-front war kicks off
Millions of new recruits are rushed through basic training and sent to the frontlines. I’m introduced to the Terminids, a scourge of giant bugs spreading their toxic tendrils across the galaxy, and the Automatons, a dangerous faction of robots with endless resources and a distaste for democracy.
The battle for a creek
An early example of the Helldivers community embracing the meta-narrative of the galactic war, a group of fellow divers band together to defend the planet of Malevelon Creek—distinctive for its permanent darkness and dubbed “Robot Vietnam”—from Automaton capture by whatever means necessary (playing the game a lot, basically). They call themselves Creekers.
Super Earth builds a Terminid Control System
A campaign begins to contain the spread of Terminids to the far reaches of the galaxy. I’m deployed to clear out bugs from border planets and enable the construction of the “Terminid Control System.”
Super Earth’s hubris backfires
- Period: March – April 2024
- Key events: Mechs unlock, Shriekers arrive, Automaton defeat
- Liberty Levels: High
Helldivers liberate mechs in record time
A major order presents us Helldivers with a unique opportunity: Liberate Tien Kwan and instantly unlock exosuit mechs. We hear Super Earth loud and clear: so clearly that we kick the Automatons off Tien Kwan in just over 24 hours. High command had anticipated it’d take closer to a week. The EXO-45 Patriot Exosuit is ours, and glorious.
The TCS comes online
Terminid Control System construction is completed, but Super Earth needs us Helldivers to turn it on. A special mission type appears, and divers personally douse dark-yellow Termicide gas across the border planets.
Bugs suddenly fly, Arrowhead denies
Soon after the Termicide is dispersed, reports of an unknown breed of flying bug circulate online. Indisputable video evidence is put forth to Arrowhead boss Johan Pilestedt, who says “bugs can’t fly” and blames the fake news on “bug sympathizers.” Ten days later, Super Earth confirms the existence of Shriekers, and Pilestedt updates his stance: “I have always believed there to be a possibility of flying bugs.”
Operation Swift Disassembly takes aim at Automatons
After weeks of bug drama, our new offensive against the Automatons begins. To mark the occasion, Super Earth approves the distribution of two new weapons: the Quasar Cannon and Heavy Machine Gun. The Quasar Cannon becomes an instant favorite among soldiers as we discover it can bring down Automaton dropships and a new threat: armed gunships.
The second battle of Malevelon Creek
Taking notice of the community’s attachment to Malevelon Creek, an official major order directs us to take back the Creek once more. Rallying cries are raised, propaganda is created, and the Helldivers work fast. We pull it off, and unlock a special cape.
The Automatons are defeated (for a day)
Swift Disassembly’s final phase, Annihilation, calls on us to wipe out the “lifeless, emotionless, hateful socialist” bots once and for all. We defeat the Automatons days later and the bastards literally disappear from the map. Two days later, they somehow return, now armed with towering Factory Striders.
Terminid spread reaches boiling point
- Period: May 2024
- Key events: Meridia supercolony erupts, Helldivers arsenal updates, A planet dies
- Liberty levels: Low
Helldivers say yes to rockets, no to Anti-Tank Mines
As the Automaton front begins anew, Super Earth is giving us a choice over which colony to save: the one that unlocks an Airburst Rocket Launcher or one that unlocks Anti-Tank Mines. Obviously we choose rockets, and it won’t be the last time those mines are shooed away.
A supercolony sprouts on Meridia
The culmination of the disastrous Terminid Control System and the noxious spread of Termicide is the birth of a supercolony on Meridia. Here the Terminid presence is at its nastiest: the planet’s surface is blackened with hardened bug ooze and nests are opened at startling rates.
An Exosuit variant arrives
On the bot front, Super Earth orders us to capture another factory producing exosuits. Saving this one unlocks the EXO-49 Emancipator Exosuit, a variant of the Patriot armed with dual Autocannons. It’s a thing of beauty.
Meridia falls, a black hole appears
Super Earth has declared the supercolony on Meridia a lost cause. The spread is worsening and the TCS is officially deemed an utter failure. We’re ordered to detonate “Dark Fluid” bombs developed using ancient Illuminate technology. I watch Meridia be consumed entirely by a black hole, creating a permanent blemish on our galaxy.
Business as usual
- Period: June – September 2024
- Key events: More battles, Anti-Tank Mines become a meme, Escalation of Freedom
- Liberty levels: Normal
The fight continues
So begins an extended period of relative quiet. The war rages on both fronts, but we don’t manage to take or lose much ground against either enemy, and we don’t unlock that many new toys for a while. Wait, is war futile?
Not unlocking the Anti-Tank Mines becomes a meme
Seeking to entertain ourselves, we continue to ignore the Anti-Tank Mines every time a new opportunity appears to unlock them. The mines are denied a third time as we choose to save a colony of children instead. Arrowhead donates $4,000 to a children’s charity as a thank-you.
The MLS-4X Commando arrives
A new expendable rocket launcher arrives to rival the EAT. The Commando is a four-missile pod launcher capable of destroying Automaton fabricators. A worthy instrument of liberty.
Super Earth punishes Helldivers with Anti-Tank Mines
Arrowhead flips the script, this time ordering us to kill a certain number of enemies or else it’ll unlock the Anti-Tank Mines. The tactic works, and the mines are finally unleashed.
New threats appear
The Escalation of Freedom update does not meaningfully affect the war, but it does introduce new threats on both fronts: The Terminid Impaler, Bile Charger, and heavily armored Automaton walkers.
Democracy goes mobile
- Period: September – November 2024
- Key events: DSS construction and activation, Liberty Day
- Liberty levels: High
Democracy Space Station construction begins
Without knowing what it is or what it’ll actually do, we deploy to help construct the Democracy Space Station. Months of back-and-forth fighting follow as both enemy factions attempt to thwart its progress.
The Jet Brigade threatens the DSS
The Jet Brigade, a particularly aggressive band of jetpack bot grunts, becomes the nemesis of the DSS, and adds a little flavor to bot deployments. They’re no match for democracy, it turns out.
Liberty Day remembers the fallen
October 27 marks the first Liberty Day of Helldivers 2’s run. Super Earth celebrates by gifting us a relic of the first Galactic War: the 2184 Constitution rifle, a bolt action gun that kinda sucks, but that’s fine. Also in the gift bag is a set of Helldivers 1 armor.
DSS finally comes online
After months of waiting, the Democracy Space Station comes online, adding a new dimension of strategy to the galactic war. We can now exercise our right to vote on where to send the DSS and contribute Req points to activate temporary buffs for that planet, like capture protection or periodic airstrikes. Of course, the first thing it does is start indiscriminately killing friendlies.
The Illuminates return!
- Period: Ongoing
- Key events: Illuminates strike, Fast Recon Vehicle introduced
- Liberty levels: Maximum
The Illuminates come out of nowhere
In a totally unpredictable and unexpected twist of fate, a third faction has entered the war. The Illuminates, long believed to be eradicated during the first galactic war over 100 years ago, are back with an army of Super Citizen zombies, now turned “Voteless.” This is an ongoing threat, but we Helldivers are more than capable of stopping these undemocratic squids.
The Helldivers score some wheels
Super Earth deploys a new tool on the battlefield to take on the Illuminates: a car. It’s called the Fast Recon Vehicle, it can hold up to four divers at once, has a manual transmission, and a mounted machine gun. I like where this is headed.