Helldivers 2 Players Are Convinced The Game’s Third Faction Has Secretly Arrived

Between Terminids vomiting corrosive bile and Automatons rolling up to fights with tanks, death comes very quickly in Helldivers 2. But a sudden case of blue-laser-to-the-head is in the cards because players are convinced the game’s third faction has snuck into various battlefields, delivering almost instantaneous death to any Helldivers caught unawares.

Over on Reddit, players have begun documenting how they’ve been hit by mysterious blue lasers, with all signs pointing to the Illuminate. This faction of hostile aliens was originally in the first Helldivers game and favored the use of sophisticated tactics and highly advanced technology on the battlefield. A race of snipers, illusionists, and high-tech hardware, they were a pain to deal with. And now, they seem to be operating near the borders of Super Earth.

“I was just minding my business heading towards an objective, can’t remember the objective but no enemy was around, wasn’t in combat, and no combat music playing,” Dye335 wrote on Reddit. “Just vibing, and out of nowhere, I got hit with a vibrant blue laser shot, almost resembling a sniper round, from an angle that would suggest a high-angle shot. Wearing heavy armor I got knocked down 60% hp immediately and very lightly ragdolled just maybe a foot backwards.”

Other users have backed up these claims with their own footage, suggesting that something is up. There’s also an entire quadrant of the galaxy that isn’t under siege from Automaton or Terminid forces, but it could be a perfect staging ground for the armies of the Illuminate. In response, game director Johan Pilestedt has replied to these reports by referencing the Skull Cow meme, saying the blue blues are a harmless figment of a player’s imagination.

There is precedence for all this chaos, as developer Arrowhead previously snuck a new type of Terminid into Helldivers 2. A flying unit that swoops down on players, these Shriekers were a (painful) surprise for anyone who encountered them. In other Helldivers 2 news, the new Cutting Edge battle pass is live and merchandise for the game has been revealed, allowing you to enjoy an officially sanctioned cup of liber-tea.