Since it was initially released, Helldivers 2 has always had two enemy factions for players to fight against. While players always suspected more would come eventually, it looks like the Illuminate might be arriving in the very near future.
Players in Helldivers 2 have noticed hints that the Illuminate faction has been present in the game here and there since its release. However, there’s never been any concrete evidence or enemy unit to point a firearm at and kill. the last few days feel different, though, because the developer has been teasing the faction on Twitter in open conversations with fans.
Pilestedt is throwing around Illuminate rumors for Helldivers 2
Arrowhead Game Studios’ CEO Johan Pilestedt has been hinting at the Illuminate from the original Helldivers game over the past couple of days. In response to a call for collaborations alongside a phenomenal video that showcases a mod for Helldivers 2 that brings Star Wars to the game, Pilestedt said, “Imagine if there was a predator-like alien species in the Helldivers universe that were exiled from the galaxy that were planning vengeance!”
This is exactly what the Illuminate is. Given their lack of presence in Helldivers 2, it’s assumed that they were eventually wiped out by Super Earth. At least their presence in the local galactic region. That would make them pretty damn cross, and I see them coming back swinging after they’ve licked their wounds a little.
Pilestedt isn’t the only one with Illuminate on the brain, though. User ThusKindly on Twitter shared what reads like a pretty harrowing dream in which it was revealed that the PSN account link war between Helldivers 2 players and Sony was actually a marketing ploy with the new enemy faction as the surprise ending.
But we’ve been down this road before. Previously, Arrowhead Game Studios was served with evidence of the blue lasers the Illuminate use on the battlefield being caught in Helldivers 2. That was months ago, though, and the enemy faction hasn’t been seen since. While Pilestedt discussing the enemy doesn’t guarantee it’ll be added in the next update, it does make a story shakeup seem like it’s going to happen sooner rather than later.
At the time of writing, there’s a lovely space at the bottom of the galactic map where a new enemy faction would fit right in. It’s the perfect time for them to appear, too. Players are engaged in a grind to kill 2 billion Automatons for the current Major Order, meaning all of Super Earth’s attention is laser-focused on the top left-hand portion of the galaxy. Not the bottom.
