There’s a lot happening in the world of Helldivers right now, and it’s an adventure you don’t want to miss. Recently, Arrowhead has spiced things up by introducing urban maps, an impressive recon vehicle, and an intriguing third enemy faction. Initially, the return of the Illuminate seemed like a fleeting tale—one that would be spun and resolved in a single weekend. But after their unexpected arrival was announced at The Game Awards, the Illuminate quickly set course for Calypso. The Helldivers managed to hold them off with barely a second to breathe. Now, those pesky space squids have shifted their gaze towards a more enigmatic target: the black hole that swallowed Meridia.
Let me break it down for you. The game’s original foes were the Terminids and the Automatons. The Terminids, in particular, have captivated players; even when Super Earth’s Major Orders send them to battle robots, many choose to stay in Terminid space to live out their Starship Troopers fantasies. It wasn’t long before the Terminid threat evolved, growing quicker and more powerful. Soon, intel from Super Earth pinpointed a world named Meridia as a significant Supercolony.
To shake things up, Arrowhead launched a thrilling, time-limited event. Players had to fill Meridia with Dark Fluid while fending off the Supercolony’s forces—pulling off this daring plan turned Meridia into a black hole. It’s a classic case of Chekhov’s Gun: introduce something early on, and you better believe it’ll play a pivotal role later. Now, with Helldivers confronting Arrowhead’s space anomaly, it’s no surprise that some nefarious squids have taken notice.
Unlike other enemy factions, the Illuminate don’t hold permanent turf. They’re executing hit-and-run tactics on Super Earth territories, starting with Calypso and steadily advancing east. Initially, this seemed routine, but observant players noticed something unusual happening around Meridia. The black hole, now a vivid purple and brighter than ever, appears to be pulling in debris at an alarming pace.
So far, Helldivers have successfully defended Terminid space from the Illuminate—a strange turn of events after months of battling bugs. They’ve managed to drive back the squids, at least for the moment. With Operation Squid Game wrapping up around 4:30 p.m. ET last Friday, the Illuminate have seemingly vanished once more. However, I doubt this story has reached its conclusion. There’s a strong chance we’ll see their ranks filled with newly concocted bio-organic horrors soon. On a brighter note, players can now secure the vehicle as a Stratagem and hit the road whenever they please. You’ve got to relish the small victories when you’re in the thick of a three-front intergalactic battle for democracy.
