Helldivers 2 Players Discover New Flying Bug, Devs Play Dumb

Helldivers 2 is barely a month old, but Arrowhead Game Studios is already shaking things up again with a terrifying new threat – flying bugs dubbed “Shriekers” by players. Videos across Reddit and social media show squads of Helldivers being ambushed from the skies by these winged menaces on missions in the new Umlaut Sector.

The Shrieker sightings coincide with the recent rollout of the “Terminid Control System” – massive planetary towers meant to exterminate bugs in the Umlaut Sector through radical pesticide measures. It seems the bugs have evolved a way to fight back against this tactic.

In one popular Reddit clip, a squad is calmly securing a refinery objective when Shriekers suddenly swoop in from off-screen. A single strike from one of the flying bugs deals over 50% damage to the player filming before it can be driven off. Telltale glowing structures resembling trees or nests can be seen in the background, likely the source spawning these aerial threats.

Why is the creative director of Helldivers 2 denying the existence of the new flying bugs? pic.twitter.com/tVsSWKZDDi

— IGN (@IGN) March 14, 2024

Another Redditor posted about randomly being assigned a side objective to eliminate Shriekers mid-mission, similar to dealing with the stalking hunter-killer bugs already in the game. The new bugs clearly pose a major threat from an unexpected attack vector that players’ current loadouts may not be equipped to handle effectively.

The Evidence Is Overwhelming, But Arrowhead CEO Claims It’s “Propaganda”

I’ve heard rumors of flying bugs in @helldivers2. I want to officially refute such preposterous claims.

Everyone knows that “Bugs can’t fly”.

And I’m not alone in thinking this. The Ministry of Truth agrees that this is propaganda from bug sympathizers that want to brainwash…

— Pilestedt (@Pilestedt) March 12, 2024

Despite numerous video clips proving the existence of the Shriekers, Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt is playing dumb, insisting the flying bugs are imaginary in a tongue-in-cheek message written in quintessential Helldivers fiction style.

“I’ve heard rumors of flying bugs in Helldivers 2. I want to officially refute such preposterous claims,” Pilestedt tweeted. “Everyone knows that ‘Bugs can’t fly.’ And I’m not alone in thinking this. The Ministry of Truth agrees that this is propaganda from bug sympathizers that want to brainwash good people.”

When one fan circled what is clearly a flying bug enemy on the official Helldivers 2 box art, Pilestedt wrote it off as “image manipulation by traitors.” He’s leaning fully into the bit, echoing the planet-first principles and anti-bug sentiments of the game’s lore.

The Helldivers community is rolling with the joke, “reporting” any sightings of flying bugs to the Ministry of Truth while accusing Pilestedt of being a bug sympathizer himself. Some are comparing the gaslighting around Shriekers to the classic dystopian novel 1984, where an authoritarian state agency rewrites facts to serve its agenda.

Shriekers Are Just the Latest Surprise in Helldivers 2’s Living World

Arrowhead has made a habit of evolving the world of Helldivers 2 in unexpected ways since it surprise-launched in February. In the first weeks, players lost their home planet of Malevolon Creek to the bugs before rallying to seize an enemy factory and manufacture their own mechs as a new playable unit.

Balancing updates, patches, and new hazards have kept the co-op action fresh too. In the most recent update before the Shrieker invasion, Arrowhead overhauled friendly fire mechanics and implemented new projectile behavior to make splash damage more tactical and environment destruction more impactful.

This ever-changing live service approach has clearly resonated, as Helldivers 2 remains the top-selling game on Steam over a month after launching. The new flying bug is simply the latest dramatic escalation in the war against the Terminids that players can look forward to squaring off against.

What’s Next After The Shriekers Emerge?

So once players have had a chance to acclimate to the presence of Shriekers and figure out effective countermeasures, where does the gritty sci-fi war saga go next? Past expansions for the original Helldivers added new enemy factions like the Cyborgs in the latter half of its post-launch content roadmap.

Perhaps the latest flying bug evolution foreshadows a larger metamorphosis happening among the swarms. Or maybe Shriekers are just a stopgap difficulty spike before an even greater threat is revealed from the enigmatic Helldivers universe.

One thing’s for certain – based on his penchant for denying this new menace’s very existence, you can expect Pilestedt to ramp up his anti-bug patriotism and disinformation as the situation escalates further. The Helldivers will need to cut through the lies and spin to uncover the truth and deal with this escalating alien menace head-on.

In the meantime, veteran Helldivers should start experimenting to find the ideal anti-air and area denial loadouts to counter these new winged foes. For newcomers who haven’t enlisted yet, there’s never been a better time to gear up and join the war effort to defend Super Earth from the relentlessly evolving Terminid hordes.

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