Helldivers 2 is off to a staggeringly strong start on PS5, though many are already looking ahead to what’s next in anticipation. Building on developer Arrowhead Game Studios’ previous claims that new gear, environments, and enemies would be added over time, a small in-game easter egg teases that the highly advanced – and incredibly deadly – Illuminate are probably going to be the game’s third enemy race.
An in-game news broadcast on your ship reveals “rumors of Illuminate sightings” – which Super Earth’s government claims are the “work of dissidents”, of course. Veteran Helldivers will no doubt recognize this faction from the first game, though they were mysteriously absent from the launch of Helldivers 2. With the dramatic shift to third-person action, Arrowhead surely had a lot on its plate when developing the great new PS5 game and the Illuminate seemingly didn’t make the cut. However, sightings of Illuminates can only mean one thing – this sophisticated alien civilization is gearing up for war.
In the first game, the Illuminate made use of advanced technology like energy shields and teleportation to disrupt the flow of combat. Though it’s possible some features of this faction will be changed with the shift to third-person from its top-down stick-shooter roots, the Illuminate will no doubt pose a unique challenge to democracy when they eventually show up in what is one of the best co-op games of recent times.
Though the Illuminate is likely the third faction – and the last of the existing factions from the original – there’s evidently room for more. Right now, the galaxy map has space for two to three more factions. If the Illuminate joins the party, then we will have seen all of the factions from the first Helldivers game. That means that further down the line, we’ll get to see our first totally new faction in the PS5-exclusive sequel.
With Helldivers 2’s unique community-wide storytelling, such as the current robot uprising to the galactic west of Super Earth, the return of such a beloved faction will surely be a moment to remember. There are currently only two factions to keep an eye on and already fans are raving about the current galactic ongoings, yet things are only going to get more chaotic in the future.
So, while we’ve got to wait to take the fight to the Illuminates in one of the best PS5 games, these pesky aliens are clearly staging their return. When they do, you’d better be prepared with the best Helldivers 2 weapon, recruit. In the meantime, find out why you should challenge yourself to take on Helldivers 2 solo – and it’s not just to avoid disconnecting.