Helldivers 2’s long-awaited third enemy faction briefly appears on in-game map

Helldiver 2’s Illuminate Faction Makes Mysterious Appearance

The long-awaited third enemy faction in Helldiver 2, the Illuminate, has been spotted in-game, much to the surprise of players. This faction, known from the first Helldivers game, has finally made its presence felt in the sequel, albeit briefly.

Reports started surfacing today regarding unusual sightings on Helldiver 2’s Galactic War map, with players noticing a cluster of purple sectors where Automaton incursions and Terminids were typically seen in red and orange, respectively.

For those seeking undeniable evidence of the Illuminate’s return, a small purple symbol found when hovering over one of these mysterious new sectors is a tell-tale sign. This symbol, recognized by long-time fans, represents the Illuminate faction from Helldivers 1.

Helldivers 2 – Escalation of Freedom announcement trailer.Watch on YouTube

Despite players’ excitement over this discovery, developer Arrowhead Game Studios responded by downplaying the event, attributing it to a “recent server outage” caused by a Comms Technician mishap. This cheeky dismissal from the studio leaves fans wondering whether this is a teaser for the Illuminate’s return or simply an unintended glitch.

The mysterious purple cluster in question. | Image credit: NJRhailFire on Reddit/Arrowhead Game Studios

CEO Shams Jorjani from Arrowhead responded to reports of the Illuminate sighting as “fake news” on social media, evoking memories of past instances where player sightings were initially dismissed only to become reality later on.

The emergence of hints pointing towards the Illuminate’s proper debut in Helldivers 2 coincides with Arrowhead’s efforts to address player concerns following the controversial Escalation of Freedom update in August. The studio is committed to a 60-day plan to rectify issues related to game balance and direction.