GamesThird Person ShooterHelldivers 2Helldivers 2 dev offers rare insight into how Major Orders and the Galactic War get written: “It’s not as fun of a story if we just steamroll the Automatons and win"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesThird Person ShooterHelldivers 2Helldivers 2 dev offers rare insight into how Major Orders and the Galactic War get written: “It’s not as fun of a story if we just steamroll the Automatons and win"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Arrowhead Game Studios)
After tumultuous back and forth, there’s a new Major Order toliberate all Automaton planets in Helldivers 2and crush the bot threat in the Western front. It’s looking like the climax for an arc of the Galactic War that’s now defined several consecutive weeks ofHelldivers 2, and as players continue to spill oil in the name of democracy, the nature and direction of the game’s emergent narrative has gotten some timely details straight from developer Arrowhead.
(Image credit: Arrowhead Game Studios)
In a follow-up comment, Spitz offered an example of how the narrative may branch: “If we capture Tibit late and fail the Major Order but still end up capturing it, the GM is still going to work it into the story and have us focus somewhere else next week. Only thing the timer affects is the medal reward.”
The line that stands out to me is this, also dated March 31: “Capturing Tibit after the MO expires won’t get you the medal reward, but it’ll still make a difference in the upcoming narrative and future MOs.” This helps put the lens of Game Master Joe into perspective. He’s making a list and checking it twice, and he’s looking at more than just the current Major Order’s planets. Or as Spitz put it:
More recently, Spitz clarified that this isn’t necessarily a linear chain of events with one-to-one causation. A previous defense-focused order skipped Tibit and focused on Malevelon Creek and Draupnir, for example, but Tibit has come up again now. Successes and failures that are multiple orders old, or off simmering in some fringe sector, may still be relevant. On April 1, Spitz added:“I say something like ‘capturing Tibit after the MO ends will still affect the story going forward’ and then people immediately jump all over me when the next MO is Malevelon Creek and the dispatch says that Tibit’s production factories have moved.
“Of course they moved, you didn’t capture it in time, that doesn’t mean capturing it now isn’t going to prevent it from being in a future Major Order. The current operation is to eradicate the bots entirely, so whatever you liberate in the meantime will not have to be liberated later as part of a MO, it should be common sense.”
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(Image credit: Arrowhead Game Studios)
To the surprise of no one, as user discussion descended into senseless finger-pointing from folks mad about failing any orders, Spitz also said: “I’m just going to stop commenting on how the Galactic War system works in here because of how many people misunderstand or take it out of context and then get upset.” Which is a darn shame. Obviously the community manager isn’t going to up and disappear – indeed, they’re still very active in Discord discussions – but this is exactly the kind of behind-the-scenes perspective I’ve wanted since Helldivers 2 launched, and I’d love to hear more about how the devs react to player behavior.
Helldivers 2 is obviously gameplay-first, but its approach to storytelling is arguably the most novel thing about it. Maybe we’ll get a missive from Joel himself one of these days.
Helldivers 2 references one of Starship Trooper’s worst charactersvia its new leveling system.
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GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2
Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
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Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2
Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3
Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5
Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
1
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2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2
Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3
Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5
Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”