You know your movie, TV show or video game has made it when people start creating fan fiction out of it. While some forms of this fiction are deep and meaningful, action video games have their own trope based on the protagonist doing something cool. John Halo, John Warhammer, and many such Johns are a result of this trope.
So, when you see aHelldivers 2clip of a player doing something like taking out a Bile Titan by rocket jumping onto it and calling in a 500Kg Bomb on its head, that’s none other than John Helldiver. It’s a fun little term used by fans when they see players doing something cool. Now, it turns out John Helldiver is canon.
The Legendary Helldiver Is Real
Arrowhead’s 60-day patch plan has finally come to an end,overhauling the game’s weapons and Stratagemsto the delight of players. While the main focus of the patch were weapons likethe P-4 Senatorand the Breaker, thepatch notefor the removal of the Automaton Hulk’s newly introduced cannon had a fun little story to it.
“In response to their disapproval of a newly installed cannon on the Automaton Hulk Bruisers, Super Earth High Command sent a crack commando to sabotage their production facilities,” said the patch note. “The skilled operative promptly escaped into the shadows after completing their mission. Today, still wanted by the Automatons, they survive as a soldier of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can enlist… John Helldiver”
Despite the initial nerfs that drove a lot of players away, Arrowhead has engaged with the community very well, incorporating popular memes and fan-favourite instances into its communication. With these few lines, the devs have once again shown how clued in they are with the community.
A commando single-handedly infiltrating an Automaton stronghold to permanently cripple their production seems almost impossible, but it’s all in a day’s work for John Helldiver. So, next time you see an unknown squadmate pull off an awesome series of moves, it might just be the legendary soldier of fortune.
There also seems to be another cheeky reference, this time to the recently released Silent Hill 2 remake. “General Brasch returns from holiday retreat in foggy hillside town,” says the patch note.
The latest update has inspired former Helldivers to re-enlist themselves for the cause. After the initial drop,the player count for the game almost tripled. It turns out that if you players don’t like it if you nerf their favourite weapons – a lesson that Arrowhead appears to have learned.
Helldivers 2
WHERE TO PLAY
The Galaxy’s last line of offense. Enlist in the Helldivers and join the fight for freedom across a hostile galaxy in a fast, frantic, and ferocious third-person shooter. Helldivers 2 features Arrowhead’s best cooperative gameplay yet. Collaboration will be vital: Teams will synergize on loadouts, strategize their approach for each mission, and complete objectives together.
