This week, Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead launched a brand new cape, free to all gamers, to mark what it’s known as ‘Malevelon Creek Memorial Day.’ Now, a subset of the sport’s group is threatening to teamkill gamers who put on it, seemingly as a result of they don’t like the concentrate on Malevelon Creek itself.
First, some background: on April 1, Arrowhead delivered a brand new Main Order to Helldivers 2 gamers giving them a 24-hour window to lastly take again Malevelon Creek, the Automaton map dubbed ‘House Vietnam’ by followers. The planet was liberated in solely about 5 hours.
Then, on April 2, Arrowhead launched a brand new Main Order to fend off the Automaton counterattack. This consists of two new and terrifying Automaton enemies, dropped into the sport with out fanfare by Arrowhead for gamers to uncover.
A day later, Arrowhead launched the cape, known as Fallen Hero’s Vengeance, alongside an in-universe assertion: “By Presidential Decree, the President of Tremendous Earth has formally acknowledged at the present time as Malevelon Creek Memorial Day. This week, in remembrance, all Helldivers will probably be issued a particular commemorative cape, so they could carry the reminiscence of their fallen companions into battle.”
That, you’ll assume, can be that, but some Helldivers 2 have taken to social media, the sport’s subreddit and Discord to subject a kill-on-sight order for any participant carrying the Fallen Hero’s Vengeance, and it seems to have one thing to do with obvious hate for ‘Creekers.’
Malevelon Creek is undoubtedly Helldivers 2’s most high-profile map. It’s change into the point of interest for the ongoing meta narrative Arrowhead does such a formidable job of main, with varied group challenges to combat again in opposition to the dreaded Automatons issued since Helldivers 2’s explosive launch. Malevelon Creek and its ‘House Vietnam’ nickname have spawned a lot of memes, largely targeted on the sheer variety of participant deaths which have occurred on the planet. The discharge of the new cape was seen by some as Arrowhead leaning into the enjoyable.
Some gamers proceed to play Malevelon Creek regardless of new group challenges calling for Helldivers to liberate different planets. These gamers, dubbed ‘Creekers’, have brought on a minor kerfuffle inside the group as a result of they concentrate on only one planet and ignore the wider Galactic Warfare. It’s value noting there is no such thing as a proof to counsel this has had any affect on Helldivers 2’s meta narrative to this point, but it’s change into one thing of a speaking level nonetheless. And so, some ‘anti-Creekers’ are actually saying they’re going to kick or teamkill gamers who put on the Malevelon Creek Memorial Day cape.
The response is unanimous: don’t teamkill gamers who put on the new cape. “Extraordinarily cool and regular reactions to getting a free cape,” said redditor DeadGripThe2nd. “Can we not do this type of stuff?” “Think about getting upset and gatekeeping folks over an merchandise actually everyone received totally free,” added Flashfall. “I’m planning to get married on this cape. IRL,” joked Sebulano.
In any case, the Automaton-focused Main Order is now efficiently full, and a brand new Automaton Main Order has taken its place. This one requires an “all-out push” to eradicate the Automatons. Malevelon Creek just isn’t one in every of the planets that should be liberated.
In case you’re searching for extra on Helldivers 2, try IGN’s function on the Let Me Solo Her of Helldivers 2, a participant who has answered over 100 SOS Beacons as a part of a mission to assist others.
Helldivers 2 has change into one in every of the shock hits of 2024 since launching in February, topping the charts on Steam and reportedly selling around three million copies. In accordance to at the least one analyst, it is nonetheless rising. Take a look at IGN’s Helldivers 2 overview to discover out why it is happening so effectively.
Wesley is the UK Information Editor for IGN. Discover him on Twitter at @wyp100. You’ll be able to attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.