Helldivers 2 is set to receive a significant update on August 12, which appears to herald the return of the Illuminate, the game's "squid" faction. A newly released teaser trailer offers a cryptic glimpse into the threat players will soon face, depicting a teddy bear being consumed by a spatial anomaly.
The trailer shows the bear being torn apart by a psychic presence before reappearing on a jungle planet. In its reflection, a tall, bipedal alien figure is seen reaching for it. This imagery strongly suggests the reappearance of the Illuminate, a faction that has been largely dormant as a major threat since the invasion of Super Earth last year. While players have been focused on combating Terminids and Automatons, the Illuminate have seemingly been consolidating their strength.
The galactic war map currently shows a significant portion of the lower quadrant affected by these spatial anomalies, with several planets appearing to have been "swallowed up by the void." Some interpretations of the teaser suggest that Super Earth itself could become a battlefield once more, though the teddy bear might also symbolize the human colonies on planets in the outer rim.
Fans have noted that the alien figure in the teaser could represent a "Cultist," a new type of Illuminate unit possessing potent magical abilities. The return of the Illuminate is particularly anticipated given that this faction has historically had less enemy variety compared to the Terminids and Automatons. Despite additions like Leviathan ships and Stingray jets, the faction could benefit from new enemy types designed to be more intimidating.
Coinciding with the Illuminate's potential return, August 12 will also see the release of the Warhammer 40,000 crossover warbond. This content will introduce three new weapons and two armor sets inspired by the Warhammer universe. The pricing for this warbond has not yet been announced, but it is expected to be priced higher than the standard $10 warbond.