‘Somehow, the Automatons returned’, Helldivers 2 bot faction returns

Alexandra W

Alexandra W

Have we heard this somewhere before?

Just days after Helldivers 2 players were able to successfully eradicate the Automaton menace, the robots returned with force. Major orders now urge Helldivers to defend at least a few planets from being completely retaken by the enemy. The success Super Earth enjoyed previously lasted about two days.

Arrowhead Studios (and Joel) have orchestrated this massive twist in the ongoing galaxy-wide war to perfection. For who could have expected the bots to strike back?

Operation Swift Disassembly succeeds

Over the weekend of April 5, Helldivers 2 players completed Operation Swift Disassembly. The operation was straightforward; destroy all Automatons and claim the last holdout planets they held. Surprisingly, on April 7, the operation was a complete success!

Following the swift victory over the Automatons, Super Earth celebrated and gave almost every Helldiver an extra one-minute break!

The Automatons strike back

However, on April 9, Helldivers 2 dropped another in-game message, announcing the return of the Automatons. Super Earth broke the news that “somehow, the Automatons returned” and that, of course, this was expected all along by high command.

The short time frame of victory isn’t entirely unexpected, as Arrowhead Studios wouldn’t likely keep one of the two warfronts completely blocked off for players. However, some players did expect the victory over the bots to lead into the introduction of the Illuminate.

This mysterious new enemy has been the subject of rumor for a while now and fans were hoping this is when they’d make their grand entrance.

What's the Automaton situation in Helldivers 2 now?

Currently, the Automaton offensive is holding the entire Valdis sector, which includes the home planet of Cyberstan, and the Lacaille and Hydra sectors. The current major order is to defend at least five of the planets.

The planets included in the major order (Image via esports.gg)
The planets included in the major order (Image via esports.gg)

It reads: “The Automatons have revealed their true force: a massive invasion fleet sweeping through our territory. Defences are scrambling. Slow its advance as much as possible.”

It seems that the Automaton forces are desperately retaking the planets surrounding their home planet. Historically, defense missions haven’t always been the strong suit of the player base. It’s unlikely that we’ll be seeing the true end of the Automaton scourge anytime soon.

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