Helldivers 2 finally introduced the Illuminate in the Omens of Tyranny update announced at The Game Awards. Almost immediately, Helldivers from all over the galaxy converged on the old enemy and pushed them back, however, more incursions have been popping up daily. Along with the Voteless and Overseers, the enemy has been wreaking havoc with their towering Harvesters.
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The giant tripods reminiscent of War of the Worlds are armed with shield barriers and long-range lasers, making them devastating in urban environments. However, what players are most concerned about is how they got their names. What exactly are the Harvesters harvesting? While it may simply be a callback to H.G. Wells’ creations, players have some theories.
How Did Illuminate Harvesters Get Their Name?
In War of the Worlds, the tripods literally harvested human blood to terraform Earth. Over on the Helldivers subreddit, Be_Good_To_Others posed the question to the community, which had some reasonable as well as ridiculous answers.
“They’re repurposed Illuminate farming tools clearly,” said one comment. Another player agreed, saying, “That would actually make some sense considering that they were advanced but not militaristic during the first war.” It seems one theory is that the Illuminate’s farming equipment is as dangerous as any other heavy unit.
“We won against the Illuminate 100 years ago because they weren’t prepared for war at all,” said another comment, harkening back to the First Galactic War. “Seeing that these bad boys are 10x taller than their previous versions, they’re most likely upgraded and weaponized tools.”
However, some players remain vigilant, theorising that we haven’t seen the full might of the Illuminate forces yet. “I’m terrified of what advancements the Illuminates have achieved. I mean, just look at the Voteless for example – humans that were mind controlled with such intensity that their DNA structure changed.”
One chilling theory suggests that “They’re after our super corn!” They can have our voters, but never our corn!
Considering how close in resemblance they are to the tripods in War of the Worlds, the real answer is likely just a reference to the source material.
Helldivers 2
The Galaxy’s Last Line of Offence. 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.