Arrowhead’s Game Master Joel – who also identifies as the studio’s telekinetic superhuman J.O.E.L. – has a reputation for sadism, but he astonishingly reveals a soft side in a new video celebrating Helldivers 2‘s one year anniversary. Apparently, the warlord’s “personal favorite” community moment is when Helldivers players helped raise money for real-world children in need.
“I am Super Earth’s high command,” Joel says in the latest episode of Chronicles of J.O.E.L., a community-oriented video series Arrowhead has been releasing to celebrate Helldivers 2’s first birthday. “I am the Terminid Swarm, I am the socialist Automatons,” and clearly a proponent of accessible healthcare.
In a 2024 Major Order, “We gave the community the choice between two, brand-new stratagems: the Airburst Rockets on Penta, or the [Anti-Tank] Mines on Choohe. The community chose to liberate Penta,” Joel recalls. But, with the Mines still locked away, Helldivers players were unable to destroy a troupe of ruthless Automatons that Arrowhead had sent after them.
“The community then was given the choice between unlocking this brand-new stratagem, the AT Mines,” Joel says, “or liberate some imaginary, very sick children on Vernon Wells.”
Cynically, Arrowhead was “pretty sure” Helldivers players would choose the explosives over the sniffling babies, but eventually, “doing the right thing” became the overwhelming community sentiment, Joel explains.
Helldivers 2 players ultimately chose to #SaveTheKids, and, to honor that decision, Arrowhead donated money to the real-world nonprofit Save the Children – $4,311 total, which, despite the sinister fact that the number “translates into ‘HELL,'” Joel says, is a relatively angelic gift.
“This is the moment where it became abundantly clear to everyone at Arrowhead – and to the world at large – just what the Galactic War can accomplish,” Joel concludes.