There is no shortage of big bugs to tackle in Helldivers 2, not least the colossal Terminids known as Bile Titans, but if the latest fan theory is to be believed, a much bigger and more formidable foe is on the way.
Over on the Helldivers 2 subreddit, long-time fan Tnel1027 has posted an image of themselves standing next to a statue of a rather frightening-looking bug, or at least what looks like a statue. According to the player, these (for there are more than one) are not, in fact, statues but "molts" from a Hive Lord - a "massive sandworm-like creature" from the first game.
For those new among us - these "statues" appear to be molts from a Terminid enemy from Hell Divers 1 known as a Hive Lord: a massive sandworm-like creature. The tremors we've been experiencing could be the hints that this bad boy is coming soon.. from r/Helldivers
Not only is this enormous enemy extremely dangerous to go head to head with, but it's also able to create new underground tunnels for bug hives, making victory in the Galactic War a whole lot harder. As well as the so-called statues, Tnel1027 suggests that the tremors you may have witnessed if you've recently delved into the shooter "could be the hints that this bad boy is coming soon."
In the comments, some other Helldivers veterans point out that, despite being absolutely huge, Bile Titans are actually considered "medium-sized" enemies, leaving many who've jumped it at Helldivers 2 feeling more than a little nervous. "Excuse Me?!" says IceColdCocaCola in the comments. "What the FUCK. How large can the enemies get in this game?" Almighty_Brian writes, "You put that thing back where it came from or so help me."
Others are excited at the prospect of this epic beast making an appearance, including RampagedAlpaca, who was convinced they were "gonna get eaten by a big ass worm creature" when the tremors appeared. "Now I'm sad that I didn't," they write, "I'm really excited that this might be a possibility." Then there's MrJoemazing, who says, "It's stuff like this that makes me so excited for the future of this game. It's like a massive sci-fi D&D campaign we are all playing together."
Indeed, playing together is what Helldivers 2 is all about. The community recently got together to liberate Tien Kwan after developer Arrowhead declared the factory planet to be under attack. Their bravery and determination were swiftly rewarded with the arrival of mechs, which, incidentally, could help level the playing field should bigger threats be introduced.
Here's how Helldivers 2 lights the way for AAA by rejecting its norms.
