Arrowhead’s popular co-op shooter Helldivers 2 continues to soldier on with its dedicated fanbase, even after the recent debacle surrounding PSN account linking for PC players. The mandate was thankfully rescinded, and it’s business as usual, especially with the game’s Major Order events.
These community-wide challenges not only put up a shared objective but also influence the game’s ongoing lore. However, the latest Order isn’t being received very kindly by players, with its ambitious goals proving nearly impossible to achieve and in a lot of cases, frustrating.
The Major Order Requires Eliminating 2 Billion Automatons
The current Major Order tasks players with eliminating a staggering 2 billion Automatons. Successful completion unlocks the Anti-Tank Mines stratagem, a valuable new tool for Helldivers. Unfortunately, with the event scheduled to end today, the community has only managed to eradicate 1.3 billion Automatons.
The primary reason for the sluggish progress appears to be a player preference for battling the Terminid enemy faction over the Automatons, as some players find the Terminid encounters more engaging. This divided focus has significantly hindered the collective effort required to achieve the Major Order’s objective.
Further complicating matters is the perceived difficulty of the current goal. With a peak player count of around 150,000, eliminating 2 billion Automatons translates to roughly 200 kills per player per hour. While achievable on paper, this requires a lofty level of dedication and coordinated effort from a substantial chunk of the playerbase.
Helldivers 2 Players Are Taking It Out On Each Other
These exalted expectations have led to negativity and infighting within the Helldivers 2 community. Some players have voiced frustration towards those who prioritize the Terminids, resorting to insults and accusations. A recent post on the r/helldivers2 subreddit became one such battleground.
They’ll still give us the new strat. Relax.
byu/DiceyGT inhelldivers2
To be fair, when the MO was to kill 2b bugs, a lot of us bot slayers went to fight bugs. I follow the MO, not my preferred enemy. They are both fun to fight in their own way.
as a relatively new player, it definitely feels like the majority of complain posts come from new players. The ppl who’ve been playing since launch seem completely unbothered tbh
The real skill issue is people thinking bots are harder than bugs.
I think people fail to realise some major orders are not meant to be possible, if we won every time then we wouldn’t have a story. Arrowhead are learning and so are players the whole idea is a tug of war between the players and Arrowhead.
I feel like they’re giving us a lot of major orders that we’re not expected to complete at the moment. I feel like we’re failing more than we are completing right now and it’s hurting my motivation. Makes me wanna just ignore them and do what I find fun.
While there’s a lot of cynicism to sift through, not all members of the community are resorting to negativity. Several players have advocated for patience and understanding. They pointed out that players should be free to choose their preferred enemy without harassment.
They also acknowledged the overtly ambitious nature of the 2 billion kill target, especially considering the PSN fiasco’s potential impact on player engagement. Moreover, the notion that it’s natural and somewhat realistic to miss out on completing certain Major Orders is plausible as well.
Arrowhead has yet to comment on the situation, but many remain confident that they will find a solution. Possible solutions include adjusting the Major Order’s requirements, offering the Anti-Tank Mines Stratagem through alternative means, or simply awarding it to the community despite the shortfall.
The outcome of the current Major Order remains uncertain, but with it ending today, Helldivers 2 players should find out very soon. Hopefully, the next Order will bring more realistic expectations with it.
