Helldivers 2 Just Quietly Added Flying Bugs, CEO Insists 'Bugs Can't Fly'

Helldivers 2 got a pretty important patch this week, making those pesky Chargers and Bile Titans easier to deal with. But developer Arrowhead quietly added a new Terminid enemy you'll have to look above the battlefield to find.

Shortly after the patch, some players were surprised to encounter flying Terminids, posting screenshots on Reddit. It's quite the surprise, given the fact that there was no mention of them in the patch notes.

Having even more fun with these new flying enemies was Arrowhead CEO and Helldivers 2 Creative Director Johan Pilestedt, who took to X/Twitter to spread some propaganda on behalf of the Ministry of Truth. Typical!

"I've heard rumors of flying bugs in @helldivers2. I want to officially refute such preposterous claims. Everyone knows that 'Bugs can't fly,' " Pilestedt wrote. "And I'm not alone in thinking this. The Ministry of Truth agrees that this is propaganda from bug sympathizers that want to brainwash good people. #Lies"

I've heard rumors of flying bugs in @helldivers2. I want to officially refute such preposterous claims.

Everyone knows that "Bugs can't fly".

And I'm not alone in thinking this. The Ministry of Truth agrees that this is propaganda from bug sympathizers that want to brainwash…

— Pilestedt (@Pilestedt) March 12, 2024

Jokes aside, the stealth rollout (and Pilestedt playing it up on social media) is a pretty fun way to introduce these winged pests, which are called Shriekers. As several users on Reddit pointed out, it's also a little funny that, the moment Chargers are nerfed, players have another enemy to be terrified of.

As reported by Windows Central, Shriekers aren't in every mission; just those in which Shrieker Lairs pop up. You should be able to see a "Shrieker Lair" side objective on missions where they're available.

The shadow-drop itself is a bit of a surprise, but the addition of flying bugs altogether shouldn't be. While the original Helldivers lacked aerial combat due to the top-down shooter view, its sequel shifts to a third-person perspective. And, as one hawk-eyed Helldivers 2 points out, there is artwork for the game showing flying bugs in the background.

The arrival of Shriekers comes just a few days after the Helldivers 2 community unlocked mechs. The drive to unlock mechs was part of the Helldivers 2 meta-narrative Galatic War, in which players are tasked with liberating planets from Terminids and Automatons.

Helldivers 2 continues to ride the wave of popularity since its release on PS5 and PC last month, keeping the developer busy as it regularly rolls out new content and patches to balance the game. In the month following its release, Helldivers 2 was among the most popular games on Steam, and it reportedly sold around three million copies across both platforms.

In IGN's glowing review of Helldivers 2, we wrote: "Helldivers 2's combat feels fantastic, its missions stay fresh and interesting, and its smart progression system doesn't nickel and dime you."

If you are looking to join the fight, IGN has a slew of comprehensive guides to help you get started, including the best loadouts and some tips and tricks to get you started.

Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.