Helldivers 2 Receives Mysterious Steam Update “gameplay_illuminates”: Is It Genuine or Expert-Level Arrowhead Trolling?

We’ve been tossing around the idea of a third faction in Helldivers 2 for what feels like forever. The prospect of adding the Illuminate from the original game has been a topic of casual speculation for ages. But, there’s a new glimmer of hope recently uncovered—thanks to an interesting Steam depot update that’s affectionately named “gameplay_illuminates.”

I’m not pulling your leg. Arrowhead Studios, for reasons known only to them, have chosen a name as straightforward as “gameplay_illuminates.” This has naturally sent our imaginations into overdrive, sparking conversations about the potential arrival of the Illuminate in the Galactic War. Their entry has been whispered about since the days Meridia met its untimely spaghetti-fied end.

Over in the Helldivers 2 subreddit, user Dangerous-Return5937 was the first to spot this gem. According to SteamDB, Helldivers 2 received a depot update earlier today, quite literally tagged as “gameplay_illuminates.” What this means for sure, nobody’s really certain—but it does hint at the possibility of those elusive Illuminates making their way into the game. Details on when they might actually make their debut are as elusive as ever.

It’s all in plain sight, sitting there for anyone with a decent Wi-Fi connection to discover, so it’s not exactly a spoiler unless you count things like this as one. The community is divided in their reaction. You’ve got the hopefuls buzzing with anticipation, the skeptics adopting a “wait and see” stance, and a few just trying to wrap their heads around the whole situation.

Some fans have pointed out the peculiarity of such a transparent naming choice—assuming this is truly about the Illuminate. Arrowhead has attached straightforward names to previous updates like “studio_playtest” but also quirky ones like “mimosa,” “orion,” and “wushu,” which didn’t stir up this kind of buzz.

As one moderator from the HD2 subreddit humorously noted, “Arrowhead is kinda asking for it by giving the depot update that title.” Some folks are entertaining the idea that this might just be Arrowhead having a bit of fun with us all. As one community member quipped, “Can’t wait for it being an update on the lighting in the gameplay and everyone getting bamboozled.”

For now, it might be wise to keep the excitement in check. Even if this is about our long-awaited Illuminate, it doesn’t promise they’ll land in our games anytime soon. But hey, what do you think of this intriguing turn of events? Feel free to share your thoughts below!