Helldivers 2 Introduces Millennials as a New Foe Faction

The Cyborgs are making their return in Helldivers 2, driven by a mix of fury and a radical ideology. Sound familiar?

This enemy faction, which first appeared in the original Helldivers, is set to invade the extraction shooter with a major update on February 10, introducing a new chapter in an ongoing galactic conflict filled with fresh challenges for players. Among these threats are the Agitators, Automaton commanders who will rally nearby foes to overwhelm you. Then there are the Radicals, cybernetically enhanced humans capable of dismantling you with their techno-martial arts. And let’s not forget the Vox Engine, a mobile tank armed with dual heavy lasers, rockets, and Gatling guns.

Cyborgs were a key adversary in the 2015 game, emerging from a faction of human dissidents who eventually became the Automaton mech race that players have been battling in Helldivers 2. Fans will now face the mission of liberating their home planet, Cyberstan, from this new menace once and for all.

“The reports are true,” the developers declare in a new trailer. “This grotesque fusion of man and machine, known as the cyborgs, is back. Driven solely by rage and radical ideology, the cyborgs will stop at nothing to obliterate our way of life.”

So, here we are: the latest conflict in Helldivers 2 pits oil empire fascists against technology-obsessed radicals. The leftward shift seen in much of the millennial generation can be linked to a tumultuous global war on terror, disastrous Middle Eastern conflicts, bank bailouts following the 2008 financial crisis, and a persistent cost-of-living crisis that has left them financially worse off than their boomer parents. The motivations of the Cyborgs, however, remain a mystery.

It’s certainly not about advocating for healthcare as a human right. Those cybernetic enhancements clash with every viral skincare trend. Perhaps they’re just frustrated that they splurged on avocado toast instead of investing in real estate.