Helldivers 2 mechs are nearly here, but first they need to be liberated
UPDATE: "You did it."
UPDATE 8/3/24: Helldivers 2 players have completed yesterday's mission to liberate Tien Kwan, unlocking mechs in the game for use by all players.
Mechs, or specifically the newly-unlocked EXO-45 Patriot Exosuit, can be unlocked from the Ship Management menu's strategem tab. For the price of 20,000 Requisitions, it can be called in twice a mission to cause carnage with its rocket launcher and chain gun.
Players are currently reporting that mechs have been briefly made free however - so everyone can give them a go. If you can get on the game's servers, that is.
"Just like Joel to give us mechs then crash the servers," one user wrote on the Helldivers 2 Discord server, referring to the game's "Dungeon Master" Joel who is able to tweak various settings on the fly.
ORIGINAL STORY 7/3/24: Mechs are set to make their arrival in Helldivers 2 in the very near future, but there is still one small thing standing in their way. The mechs' production factories are under attack, it turns out, and it's going to be up to players to liberate them.
"THIS IS NOT A DRILL," the Helldivers 2 social media team proclaimed earlier today, stating a recent (fictional) attack has halted all mech output. "Helldivers have been deployed to liberate Tien Kwan!"
Based on this post, it seems like we will soon be sent to Tien Kwan to deal with whatever pest is currently tormenting those poor, sweet, mech factories, and to liberate their metal machines.
In addition to this mech-based tease, developer Arrowhead has also shared details on some new armour and weapons coming to Helldivers 2 on 14th March. Introducing the Cutting Edge Warbond, which features lightning-spitting guns, experimental armour and new emotes.
"Packed with high-voltage vibes, Cutting Edge gives you the chance to enhance your loadout," Arrowhead wrote in a PlayStation blog post.
"Helldivers... we need your help. The brainiacs in Super Earth Research & Development have some cool experimental armour ready to be field-tested. This is where you come in, you're just the right people for the job."
These armour prototypes include one with a rubber underlayer for insulation and one that generates a strong magnetic field ("Avoid using near stapled paperwork," the developer warns).
Weapon wise, there is a laser rifle known as the LAS-16 Sickle, the SG-8P Punisher Plasma and the ARC-12 Blitzer, which will "project an arc of close-range lightning". Players will also be able to unlock a new stun grenade known as the G-23 Stun, and the LAS-7 Dagger pistol.
"Cutting Edge is rolling out to your Destroyer's Acquisitions panel March 14, soldiers," Arrowhead closed. "Get ready to spill some oil in style. Prepare for deployment." You can see a teaser for it all above.
Earlier this week, the Helldivers 2 team announced a new patch for PC and PS5. This patch introduced planetary hazards, balancing updates for a select number of weapons, and a variety of fixes. It sounds like Game Master Joel is having a lot of fun behind the scenes, and, honestly, I am here for it.