Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Trending
  • Pokemon Winds and Waves
  • New Games for 2026
  • GamesRadar+ Replay
  • Mario Day deals
Don't miss these
Helldivers 2 soldier with an explosion reflecting in their visor
Third Person Shooters As death threats derail Helldivers 2's wholesome D10 challenge, devs address “increasing hostility in the community”
Helldivers 2 soldier watches a nuclear explosion in the distance with his arms stretched wide
Third Person Shooters Helldivers 2 CEO seems to accept fans' $1,000 challenge to play on the nastiest difficulty, but it's already backfiring
Helldivers 2 screenshot of two soldiers cheering in the desert
Third Person Shooters Helldivers 2 retires gratuitous 154GB Steam build this month in favor of "slim" PC version
Key art for Control Resonant showing Dylan with The Aberrant in its axe form standing on a ruined taxi as he faces shadowy figures across a twisted Manhattan
Action RPGs Control Resonant trades shooting for a shapeshifting sword because "melee is cool", its creative director tells me
Helldivers 2 Entrenched Division warbond helldivers in sapper armor running across no-man's-land
Third Person Shooters All weapons and items in the Helldivers 2 Entrenched Division Warbond
Helldivers 2 Helldiver looking at snowy automaton base getting bombarded by two orbital 380mm HE barrages
Third Person Shooters Helldivers 2 Stratagem tier list and the best ones to choose
Helldivers 2 PS5 screenshot
Games The 25 best online games to play in 2026
Silver Pines protagonist shoots crows from a cable car
Survival Horror Games Helldivers 2 veterans stole Arrowhead's "fantasy approach" to action while making stunning new horror Metroidvania
Helldivers 2
Co-op Games Helldivers 2 support agent says "there's no balance team" at Arrowhead because "it's all a team effort"
Cropped Helldivers 2 art from the official 'Save Cyberstan' poster.
Third Person Shooters Helldivers 2 players cheated so hard that Arrowhead had to "disable the Galactic War" and change a Major Order
Cropped Helldivers 2 art from the official 'Save Cyberstan' poster.
Third Person Shooters Helldivers 2 devs "underinvested" in the game's engine, Arrowhead CEO admits, who pledges "things can/will get better"
Helldivers 2 Commando mission sneaking past automaton outpost
Third Person Shooters Tips for beating the new Helldivers 2 Commando Missions and the best gear
Helldivers 2 Bastion tank near an automaton base with automatons directly ahead of it
Third Person Shooters How to unlock the new Bastion Tank in Helldivers 2 and some tips for how to use it
Arc Raiders Shrouded Sky teaser
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders fans suspect the new Arc from the roadmap is hiding in plain sight in the Shrouded Sky teaser
Arc Raiders Shrouded Sky update
Third Person Shooters Embark nerfs Arc Raiders' Venator once more, and the Kettle and Stitcher are also getting reined in
  1. Games
  2. Third Person Shooters
  3. Helldivers 2

100 years after Super Earth saw them off the first time, Helldivers 2 brings back the Illuminate faction in its new Omens of Tyranny update, live now

News
By Ali Jones last updated 13 December 2024

The Illuminate "will challenge our recruits more than the other factions they have faced"

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Helldivers 2
(Image credit: Arrowhead)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Get the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

Helldivers 2 is bringing back the Illuminates, a deadly, mind-controlling faction, in a new update that's live right now.

Helldivers 2 Omens of Tyranny, unveiled at The Game Awards, has changed the face of the Galactic War. In an announcement, developer Arrowhead explained how "at the end of the First galactic War, the Helldivers worked together to eradicate the Illuminate." 100 years have passed since then, but the Illuminate have now returned "seemingly out of nowhere."

Described as "advanced, highly-intelligent beings," the Illuminate wield "powerful technology" that looks like dark magic to the untrained eye. They're spreading through the galaxy by using mind control, "abducting citizens of weaker dedication to democratic ideals and brainwashing them." Those citizens - 'the Voteless' - mean that the fight is being taken to the streets of Helldivers 2's new urban settings.

You may like
  • Helldivers 2 screenshot of two soldiers cheering in the desert After Helldivers 2 boss teased chaos in upcoming update, new Illuminate structures appear in Super Earth media
  • Helldivers 2 screenshot showing a soldier sneaking up on a robot Helldivers 2 is going full stealth with the new Redacted Regiment Warbond coming next week
  • Helldivers 2 screenshot showing a fully geared/armored diver standing with gun in hand as three jets soar the skies behind him Completely "pancake" Automatons threatening democracy with "new heavy-hitting" Bastion Tank in Helldivers 2

That means that you'll be heading to Super Earth's colonies, abandoning the wide-open spaces that you're used to fighting the Terminds and Automatons in. Instead, you'll be battling in much closer quarters, "where one wrong turn means meeting a horde of Voteless to liberate."

Thankfully, you've got some new tools at your disposal that should help you out. First among those is the new Fast Recon Vehicle - the FRV - which serves as Helldivers 2's first drivable car. These bad boys can fit your entire squad, with a turret emplacement and open windows to help offer some suppressing fire. Sadly, there's no time to get your license, so you'll have to work out how to drive for yourself.

Helldivers 2: Omens of Tyranny is live right now, and there are plenty of other additions to uncover - especially for those of you who've been waiting all this time for a melee weapon or two.

Here's everything we know about the Helldivers 2 Illuminate faction - including how to kill them.

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
CATEGORIES
PC Gaming PS5 Platforms PlayStation
Ali Jones
Ali Jones
Social Links Navigation
Managing Editor, News

I'm GamesRadar's Managing Editor for news, shaping the news strategy across the team. I started my journalistic career while getting my degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick, where I also worked as Games Editor on the student newspaper, The Boar. Since then, I've run the news sections at PCGamesN and Kotaku UK, and also regularly contributed to PC Gamer. As you might be able to tell, PC is my platform of choice, so you can regularly find me playing League of Legends or Steam's latest indie hit.

Read more
Helldivers 2 screenshot of two soldiers cheering in the desert
After Helldivers 2 boss teased chaos in upcoming update, new Illuminate structures appear in Super Earth media
 
 
Helldivers 2 screenshot showing a soldier sneaking up on a robot
Helldivers 2 is going full stealth with the new Redacted Regiment Warbond coming next week
 
 
Helldivers 2 screenshot showing a fully geared/armored diver standing with gun in hand as three jets soar the skies behind him
Completely "pancake" Automatons threatening democracy with "new heavy-hitting" Bastion Tank in Helldivers 2
 
 
Cropped Helldivers 2 art from the official 'Save Cyberstan' poster.
Helldivers 2's Cyborgs are real, and they'd kindly like you to "defect" from Super Earth
 
 
Helldivers 2 Siege Breakers Warbond Helldivers standing in bubble shield from new grenade
Helldivers 2's next premium Warbond comes with a reloadable, exploding hammer and potential returning faction
 
 
Helldivers 2 screenshot showing a fully geared/armored diver standing with gun in hand as three jets soar the skies behind him
Helldivers 2's next 4 arcs are being discussed by Arrowhead, creative director promises to "deliver a bit more often"
 
 
Latest in Third Person Shooters
Helldivers 2 Entrenched Division warbond helldivers in sapper armor running across no-man's-land
All weapons and items in the Helldivers 2 Entrenched Division Warbond
 
 
Arc Raiders player in heavy rain with shield shorting out
Arc Raiders turns down storm lightning, and Embark promises compensation for folks impacted by recent server issues
 
 
Cropped Helldivers 2 art from the official 'Save Cyberstan' poster.
Helldivers 2 devs "underinvested" in the game's engine, Arrowhead CEO admits, who pledges "things can/will get better"
 
 
Marvel Rivals Season 5 Rogue and Gambit
Marvel Rivals implements a "Victim Compensation Protocol" for players affected by "malicious match-losing"
 
 
thor looking into the camera with a steely stare
As Marvel Rivals players get paid to throw games, devs threaten permabans for those who "deliberately sabotage matches"
 
 
Helldivers 2 soldier with an explosion reflecting in their visor
As death threats derail Helldivers 2's wholesome D10 challenge, devs address “increasing hostility in the community”
 
 
Latest in News
Dragon Quest 11
Dragon Quest creator says English is "a simple language," so "the flavor tends to get lost" when translating games
 
 
Resident Evil Requiem
Resident Evil Requiem is too scary for series veteran Hideki Kamiya, who argues Capcom "should make a 'non-scary' mode"
 
 
Yoshi and the Mysterious Boook screenshot of Yoshi smiling with eyes closed
The next big Switch 2 exclusive, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, gets a May release date out of nowhere
 
 
Monkey D. Luffy looking confused on an island in One Piece Egghead Island
One Piece season 2 answers a near 30-year-old manga mystery in surprisingly straightforward fashion
 
 
Runescape
MMO raises subscription prices less than 2 months after ditching microtransactions, causing a RuneScape fan revolt
 
 
One Piece
One Piece season 2 is a live-action adaptation to treasure as it debuts to perfect Rotten Tomatoes score
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Monkey D. Luffy looking confused on an island in One Piece Egghead Island
    1
    One Piece season 2 answers a near 30-year-old manga mystery in surprisingly straightforward fashion
  2. 2
    Corsair's two best gaming chairs have been hit with discounts in Amazon's Spring sale
  3. 3
    Resident Evil Requiem is too scary for series veteran Hideki Kamiya, who argues Capcom "should make a 'non-scary' mode"
  4. 4
    The next big Switch 2 exclusive, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, gets a May release date out of nowhere
  5. 5
    MMO raises subscription prices less than 2 months after ditching microtransactions, causing a RuneScape fan revolt

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...