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
Helldivers 2 soldier in intro animation with shocked expression
Third Person Shooters Helldivers 2 fan intent on challenging Arrowhead to beat the game's toughest challenge for $1,000: "No funny business"
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 characters standing together
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders goes full-friendly PvE tomorrow with new Shared Watch event: "Team up with strangers"
Helldivers 2
Third Person Shooters "A lot of Helldivers will die," Arrowhead CEO says of the next Helldivers 2 major update, teasing roadmap update
A Helldivers 2 Cyborg cries out in despair
Third Person Shooters "Your goldfish has been executed": Helldivers 2 support staff apparently don't take kindly to anyone joining the Cyborgs
Helldivers 2 intro man
Third Person Shooters All Helldivers 2 voice actors in the main cast and their roles
  1. Games
  2. Third Person Shooters
  3. Helldivers 2

Helldivers 2 Cyborgs hack Arrowhead socials, post propaganda recreating the game's intro but with evil humans killing innocent robot children: "Think if you were in our place"

News
By Dustin Bailey published 5 February 2026

"Tell your leaders to stop this mindless war"

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

A Helldivers 2 Cyborg cries out in despair
(Image credit: Arrowhead)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
1
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

The world of Helldivers 2 is turning upside down, with a brand-new propaganda machine spreading the curious claim that the Helldivers themselves might actually be the bad guys. Could it be true? Surely not, but that's the message seemingly teasing the arrival of a new Cyborg faction, which is now turning the game's intro cinematic into a plea to save the robot children.

Coded messages in 1s and 0s have been all over the Helldivers Twitter and Discord today, translating into Swedish statements of peace and cries for mercy. The latest translates to "THINK IF THE ROLES WERE REVERSED. THINK IF YOU WERE IN OUR PLACE." And this time, there's a video attached.

The video recreates the game's intro cinematic, specifically the bit where the guy moves to embrace his family just before they're murdered by an invading Terminid. In this version, however, it's a Cyborg parent mourning when its Cyborg partner and Cyborg child are run over by a human vehicle.

You may like
  • 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 Escalation of Freedom Helldivers 2 grunts speculate Cyborgs might be back as binary messages claim Super Earth leaders have been deceiving us
  • A Helldivers 2 Cyborg cries out in despair Helldivers 2 passes 150,000 players on Steam for the first time in months thanks to Cyborgs, who may be good guys

01010100 11000011 10000100 01001110 01001011 00100000 01001111 01001101 00100000 01010010 01001111 01001100 01001100 01000101 01010010 01001110 01000001 00100000 01010110 01000001 01010010 00100000 01001111 01001101 01010110 11000011 10000100 01001110 01000100 01000001 00101110… pic.twitter.com/MaCfHC6s8oFebruary 5, 2026

Will this inspire some 'are we the baddies?'-style introspection among the Helldivers? Well, probably not. But it is a fun way to start building up a new faction ahead of its official introduction. Assuming these aren't just more Automatons, of course – but come on, look at that sweet robotic child's lifeless eyes. Does that really seem like an Automaton to you?

"WE CALL ON YOU, CITIZENS," the machines say in another message. "DO NOT LET THE HELLDIVERS REACH CYBERSTAN. TELL YOUR LEADERS TO STOP THIS MINDLESS WAR."

Here's how to unlock the Helldivers 2 Bastion Tank and a full guide to how it works.

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
PS5 Xbox Series X PC Gaming Platforms PlayStation Xbox
Dustin Bailey
Dustin Bailey
Social Links Navigation
Staff Writer

Dustin Bailey joined the GamesRadar team as a Staff Writer in May 2022, and is currently based in Missouri. He's been covering games (with occasional dalliances in the worlds of anime and pro wrestling) since 2015, first as a freelancer, then as a news writer at PCGamesN for nearly five years. His love for games was sparked somewhere between Metal Gear Solid 2 and Knights of the Old Republic, and these days you can usually find him splitting his entertainment time between retro gaming, the latest big action-adventure title, or a long haul in American Truck Simulator.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
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 Escalation of Freedom
Helldivers 2 grunts speculate Cyborgs might be back as binary messages claim Super Earth leaders have been deceiving us
 
 
A Helldivers 2 Cyborg cries out in despair
Helldivers 2 passes 150,000 players on Steam for the first time in months thanks to Cyborgs, who may be good guys
 
 
Helldivers 2 screenshot showing a fully geared/armored diver standing with gun in hand as three jets soar the skies behind him
Helldivers 2 players fail the game's "biggest" battle ever as the Cyborgs prepare for an "unjust counter-offensive"
 
 
Helldivers 2 factions
Faced with the bots' attempts at peace, Helldivers 2 players shoot down "baseless propaganda" as anti-freedom drivel
 
 
Helldivers 2 Cyborg Radical standing over helldiver
All new Helldivers 2 Cyborgs and the best weapons for killing them
 
 
Latest in Third Person Shooters
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”
 
 
An Arc Raiders taking cover behind a ruined car as a giant spider-like robot towers over the road
Arc Raiders was recording private Discord DMs, engineer claims in report, Embark rolls out hasty hotfix
 
 
Helldivers 2 screenshot of two soldiers cheering in the desert
Helldivers 2 retires gratuitous 154GB Steam build this month in favor of "slim" PC version
 
 
Latest in News
Yuta getting ready to attack in Jujutsu Kaisen season 3
Jujutsu Kaisen actor offers perfect response to why AI should stay out of anime
 
 
Pickmon
Pokemon fan artist alleges new Palworld clone Pickmon "stole one of my designs"
 
 
Life is Strange
Join Chloe and Max on a "fiery weekend" for a better glimpse into Life is Strange: Reunion at the Future Games Show this week
 
 
Mortal Kombat movie
Mortal Kombat 2 star joins in with Street Fighter movie beef after Game Awards dig because he "loves a good rivalry"
 
 
Mackenyu as Zoro in One Piece season 2
One Piece season 2 actor Mackenyu says he learned Roronoa Zoro's 15-minute 1 vs 100 fight in just 6 hours
 
 
Fujino and Kyomoto eating in Look Back
Live-action adaptation of Chainsaw Man creator's Look Back will escape Japanese cinemas and come to the west
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Virtual Boy for Switch 2 sitting on coffee table with TV in backdrop displaying Wario Land gameplay.
    1
    I respect the Virtual Boy as a collectable Switch 2 gadget, but it’s not exactly a retro console remake
  2. 2
    Bizarre Lineage codes (March 2026) for free Stat Point Essence, Rare Chests, and more
  3. 3
    The Thrustmaster T248R is making me question where a sim racing wheel with no direct drive and no modular wheelbase fits in the market in 2026
  4. 4
    These Mario Day-inspired Switch 2 accessories will power up your console more than a super star
  5. 5
    Pokemon fan artist alleges new Palworld clone Pickmon "stole one of my designs," saying "they didn't even try to change something and make it a bit less obvious"

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...