Helldivers 2's Jump Pack buff immediately backfires: they're so good now that the Automatons stole some for themselves, and the "Jet Brigade" is kicking our butts

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Heads up, Helldivers

Helldivers 2 Escalation of Freedom
(Image credit: Arrowhead Game Studios / PlayStation)

Uh oh. Following their Major Order victory earlier today, Helldivers 2 players have been thrown straight back into the fray with new orders to defend Matar Bay from the Automatons, but with a twist. They're led by a new "augmented" group that can fly. 

While things are now quieter on the eastern front of the galaxy, with the protection around Acamar IV ultimately "allowing the successful construction of the first-ever Terminid Research Preserve," things are stirring elsewhere. In a worrisome post shared on Twitter, Helldivers are told: "While the eastern front now has calmed, the socialist toasters on the western front has unleashed a new fighting force. Automaton warships have appeared in massive numbers in the atmosphere of Matar Bay. Multiple SEAF bases have already fallen."

Super Earth says that "an augmented Automaton detachment" is leading the invasion. Some shaky footage from the scene shows this augmentation in action – the so-called "socialist toasters" clearly "stole jetpack tech," it's said. In a way, we can't blame them – the Jump Pack was recently buffed in Arrowhead's big 63-day action plan patch, and now boasts a reduced cooldown, a stronger thrust force, and a "slightly higher jump and more forward momentum." As players quickly clocked, it flies a lot farther now. Clearly, the bots wanted in on those changes, too. 

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Terrifying scenes from the front line are already emerging on Reddit, and early calculations suggest that a lot of players are going to have to chip in if Super Earth's finest have any hope of emerging victorious. At the very least, the Helldivers have just short of five full days to pull it off, and the weekend should help give the efforts a boost.

While you're here, be sure to check out our roundup of all the biggest changes in the latest Helldivers 2 patch notes.

Catherine Lewis
Catherine Lewis
Deputy News Editor

I'm GamesRadar+'s Deputy News Editor, working alongside the rest of the news team to deliver cool gaming stories that we love. After spending more hours than I can count filling The University of Sheffield's student newspaper with Pokemon and indie game content, and picking up a degree in Journalism Studies, I started my career at GAMINGbible where I worked as a journalist for over a year and a half. I then became TechRadar Gaming's news writer, where I sourced stories and wrote about all sorts of intriguing topics. In my spare time, you're sure to find me on my Nintendo Switch or PS5 playing through story-driven RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles and Persona 5 Royal, nuzlocking old Pokemon games, or going for a Victory Royale in Fortnite.