Helldivers 2 player claims they've found mechs and AI soldier reinforcements buried in game files

A group of Helldivers assemble in some art work for Helldivers 2 — (Image credit: Arrowhead Game Studios)

Helldivers 2 players have supposedly uncovered further evidence of huge mechs in the shooter, as well as new Stratagems like calling down AI soldiers.

Earlier this month, Helldivers 2 players were ecstatic when a developer mentioned mechs being in the works for the game. "Mechs [have] been good to go for a while," a developer recalled in the Helldivers 2 Discord at the time. "There's still some additional polishing being done by people who can't assist with server issues," they continued.

Now, one player claims to have uncovered actual gameplay of the Helldivers 2 mechs in action. You can see as much in the gameplay clip just below, where one player shows off the mech's powerful cannon, and seamlessly transitioning in and out of the mech to run around.

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Mechs… enjoy from r/Helldivers

This all looks pretty convincing, but the discoveries don't end there. In the comment below, the player has provided three gameplay clips of what they claim are AI soldiers being called in to reinforce players in Helldivers 2, based off datamining Stratagems that aren't yet available in the shooter.

Comment from r/Helldivers

The first gameplay clip of the AI soldiers actually looks surprisingly smooth for what's effectively an unfinished feature. The second two, meanwhile, look understandably more rocky - the soldiers glide over the ground instead of bounding between rocky outcrops, and can't react properly to an enemy Terminid coming into contact with them.

It's very important to remember that just because something can be plucked from a game's files via datamining, that isn't confirmation it's actually coming to the game. Developer Arrowhead may still be working AI soldiers, or it might have scrapped the feature entirely. Because there's never been an official statement on the AI soldiers, it's impossible to know right now.

There's also a lot of unsubstantiated claims about features for Helldivers 2 out there. Some Twitter users are claiming evidence of cars, new weapons, and new factions coming to the shooter from datamining, but so far they've yet to provide any solid evidence like the gameplay clips we're seeing here.

Check out our guide to the best weapons in Helldivers 2 for a look at the best gear to take into the fight with you.

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.