Helldivers 2 players, democracy's greatest weapon may soon be upon us as Arrowhead says Gatling guns "may" be coming but would "require some real cool mechanics"

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Director Johan Pilestedt already has an idea for a Helldivers 2 Gatling gun

Helldivers 2 story trailer
(Image credit: Arrowhead Game Studios)

Helldivers 2 studio Arrowhead is looking into adding Gatling guns, which could very well be one of the most powerful weapons in the great, collective arsenal of democracy's last defenders.

Gatling guns historically (in video games and in real life) have an extremely high rate of fire with a lot of recoil due to their size and weight, and so naturally aren't usually great candidates for primary weapon loadouts. However, as a support weapon, one could only imagine the devastating power of an Arrowhead-developed Gatling gun, and thankfully, creative director Johan Pilestedt is already tinkering with ideas for one, although it's still unconfirmed whether they'll ever actually materialize.

"Gatling guns as support weapons are cool, but only if they accurately represent the insane recoil," Pilestedt said on Twitter, adding, "We may, but it will require some real cool mechanics."

In response to a fan suggesting a potential Gatling gun would boast "insane recoil" but also run out of ammo in "15 seconds," Pilestedt said that, alternatively, one of the Gatling gun user's teammates could carry around the "drum," presumably referring to the bulky ammo feed system traditionally attached to Gatling guns. "Something cool," he again insisted.

Of course, there's no telling if a theoretical Gatling gun would come out the gate as one of the best Helldivers 2 weapons, and even if it did, Arrowhead has shown that it isn't one bit afraid to nerf overpowered weapons. Still, there's no denying that the unique demands and extraordinary fire rate of a Gatling gun would be make for a novel addition to the game's meta.

I doubt that even the best Helldivers 2 armor could save you from Gatling gun friendly fire, however.

Jordan Gerblick
Jordan Gerblick
Staff Writer

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.