Helldivers 2 players died over 10 million times taking a single planet, Mort, from the Automatons this week – and even then barely pulled it off

Helldivers 2 helmet — (Image credit: Arrowhead Game Studios)

The campaign to defend a single planet, Mort, from Helldivers 2's encroaching Automaton threat saw players die "over 10 million" times in the past two days alone.

A dev announcement posted to the Helldivers 2's Discord yesterday, plucked from "the recent 'Missive to all citizens' from the Office of the President of Super Earth" by very much in-character community manager Baskinator, reads:

"Good evening. For the past 48 hours, we have all watched anxiously as the defense of Mort raged on. Tonight, I can report to the Citizens of Super Earth that Mort stands free [SUGGESTION: CHEER].

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"This victory is squarely thanks to the heroism of the Helldivers [SUGGESTION: CHEER], whose acts of valor and sacrifice in Mort's deliverance were extraordinary and innumerable. The defense was determined by the thinnest of margins, and every single Hellpod made the difference. The final stand of the Helldivers on Mort was an act of patriotism greater than any I have ever seen.

"This victory was not without cost. Over 10 million of our most elite heroes were tragically lost [SUGGESTION: WAIL], and I know I speak for all citizens when I express my deepest gratitude for their sacrifice."

For comparison, a similar post released on February 9, just one day after Helldivers 2's release, confirmed that "over six million Helldivers" had "bravely and eagerly given their lives in defense of Managed Democracy." The game's player count has shot up considerably since then, but it's clear the war is only getting more intense.

While you're cheering and wailing, remember that Mort has been a pretty high-profile theater in the Automaton warfront. If it rings a bell, that's probably because it was closely associated with Malevelon Creek, arguably the most infamous planet in all of Helldivers 2, which sadly fell earlier this week. However, players were at least able to save Mort, located in the same sector as Malevelon Creek, in the end, even if it was an absolute buzzer-beater battle. So, uh, I guess we break even on this one? Good job, Helldivers. Not losing is the first step to winning a war.

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Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.