Helldivers 2's best mission is locked to lower levels, and democratic players really want to carry and raise the flag of Super Earth even on higher difficulties

Helldivers 2
(Image credit: Sony)

Helldivers 2 players really want to be able to experience the game's best mission with some added challenge.

After completing basic training in Helldivers 2, you can undertake the "Raise Flag of Super Earth" mission, which involves planting numerous flags on enemy territory as a message to all those bugs and robots that managed democracy will not be toppled.

It brilliantly captures the game's comedic tone, with players forced to wait for the painfully slow-moving flag to reach the top of the flagpole while the Super Earth Anthem is blasted out at full volume. Much to the disappointment of fans, though, this crucial mission is designed to familiarize newcomers with the game's mechanics and, as such, can only be completed on lower difficulties.

Over on the Helldivers 2 subreddit, players are pleading with developer Arrowhead to make the mission playable on harder difficulty modes. "Unironically one of my fav missions," says STierWhale. "The glorious democracy, the music as the flag raises, and the extremely slow speed of said flag being raised. Best mission in game. Lemme do it on every difficulty pls."

Many in the comments say that flag-raising should be implemented as a side mission, while ServbotZaku, a player even more enthusiastic about upholding the ideals of freedom and justice, argues that it should added as a main mission when planets are 95%-100% complete as "a way to show our enemies that the planet is soon to be liberated in the name of super earth!"

The feeling is mutual in a separate Reddit post. "WE'VE BEEN LIED TO!!! Let us carry the flag in missions, dammit!" says NonverbalGore24. "Agreed," says WhiteBadgeOrangeVest, "need more missions of me and my buddies risking it all to raise that damn flag!

WE’VE BEEN LIED TO!!! Let us carry the flag in missions, dammit! from r/Helldivers

In yet another Reddit post on the subject, user Zombiehacker595 deems Arrowhead's decision to impose such limits on flag-raising to be "unpatriotic" and says that including it in higher difficulties would "really boost that morale on the harder missions."

It remains to be seen when players will get their wish, but Arrowhead hasn't been shy about adding new elements to its phenomenally popular shooter. Recently, mechs were thrown into the mix following a community-wide effort to liberate Tien Kwan, and the latest patch has seemingly infested the game with flying bugs.

Helldivers 2 was designed to make players feel like "no single person can do this alone" as its director believes a great co-op game "makes players want to play together."

Anne-Marie Ostler
Freelance Writer

Originally from Ireland, I moved to the UK in 2014 to pursue a Games Journalism and PR degree at Staffordshire University. Following that, I've freelanced for GamesMaster, Games TM, Official PlayStation Magazine and, more recently, Play and GamesRadar+. My love of gaming sprang from successfully defeating that first Goomba in Super Mario Bros on the NES. These days, PlayStation is my jam. When not gaming or writing, I can usually be found scouring the internet for anything Tomb Raider related to add to my out of control memorabilia collection.