In Helldivers 2's new Major Order, Game Master Joel takes off the kid gloves once and for all: you're gonna fight Automatons and you're gonna like it

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Helldivers are being called on to spill some oil in order to stop "The Reclamation"

Automatons seen in Helldivers 2.
(Image credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Helldivers 2 players have been issued a brand new Major Order, and it seems it's taking direct aim at all of the dedicated bug-squashing fans who aren't so enthusiastic about spilling oil from the deadly Automatons. 

Bugs have been put on the sidelines, as we've now been tasked with eliminating the Automatons and liberating Troost in Helldivers 2 as part of Operation Swift Disassembly. Lore-wise, this Major Order comes after captured bots, interrogated using "Unpleasant Sensory Experience Simulations" (whatever that means), revealed that the Automatons are gearing up to launch "The Reclamation," which is believed to be "a massive invasion of unprecedented scale." 

The community is speculating that this could be a large-scale plan to reclaim Cyberstan – the home planet of the Cyborgs introduced in Helldivers 1. Completing the Major Order is sure to tell us more about these plans, but encouraging everyone to get on board may be another matter, solely due to how unpopular the bots are to fight. We constantly see significantly lower player counts on the Automaton-occupied planets compared to the Terminid ones. However, some Automaton-smashing enthusiasts (mainly Malevelon Creek veterans) are hopeful that this Major Order may give the bug-slaying fans the encouragement they need to join the fight. 

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"Alright, Creek boys and girls, the bug stompers have finally been pulled west. I know it ain't our old stomping grounds, but Super Earth needs us. It's time to swap mud for sand, get our asses to Ustotu, and show 'em how it's done," one loyal Helldiver on Reddit proclaims. 

"OK Creek Crawlers, it's our time to shine, get on planet and let's help these bug fighters bathe in oil," another says. 

"Time to shift from the bugs Helldivers, the bots need to be stomped," another asserts.

Thankfully, we're in a much better place to take this Major Order on following a patch earlier today which stops freezes from occurring when using the Arc Shotgun, Arc Thrower, and Tesla Tower Stratagem – all of which are especially handy for dealing with the dreaded Automatons. It's also worth noting that this isn't our first Major Order to focus on the bots – we swiftly managed to complete an Automaton Major Order in Tien Kwan to get our hands on the highly anticipated mechs. Let's just hope we can do it again without the enticing Exosuits being dangled in front of us. 

If you're new to Arrowhead Game Studios' third-person shooter, be sure to check out our guide to Helldivers 2 Major Orders and how they work. 

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.