Arrowhead StudiosHelldivers 2 is closing out the summer with an update as massive as the extraterrestrial bugs you exterminate in it. It’s making its Xbox debut this week, marking one of the rare times a PlayStation exclusive makes the multiplatform jump. Dropping alongside the Xbox version is a dream cosmetic crossover with Halo 3: ODST, which brings the legendary weapons and armor of the 2009 interquel into Helldivers. And to top it all off, the game is getting its most unique update yet on September 2.Helldivers 2: Into the Unjust is the next big update for Arrowhead Studio’s co-op extraction shooter. It’s all about taking the fight directly to the insectoid Terminids, and to do so, Helldivers are being sent into the Gloom, the yellow fog that’s consumed star systems and turned planets into Hive Worlds. While this update will have big implications for Helldivers 2’s ongoing story, I’m most interested in how Super Earth’s latest operation will impact gameplay.As detailed on the PlayStation Blog, stamping out these enemies of democracy at their source means venturing into the depths of these lost planets. These are labyrinthian cave networks filled with enemies, and they represent the biggest change in terrain for Helldivers since the Illuminate invaded the cities of Super Earth.Fighting underground means entering claustrophobic tunnels where Terminids have the upper hand. These battlefields are darker and more linear than the open terrain of the galactic front, and being underground also means losing access to the Super Destroyer’s support weapons and strategems. According to the developers, players must prepare firearms and helpful items ahead of their trek, or risk being helpless. A new operation type is also being added, where players must drive a massive (and slow) oil rig with a mounted canon, extracting resources from around the map and then escaping before being overrun. Bugs, both old and new, can now burrow into the ground to retreat or ambush you. Arrowhead also suggests that an even larger unidentified enemy is lurking underground, one that the developers asked players to “please ignore,” as they’re “sure it’s fine.” From what was teased in the trailer, it certainly seems like Dune Awakening won’t be the only 2025 game with massive worms. Bringing the fight to subterranean Terminids will change Helldivers this season. | Arrowhead StudiosThe underground locales, new game types and enemies, and brand new console community are all compelling hooks for Helldivers 2 as it heads into year two. It’s hard to think of a better way to launch on a new console than by including a crossover with one of its biggest exclusives, and fresh takes on its winning formula should keep its momentum going. Helldivers 2 was one of the biggest games of 2024, a surprise hit for both Arrowhead and publisher PlayStation Studios. Its original mix of live service systems and ongoing meta-narrative made it an award-winning standout success at a time when the live service genre seems increasingly out of vogue. With Into the Unjust, its best days are hopefully still ahead.Helldivers 2 is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.