Helldivers 2 has introduced one of its biggest twists yet, as the once-existent planet of Meridia has come back into play in a big way. After Meridia was destroyed following a Major Order gone wrong, the structure became a black hole, now referred to as the Meridia Singularity. Helldivers 2 planted this seed months ago, and it has finally made its way into the main story.

After the recent failure of another Major Order, the Meridia Singularity destroyed Angel’s Venture in its orbit, proving to players that no location is safe in Helldivers 2. Between the destruction of both Meridia and Angel’s Venture, developer Arrowhead Game Studios has showcased that failing Major Orders will continue to have serious consequences. While making the stakes high is a good way to keep players engaged, the game can only stick with the planetary destruction trope for so long.

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Helldivers 2 Has to Continue to Raise the Stakes For Failed Major Orders

Keeping Every Major Order Failure a Surprise

With Helldivers 2‘s approach to the live service model, it has to be a huge challenge for the developers to keep each storyline and twist interesting. However, when it comes to failing Major Orders, getting stuck in a cycle of destroyed planets is bound to grow old quickly. The destruction of Meridia was shocking, but what was even more jaw-dropping was how it came back into play months later to make Angel’s Venture another victim. This was a fantastic twist on Arrowhead Game Studios’ part, but the unfortunate part about great twists is that they can’t really be repeated.

Of course, the developers could potentially think about different tweaks to other destroyed planets to give them their own unique outcome, but doing something fresh each time for a failed Major Order would be healthier for the story in the long run. Now that the game has been around for a full year, Helldivers 2 has showcased how strong live-service models can actually be when putting the player’s experience first, and keeping the consequences of Major Orders fresh and exciting plays into that.

The Meridia Singularity Remains a Threat

• The black hole is on course for Super Earth.

It’s unclear if the Meridia Singularity will actually make its way to Super Earth or not, but considering that Helldivers 2 has allowed two major planets to be destroyed, anything is definitely possible. A repeat of the Meridia situation needs to be avoided at all costs. Between the black hole plot and the loss of Angel’s Venture, another planet meeting the same fate is to be expected now, but that’s not great news. Players should be kept on their toes, so whatever the next failed Major Order happens to be needs to subvert expectations.

Helldivers 2 is Bound to Bring More Surprises This Year

Since its launch last year, Helldivers 2 has managed to keep surprising its player-base, and that hopefully continues in 2025. The Meridia Singularity taking out Angel’s Venture started the year off with a massive bang, and only time will tell if Arrowhead Game Studios is able to one-up itself. Helldivers 2 is a harrowing experience, and the intense consequences of player failure are a great example of that.

As the Major Orders continue to come, it will be fascinating to see how Helldivers 2 plans to shock players next. The arrival of the Illuminate and their weaponization of the Meridia Singularity is a bad sign for the citizens of Super Earth, and Helldivers will need to be at their very best going forward.

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Released

February 8, 2024

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence

Developer(s)

Arrowhead Game Studios