Helldivers 2's new bad weather patch quietly adds huge AT-AT-like deathbots

eurogamer.net:

It's update day for Helldivers 2, and — as detailed in its patch notes — the big new addition is terrible, awful weather befitting of battling across planetary hellscapes. However — as not detailed in its patch notes — it's sneakily added a huge AT-AT-like robot enemy too.

Starting with the stuff developer Arrowhead Game Studios isn't being shy about, today's Helldivers 2 patch — officially known as update 01.000.200 — introduces a couple of new weather hazards in the form of blizzards and sandstorms. And no, there's not much to say about these other than, maybe, good luck out there.

Angry planetary weather arrives alongside a level cap increase from 50 to 150, and there's an extensive bit of gameplay balancing too. This touches on everything from mission structure — Destroy Command Bunkers now has more objectives because it was «too easy» previously, for instance — to weapon tweaks and enemy balancing, and you'll find full patch notes here.

What isn't detailed in today's patch notes, however, is those aforementioned big stompy robots. As is Arrowhead's deliciously sneaky way when it comes to Helldivers 2, players — as documented over on the game's subreddit — are reporting increasing sightings of an unheralded new threat.

This new Helldivers 2 Automaton, apparently known as a Factory Strider, is said to be armed with a cannon and laser mini-guns, and can spawn Devastators beneath it. «It is one heavy boy with no easy to find vents», said CappedPluto. Sethoman, addressing the beefiness of this beefiest of foes, added, «The damn thing took a rail orbital to the face without losing stride. It's one tough motherf*cker AND IT SPAWNS AT EXTRACTION.»

But that's not everything slipped into Helldivers 2's latest update. Following the addition of winged bugs last month, players are now reporting flying Automaton gunships in the skies. «They