It Took Helldivers 2 Players Less Than 24 Hours to Kill 2 Billion Bugs — and Super Earth Sounds Surprised

ign.com:

Now that’s what I call a bug hunt! It took Helldivers 2 players less than 24 hours to complete its latest Major Order: to kill two billion Terminids.

On April 18, developer Arrowhead triggered the next step in Helldivers 2’s ongoing Galactic War after the PC and PlayStation 5 co-op shooter’s community successfully completed a Major Order to slow a significant Automaton invasion. Game Master Joel turned players’ attention to the Terminid front with the biggest kill order since the game’s explosive launch in February.

Helldivers 2 players were given six days to kill two billion Terminids, which sounded like an insurmountable task, but players made it clear they’d hit the kill count sooner rather than later. So fast was progress that some wondered if Helldivers 2’s Terminid kill tracker was bugged.

But today, April 19, the Major Order is complete and medals have been dished out to players as a reward. Cementing the achievement is an in-universe message from the official Helldivers 2 Twitter account:

2 billion bugs dead in less than a day.

Helldivers, Terminid planets run red with liberty thanks to this inspiring display of pre-emptive self-defence.

Your designated [loved one/relative/pet/neighbour] on Super Earth has been informed of your bravery.https://t.co/Lu4m5wHFZo

In the game itself, messages celebrating Super Earth’s victory make clear this bug clearout came as something of a surprise.

”In further proof of their elite training and irreplaceable value, the Helldivers reached the target set for Terminid biomass production far faster than anticipated,” the message reads. “While additional destruction of Liberty’s enemies is always beneficial, E-710 refinement pipelines are full at the present time. However, there will be ample opportunities for additional biomass production in the future.

“Super Earth High Command commends the Helldivers for their boundless enthusiasm to destroy the enemies of Freedom.”

The upshot of this is Helldivers 2 players head into the weekend without