The Helldivers 2 Illuminate faction are descendants of aquatic creatures and are a highly intelligent race who refer to themselves as the 'Squ’ith.'
Having developed complex technology, the Illuminate quickly developed a large network for space travel, as well as weapons of mass destruction, and quite simply, they were a threat Super Earth could not ignore which is where the Helldivers 2 community comes into action.
There’s been plenty of speculation about whether or not the Illuminate faction will appear in Helldivers 2, so if you want to err on the side of caution and work out exactly what you could be going up against one day in the galactic war, then we’ve got you covered with this guide.
In this guide, find everything there is to know about the Illuminate faction in Helldivers 2 including its lore and when they'll arrive to disrupt democracy.
When is The Helldivers 2 Illuminate Faction being released?
While there is no confirmed release date for when the Illuminate faction will show up to turn the war into a three-headed front, there are several whispers of rumours from NPCs in the game, so the devs may be laying the groundwork and waiting for the right time to introduce them in a global order.
To further build the suspense, many players claim to have seen or witnessed strange occurrences in-game that would point to the upcoming arrival of our advanced psychic overlords. Strange blue lights falling from the stars or players have even gotten shot in mostly safe areas by unknown blue lasers with no enemies in sight. So the Illuminate may be already among the frontlines, using cloaking and teleportation to jeopardise the Helldivers' efforts.
Whether or not any of this is true or even related to the faction, they will surely pose a severe threat to the efforts of Super Earth should they reveal themselves. So it's best to get as much knowledge as possible before it's too late.
What is The Helldivers 2 Illuminate Faction?
The Illuminate are depicted as sleek and angular beings with an aesthetic that seamlessly combines futuristic technology with religious iconography.
They live in an extremely political society governed by religious devotion to their leaders, or ‘council members’. Acting with high intelligence, advanced weaponry, and unknown motives, the Illuminate are nothing short of a tall threat in the galaxy, but little else is known about what their goals and intentions are.
Even though they favour knowledge and are often dressed in ceremonial garbs, the Illuminate are still very much a warrior race. Every Illuminate starts their quest for knowledge as a hunter, aspiring to become an Illusionist or greater. In doing so they become capable of psychically controlling other sentient life forms, plus they gain the ability to teleport, and as such are extremely dangerous.
Not every Illuminate finds their way to ascend through knowledge, though, and can be mocked by their people and become outcasts if their smarts aren't up to scratch. Now forced to fight with only a cloaking device and melee weaponry, it is easy to see how ruthless this race is, even to their kind.
But just because they can’t force a Helldiver squad to combat each other or teleport away, they are no less a threat. They are still backed by all their race’s creations, such as shielded tripod mechs and an orb-like teleporting tank called an obelisk, all of which are armed with shielding technology and advanced weaponry.
So this is all we know about the elusive alien faction so far. Keep your eyes peeled for any strange occurrences out on the frontline, and check back with us for any confirmation or insight from the developer. In the meantime, check out our Helldivers 2 guides on the best flamethrower build, plus everything we know about the Democratic Detonation warbond.