Helldivers 2 Prepares For Xbox Release With New Content Drop This Month

We still can’t quite believe that Helldivers 2 is coming to Xbox in a few weeks, but it is! Sony’s shooter is just around the corner, and it’s getting new content ahead of time called “Control Group Warbond” – which is out on July 17th.

As far as we know, this is basically a premium Battle Pass that doesn’t expire, and Control Group Warbond contains new armour sets, a new weapon, a new grenade type, new emotes, and various other things.

Here’s a look at how the Helldivers 2 team describes it:

“Today we seize our enemies’ unholy machinations… and turn them on their cowardly selves. The Control Group Premium Warbond’s loaded with overclocked weapons, prototype armour, and gear of bleeding edge justice.”

Sony has yet to give a price for Control Group Warbond, but we’re expecting it to cost around 1,000 Super Credits which is a $10 payment. The game’s fanbase seems pretty excited about this new content drop, so it should prove popular!

Admittedly we’re still somewhat in the dark about Helldivers 2 and we’re looking forward to checking it out on Xbox Series X and S very soon. The game is available to pre-order right now on the Xbox Store at a price of £34.99 / $39.99.

Here are some more details on Helldivers 2’s new content (via Steam), along with some fresh screenshots:

Weapons & Stratagems

First up, in the primary weapon category, is the VG-70 Variable, a seven-barrelled volley gun with three different firing modes: Auto, which has three selectable RPM values; Volley, which fires a single shot from each barrel at once; and Total, which fires all remaining ammunition in one go. Researchers noted that using the Total firing mode with a lot of ammunition may result in bodily harm to the user.

Also in need of field testing is the new G-31 Arc grenade. The lightweight G-31 bounces while discharging electricity that strikes enemies (and Helldivers) in proximity.

The next declassified item is the PLAS-45 Epoch support weapon which charges plasma into a focused sphere which is then fired. This weapon is ready for battlefield use, but additional research data suggests that it can explode if overcharged. No safe mode is available. But we’re sure you can handle it, Helldiver. This is what field testing is all about!

Next up in offensive technology is the A/LAS-98 Laser Sentry. For this sentry, the ammunition canisters on standard turrets have been replaced with a supersized heatsink, allowing the potential for infinite laser firing. However, R&D would like to remind users that the turret can overheat and explode if the laser is continuously active with no cooldown.

Perhaps the most significant and exciting development from the Ministry of Defense is the new LIFT-182 Warp Pack stratagem. R&D has harnessed the power of Dark Fluid to generate a (somewhat) stable wormhole on demand. Once the wormhole is active, wearers can teleport short distances with no cooldown between jumps. In practice, the wearer is pulled into the singularity, dematerialized, and rematerialized again in a new location.

The head of R&D noted that the dematerialization process can be somewhat painful, and that users should bear in mind that the wormhole cannot maintain integrity for extended periods–each jump will further destabilize it, and the wearer may experience death should the singularity fully collapse. A small price to pay for ultra-convenient traversal!

Armors & More

And don’t forget about proper personal protective equipment! Good field testing involves enforcing safety protocols, which is why we’re outfitting Control Group with two new sets of armor designed to provide adequate battlefield protection. For medium armor, we’ve included the AD-26 Bleeding Edge that will allow for protection and greater ease of movement combined. But for more dangerous experiments, there’s also the AD-49 Apollonian heavy armor that’s meant to assist you with the perils of evaluating all this new equipment.

Each armor set looks professionally stylish with the coordinating capes, Conductor of Brilliance and Over Artifice Triumphant, and both armor sets feature a new and exciting passive: Adreno-Defibrillator! After you take lethal damage and the Adreno-Defibrillator detects that the user has collapsed, it activates and revives the user to full health. R&D did indicate that the Adreno-Defibrillator only has enough charge for one use to bring the user to maximum health, and the user will begin losing health continually after activating it.

In addition to all this, R&D is including new player cards to match the Conductor of Brilliance and Over Artifice Triumphant capes, and we’re giving you access to a new emote to assist in testing: Protect Eardrums. Covering your ears is the leading method to prevent noise-induced hearing loss. Safety first!

And, finally, with great scientific discovery comes much hard work and sacrifice, Helldivers, and that’s why we want to recognize your valiant field testing efforts of the Control Group Warbond with a special title: Exemplary Subject. Wear this to show your squad that you got in on the ground floor of this advanced technology!

You’ve been recruited into the Control Group, divers. Report to R&D for field testing on July 17!

*Requires base game, paid purchase of Super Credits, and game progression to unlock.