Helldivers 2: A Satirical Dive into Cultural Resonance

In 1997, famed Dutch director Paul Verhoeven, best known for his famously violent, intelligent, satirical sci-fi films such as RoboCop and Total Recall, released Starship Troopers to a global audience.

Upon release critics largely misinterpreted and misunderstood the film, criticising it for endorsing the very ideologies it was in fact satirising. Fortunately, a large number of its audience did not fall into the same trap, enjoying it for what it truly was, and in time it has been re-evaluated, claiming cult status and heralded as a prescient satire of fascism and authoritarianism. It features fake news before fake news was coined, justifying extermination of ‘the other’ and savagely mocked militarised populism as our square jawed, perfectly sculpted leads lived out their existence unaware in a fascist utopia.

Fast forward to 2024 and Starship Troopers finds itself in the top 50 most watched movies online for the first time in its history, as new audiences are discovering it for the first time, with an online dialogue that runs parallel to the 90’s conversation. The reason for its renewed discovery and popularity? A little indie game called Helldivers 2.

For all intents and purposes, the game is a playable version of Verhoeven’s cult sci-fi action flick, satirically portraying a militaristic, interstellar society that brings ‘democracy’ through imperialism, freedom and hyper-nationalism for their beloved ‘Super Earth’.

The unthinking patriotism and dehumanisation of enemies is a theme central to both IPs, resonating uncomfortably with the political discourse of recent years. Humanity is disposable under the flag of freedom, which is highlighted by the admittedly hilarious scripting of the cannon-fodder characters as they fight against the arachnid and robotic threats as they yell such bangers as; “how about a nice cup of liberty”, “how’d you like the taste of freedom” and “say hello to democracy”.

However, where the game has really come alive is the community and discourse around it. It’s a brilliant example of word of mouth hype and fan creativity, with the game recently passing Grand Theft Auto V’s all-time concurrent peak on Steam, despite having server issues (due to the unexpected popularity of the game).

Social platforms are jam packed with memes and content from those who have fallen in love with the world of Helldivers 2, with a whole movement dedicated to ‘Helldiver Wives’ where they produce things like support groups for their heroic boyfriends and husbands as they “dive so we survive”.

Even the games CEO has joined the online conversation, responding to people in real time in a very human way, stripped of brand firewall;

The humour and creativity on show online from reddit to X is completely reflective of the charm and wit the game showcases. Even moments in-game that are normally left as dead air, such as loading screens, are utilised into adrenaline pumping hype moments as players hurtle towards planets in their dropships, accompanied by theme music worthy of a feature film.

And that in itself, is the genius of the game, as a player you find yourself motivated, hyped and ready to go fight a faceless enemy of the back a fist pumping propaganda cutscene.

To butcher a quote I once heard; science fiction, whether in literature or film, has, in reality, always had more to do with the present rather than the future.

So the timing of Helldivers 2 release when we have ongoing wars, fascist leaders, fake news, extreme nationalism and everything in between, is unlikely a coincidence. If Starship Troopers was released now it may have had a very different reception, Verhoeven himself in a 2017 interview said that they “were aware of elements in American society that seemed to have the possibility of a certain fascism, but I did not believe myself that the United States would be able and willing to go in that direction."

Regardless of the political subtext, no matter how overt, the success of Helldivers 2 stems from the fact that it’s a good product. A super fun game, a homage to an iconic film and with a tone and thematic that creates space for players and creators to step into its world both in and out of the game itself.