Arrowhead Game Studios launched Helldivers 2 update 6.1.0 today alongside the new Entrenched Division Premium Warbond. The patch dropped across PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, and while Arrowhead classified it as a small update, it’s one of the more substantial patches the game has received in a while, covering new enemy content, over a dozen balance changes, and a long list of bug fixes.
As a bonus for PC players, Arrowhead also permanently reduced the game’s file size on that platform.
The update lays the groundwork for new Illuminate content set to go live on Friday, March 20, including new enemies, a new sub-faction, and a brand new mission type.
New Illuminate threats go live, March 20
High Command has confirmed three new Illuminate constructs arriving on March 20: the VERACITOR, built for close-range combat; the GATEKEEPER, which engages targets at long range; and the OBTRUDER, a variant of the Watcher enemy.
A new sub-faction called the Illuminate Appropriators is also joining the fight, deploying Illuminate units supported by constructs, bringing Illuminate Fleets into play, and unleashing massive hordes of Voteless and Fleshmobs.
On top of that, a new planetary hazard is being introduced: Illuminate Exostorms. These are intense weather events featuring high-speed winds and lightning strikes that affect entire planets, and they’ll be visible on the Galactic Map with varying storm strength depending on their classification.
To counter them, there’s a new mission type called Destroy Exospires. Players will need to locate access nodes connected to underground shield generators, overload them to bring down the protective force shield, push into the Exospire chamber, destroy its core, and eliminate the Dark Fluid cells keeping the structure running. The new content is already preloaded in the game and unlocks on March 20.
Entrenched Division Warbond: Fire, gas, and a shovel
The Entrenched Division Premium Warbond, available today for 1,000 Super Credits. Its theme pulls heavily from World War I trench warfare, the reveal trailer even presented itself like an old war documentary, complete with film grain and crackling audio. The weapon lineup matches the aesthetic perfectly.
The centerpiece is the B/FLAM-80 Cremator, a heavy support flamethrower that sprays a continuous column of flame powered by a massive backpack fuel tank. Alongside it is the SMG/FLAM-34 Stoker, a primary SMG with iron sights and a built-in underbarrel flamethrower attachment. For players who prefer gas over fire, the A/GM-17 Gas Mortar Sentry is an automated turret that fires gas shells into enemy formations.
The sidearm slot gets two new options: the P-69 Veto, a Mauser-style pistol loaded with jet-assisted rounds, and the CQC-73 Entrenchment Tool, which is now an actual secondary weapon players can bring into any mission from the moment they land, no more scavenging for one on the map.
The G-48 Giga Grenade rounds out the offensive offerings as a powerful anti-tank throwable that trades throwing distance for a massive blast radius.
On the armor side, the CPG-48 Sapper is a medium armor set packed with pouches and the Grenadier passive, which provides explosive damage resistance and extra throwable storage. The lighter CPH-26 Commandant is also included for players who want a cleaner look with more mobility.
The Warbond also comes with capes, player cards, and themed cosmetic patterns for the Pelican, drop pod, recon vehicle, and Exosuit.
Balance changes and bug fixes
The biggest gameplay change in 6.1.0 involves flamethrowers. Small to medium enemies, across Automatons, Terminids, and Illuminate, now panic and attack randomly when set on fire. It’s a meaningful shift for fire-based builds that players had been asking for.
Several weapons and stratagems also received adjustments. The sidearm PLAS-15 Loyalist gained an extra round per magazine and had its charge-up time reduced from 1 second to 0.75 seconds. The P-11 Stim Pistol received a 100% increase in healing output and a muzzle velocity bump from 200 to 300, making it a much more reliable option than before. The LAS-98 Laser Cannon had its beam length extended dramatically, from 200 meters to 1,000 meters.
The GL-28 Belt-Fed Grenade Launcher went from 100 to 120 rounds of ammo. The M-1000 Maxigun received a significant ammo capacity increase, going from 750 to 1,000 rounds. The GL-52 De-Escalator and the AC-8 Autocannon both received faster reload speeds. The GL-21 Grenade Launcher had its medium armor penetration restored following a change in the previous patch.
On the bug fix side, Brood Commanders now properly summon reinforcements, Overseers stagger when their armor and shields are destroyed, and the G-50 Seeker Grenade finally deals damage as intended. Helldivers now start with 4 Arc Grenades instead of 3, and players can melee while falling or using the LIFT-850 Jump Pack.
Crash fixes include the Hellpod drop crash and a rare crash tied to grenades hitting Vox Engine weakpoints. The EXO-45 Patriot and EXO-49 Emancipator Exosuits also had their step damage zones adjusted to actually match the size of the legs, fixing unintended kills that were happening way outside the impact area.
What do you think about the new Illuminate additions and the Entrenched Division Warbond? Drop your thoughts below, are you going full flamethrower or digging in with the shovel?