- Primary Subject: Helldivers 2 (PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S - Machinery of Oppression Update)
- Key Update: On February 10, 2026, the Cyborg Legion officially re-emerged as a major threat on the ice-planet Cyberstan, introducing three new enemy types: Agitators, Radicals, and the Vox Engine.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: February 12, 2026
- Quick Answer: The Cyborgs returned on February 10, 2026, as an elite sub-faction of the Automatons, debuting new factory city maps and a global reinforcement counter.
Helldivers 2 is a cooperative multiplayer shooter whose growth seems to have no limits. Since its release back in 2004, the game has seen many updates, expanding on its already incredible amount of content. The latest one sees the return of an old enemy, the Cyborgs, adding a fourth faction that fans are more than happy to take on, and helping ensure that Helldivers 2 remains popular and relevant.
It is certainly a surprise that Arrowhead Game Studios would think to bring back a threat from a previous game, and as great as it is that they've returned, I believe the decision to do so was a mistake. Sure, the announcement of the Cyborgs has done wonders for bringing attention to the game, but introducing an entirely new faction would have been a much better move.
One reason for this is that bringing back an old one just feels lazy on Arrowhead Game Studios' part. The developer likely thought it was about time to expand Helldivers 2's enemy variety and that the Cyborgs would be the best choice, given how much of a recognized threat they were in the previous game. While this makes sense, the problem is that this was already done with the introduction of the Illuminate.
It can be a good idea to use veteran nostalgia to get people more interested in returning or continuing to play the current game, but doing it once was enough. With the decision to bring back the Cyborgs, it could make fans feel like Arrowhead Game Studios has run out of creative ideas and is now relying on what used to work to keep the game relevant, thus questioning the future of Helldivers 2.
This would not have been an issue if an entirely different faction had been introduced, and such a thing would have also done even more for the game. If Arrowhead Game Studios had chosen to introduce a new type of enemy instead, it would have opened up multiple opportunities to expand the in-game lore of Helldivers 2. With players asking questions like who this new faction is, where they came from, and what their goal is, that curiosity can be used to the developer's advantage.
The answers to those queries can be used to create a lot of content, ones that keep everyone looking forward to what could be coming to the game. For example, the introduction of a new faction could mean being notified of an objective that requires infiltrating their planet to understand why they're suddenly taking part in the galactic war.
Something like that sounds exciting and would certainly grab both current and potential fans' attention enough to want to play the game. At the same time, it shows that Arrowhead Game Studios can still come up with ways to keep the experience feeling fresh, which is a good thing for helping ensure that Helldivers 2 remains alive and relevant for a long time.
The reintroduction of the Cyborgs could do something similar, given that they can also be creatively used to generate new experiences that players can enjoy. However, the potential for them to do so is far less than that of a new faction, given that they're already an established existence that fans can easily set expectations for, rather than something that has never been seen or heard of before.
Another important reason it was a mistake to bring back the Cyborgs instead of introducing an entirely new enemy is due to the existence of a particular enemy: the Automatons. What I mean by this is that the faction introduced in Helldivers 2 is related to the one returning from the previous game. It's pretty clear as well, given the way their units and structures look.
Because of that, it feels as if the Cyborgs are just an expansion of the Automatons. So while it sounds like you're getting a new faction, you're actually only receiving an update for an already established one. This goes back to making Arrowhead Game Studios look lazy and out of ideas, which should not be the case, given the galaxy of Helldivers 2, with its ability to introduce literally any type of planet, has limitless potential in producing content that expands enemy variety.
The new faction could have been anything Arrowhead Game Studios wanted it to be that players would have loved, which is why it feels like such a waste that the developer chose to go with something a good number of fans already know.
Again, the Cyborgs are still a fine addition to the world of Helldivers 2, but it's just a shame on what could have been. A fifth faction could still come in the future, but by then, the game may have already run its course, making it more disheartening that Arrowhead Game Studios didn't go for something new first.
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