Helldivers 2 Hugging Strategy Is the Most Wholesome Yet

Helldivers 2’s galactic war against the bugs and bots continues, with hundreds of thousands of players bravely laying down their lives for democracy. But, what if you could simply hug it out instead?

That’s exactly what some players are doing after a killer new strategy emerged that revolves around hugging.

Really.

As most Helldivers 2 players will know, there are a number of fun emotes in the game. One such emote is a hug. With your arms outstretched, another player can come in for a squeeze. That, you would think, would be that. But, it turns out, there’s a very real and useful application for hugging on the battlefield, and I can only imagine how confused the Terminids and Automatons find it.

Here’s how it works. As we know, the incredibly useful shield generator pack protects the wearer from sustaining any damage made by explosives, including the devastating Eagle 500kg bomb stratagem. But what you might not have known is that you can protect a teammate with your own shield by hug emoting with them.

As explained by YouTube channel StandardAce, one player with the shield generator can work alongside another to kite a horde of enemies so they’re within range of the 500kg, call it in, hug it out, then watch the bugs or bots fry safe in the protective bubble. If you’re in a full squad of four Helldivers, all you need are two players with the shield to protect the entire group.

Now, it’s worth noting players need to make sure the 500kg shell itself does not hit the shield, as it only protects the wearer if the blast from the explosion is the first hit. So don’t stand right under the stratagem marker! It’s also worth noting you need decent timing to make this work, as the hug itself doesn’t last long and you’ll kill yourself if the emote ends before the explosion hits the shield. And finally, bear in mind the shield also protects a teammate who uses a support weapon backpack with the shield user. Nice!

The question some players are now asking is whether this ‘Cupid’s Bomb’ strategy is intended gameplay or a bug. Fingers crossed that if it is unintentional. Developer Arrowhead keeps it in the game anyway. After all, love finds a way.

This week, IGN reported on how Helldivers 2 has become one of the surprise hits of 2024 since launching in February, topping the charts on Steam and reportedly selling around three million copies. According to at least one analyst, it’s still growing. Check out IGN’s Helldivers 2 review to find out why it’s going down so well, as well as the best loadouts.

Image credit: YouTube channel StandardAce

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.