Helldivers 2

Arrowhead's co-op shooter just dropped the Noxious Terminid strain across the galaxy — two new poison enemies, bug caves in more biomes, and the Galactic Sterilisation campaign running November 3-16.

ArrowheadCo-op Shooter$39.99Noxious update live
Helldivers 2 on Steam PS5 / Xbox / PC — crossplay on

The new Noxious Terminids

Live since November 3 — permanent additions, free for all players.

Noxious Scavenger

Faster than a regular Scavenger and every bite injects venom — but fragile. Shotguns, flamethrowers and grenades shred them.

Noxious Spewer

A hulking, fast Spewer that lays webs across the field. Its Web Spit kills your sprint; the unarmored abdomen is the weak point — but bursting it triggers a Web Explosion that snares everyone nearby.

Noxious Venom

Two stages on your HUD: Lightly Poisoned (hazy vision, health drain) and Heavily Poisoned (no sprint, heavier drain). Stims cure it — carry extras.

More bug caves

Terminid cave networks now spawn under almost every biome — deserts to tundras. Only the arctic biome is exempt.

Galactic Sterilisation campaign

November 3 - 16, 2026.

The in-game narrative campaign tasks the whole community with purging the Noxious outbreak. Everyone who participates and completes the campaign earns the M-104 Incinerator FRV stratagem — a flame vehicle — as a reward.

How to fight the Noxious strain

  1. Bring area weapons — shotguns, flamethrowers, grenades — volume beats precision against the fast Scavengers.
  2. Watch for Web Spit at mid-range and keep moving; losing your sprint against a Spewer is how runs end.
  3. Shoot the Spewer's glowing abdomen, but from range — the Web Explosion snares everything close.
  4. Stim early and often; Heavily Poisoned stacks damage fast and kills your escape options.

FAQ

Is Helldivers 2 free?

No — $39.99 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. All gameplay updates including this one are free.

Does Helldivers 2 have crossplay?

Yes — full crossplay between PS5, Xbox and PC since the Xbox launch.

How long does Galactic Sterilisation run?

November 3-16, 2026. The new enemies and caves stay permanently; the campaign reward — the M-104 Incinerator FRV stratagem — goes to participants.