Helldivers 2 devs plan to honor fallen fan as touching tributes pour in
Arrowhead Game StudiosSilver linings for fallen friends are a small comfort but the Helldivers 2 development team is going to do what they can.
A bittersweet tribute to a Helldivers 2 player who passed away has caught the attention of Game Director Johan Pilestedt. In the third-most upvoted post of all time on the game’s Subreddit, u/Fine-Clothes-1209 memorialized their friend whose in-game handle was OkamiCheems.
“So today I woke up to the news that my best friend passed away yesterday on his birthday. He loved this game and he grinded it out daily,” u/Fine-Clothes-1209 relayed. “We faced the hordes of Automaton scourge and blew up more Terminid’s holes than I can count.”
The player revealed that OkamiCheems had reached max-level and Skull Admiral status the day before his death. They also asked the Helldivers 2 community if there was some way to export their fallen battle brother’s game data so as to create a memorial with his stats.
In true Helldivers 2 fashion, the top reply to this touching tribute was an in-character call to attention in honor of OkamiCheems. “The Ministry of War would like to commend this Helldiver for his bravery, devotion, and sacrifice to the spread of managed democracy, freedom, liberty, and for Super Earth. He will be sent off with full honors. Soldiers, attention!! Salute!” it reads.
This was met with hundreds of users responding with the same gif of a Helldiver giving the closed-fisted salute of Super Earth. A gesture used to honor stalwart comrades in a never-ending Galactic War.
Moved by the tribute and the player’s request to enshrine their friend, Helldivers 2’s lead developer Johan Pilestedt responded in the thread. “I am so sorry for your loss. My battle brother of 20 years passed away 3 years ago,” Pilestedt offered in condolence.
“To this day I still see his username on Discord, Steam, and other platforms and fondly remember the many fond gaming memories we shared. I will speak to the team on how to remember one of the fallen.”
Arrowhead Game StudiosWe are one Helldiver down for our new Major Order troops. When you put down an Automaton contingent, drop an extra Stratagem on them for OkamiCheems.
If you have been, or are currently being affected by issues of mental health, information and support are available from the Suicide Prevention Helpline 1-800-273-8255 (USA) or the Samaritans 116-123 (UK).
