As Helldivers 2's Ministry of Truth admits deception over flying bugs, director says they "have always believed there to be a possibility of flying bugs," actually

Don't back down, double down. The Helldivers 2 propaganda machine is spinning up once again after the horrible flying Terminid bugs debuted in the game, something its creative director dismissed as "propaganda from bug sympathizers" when players first reported it.

Earlier this month, when Helldivers 2 players first started reporting screenshots of what looked like flying bugs, the game's director dismissed it as "propaganda from bug sympathizers." Just a few days later, when players doing battle with said flying bugs proved this blatant lie false, the game's own Twitter account joined in the propaganda, putting out the piece just below from the Ministry of Truth.

The Ministry of Truth's lies about the flying bugs not existing have been proven false by... the Ministry of Truth. Whether this is the first time "in history" that the flying Terminids have ever been spotted in the world of Helldivers is irrelevant when the Ministry of Truth's efforts to conceal them from the citizens of Super Earth has fallen flat on its face.

Not one to miss the opportunity to role-play as a spokesperson for the Ministry of Truth, Helldivers 2 game director Johan Pilestedt is once again in on the fun. In the two tweets just below, Pilestedt rapidly clarifies that he "always believed there was the possibility of flying bugs." That's a pretty convenient clarification, considering the director's propaganda efforts crumbled just earlier this week.

Somewhat worryingly, Pilestedt also plays down player suspicions about the flying bugs debuting in Helldivers 2 right around the launch of the Terminid Control System. This initiative was meant to quarantine the bugs once and for all, but it's done nothing but—now, there are just more frontiers to fight the bugs on in the eastern portion of the Galactic War front.

Given the director's scramble to divert suspicions, it's almost guaranteed that the Terminid Control System will actually have something to do with the flying bugs. This isn't the first time developer Arrowhead has turned the storyline on its head - Game Master Joel paused the rollout of mechs earlier this month when manufacturing planet Tien Kwan came under attack from Automaton forces.

Read up on our latest Helldivers 2 Machine Gun guide for how to complete the latest in-game initiative and claim the rewards.