Helldivers 2 dev debunks widespread conspiracy theory turned into popular meme

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There is a lot to look forward to with Helldivers 2. Arrowhead has revealed that a bow weapon will release at “some point” in the future, meanwhile, leaks show a new upcoming armor skins system with extra customization. However, away from new content being added, the Helldivers 2 developer has just debunked a widespread conspiracy theory that has turned into a popular meme amongst Super Earth soldiers online.

Helldivers 2 dev debunks Sickle conspiracy theory

Amongst the Helldivers 2 community, there has been the conspiracy theory that Arrowhead keep increasing the size of the Sickle weapon. There are numerous serious discussions on Reddit about whether the Sickle grew again, with players convinced that “there’s an Arrowhead employee making it larger every update just to f**k with” the community.

The conspiracy theory about the Sickle continuously getting bigger is widespread amongst the HD2 fandom, but, alas, it’s not true, at least according to Arrowhead. On the official Helldivers Discord, community manager, B Vitamin, confirmed that Arrowhead is “aware of the ‘the sickle is big’ memes… but the reality is, the gun is just big, its size has never changed, and it’s not broke”.

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Image credit: Helldivers Discord

One user claimed Arrowhead confirmed the size had changed as part of an inside joke, but B Vitamin responded, “that was a fake screenshot”. This fake screenshot was shared on Reddit, and it purported to show Pilestedt confirming that Arrowhead keep increasing and decreasing the size of the Sickle to mess with players.

Confirmation from B Vitamin should put an end to the conspiracy theory. No one knows quite why the Sickle looks bigger every time, but the assumption is that it’s probably just an optical illusion. Fortunately, while the conspiracy theory is now confirmed as debunked, the comically large Sickle memes can continue to flourish.


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For more Helldivers 2, check out our guide to the best warbonds ranked, along with the best stratagems and best throwables. We have also a guide to the best weapons, and, if you’re coming back to HD2 for the first time in a long while, we have a bunch of tips and tricks to help you get reaccustomed to the battlefield.

About the Author

Callum Smith

Callum Smith is a freelance gaming writer for Videogamer. He covers news for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, and he has over five years experience covering the video games industry.

Helldivers 2

  • Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 5
  • Genre(s): Action, Shooter, Third Person
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