Helldivers 2's Devoid of Liberty update adds huggable SEAF troops, two new Illuminate enemies, and a level cap raise to 300

Helldivers 2's Patch 7.0, titled Devoid of Liberty, is live — and it's a meaty one. Arrowhead is sending players into the Void, an Illuminate-controlled region of space, with revamped NPC allies and two brand-new enemies to deal with along the way.

The SEAF troops — Super Earth's NPC infantry, historically more speed bump than support — are back and actually useful this time. They now carry heavier weapons for better damage output, wield stim pistols that can heal players directly (a genuine buff for solo runs), and will hug you back if you initiate. On the enemy side, the Illuminate faction gets two new mutants: the Crusher, which rapidly regenerates health and demands sustained fire to put down, and the Wretch, a fast and evasive unit that can dismantle players' weapons if left unchecked. The update also raises the level cap from 150 to 300 — players who were already sitting at max level will have their banked excess XP applied automatically after installing the patch. Rounding things out is the Warhammer 40K-themed Warbond, which brings Astra Militarum gear and a meltagun into the mix.

Helldivers 2 launched in February 2024 and became one of the fastest-selling PlayStation titles ever, though Arrowhead has had a bumpy road keeping the community happy through balance controversies and server issues. The SEAF have appeared in previous major in-game invasions as temporary modifiers, but making them recurring planet modifiers with actual utility is a notable shift. The Illuminate faction itself only returned to the game in late 2024 after being absent at launch, and the Void storyline appears to be the next major chapter in that ongoing conflict.

Full patch notes are up on Steam and cover the usual spread of balance changes and bug fixes beyond the headlining additions. If you want the extended version, Arrowhead also dropped a nearly 15-minute video walkthrough of everything in the update.