Where Did Joel Go in Helldivers 2?
Joel, Helldivers 2’s beneficent God, has gone missing from his celestial observatory above the frontlines, taking with him the free Strategems he used to distribute. And now the masterless Helldivers are wondering, where has he gone?
The Mystery of Joel’s Disappearance
“What happened to Joel providing us free stratagems to use?” wondered Reddit user TheQuixotic6 in a thread posted on May 17. They described the gifts Joel gave to Helldivers who participated in the game’s first Major Orders, such as four 500Kg bombs every run, a fifth Strategem slot, and unique Support Weapons to aid Helldivers advance through the trenches. However, they also noted that Joel appears to have stopped doing that and has reduced his kindness, which some attribute to “balance.”
Joel was significantly more active in the opening several days of the game. Screenshot from ESN.GG.
Is Joel’s absence caused by game balance?
One player who responded to the forum mockingly stated that “J.O.E.L. became balanced,” meaning that Arrowhead intentionally slowed him down as part of their recent drive to level the game as much as possible. These balancing modifications sparked controversy and anger in the community, causing Arrowhead’s CEO Johan Pilestedt to personally intervene to assist resolve the matter. Joel’s powers in Helldivers 2 may have been curtailed, but he is likely to continue doing the normal duties, such as monitoring spawn rates and planetary challenges.
Weekly Strategem Rotations: Filling the Void
Another player wanted Arrowhead would implement weekly Startegem rotations to give weaker or lesser-known Strategems a chance. This might fill the hole left by Joel’s absence and reinforce any Strategems that meta-minded Helldivers may have neglected. Hell, it might even be used as a “testing ground” for balancing changes, with weekly Strategems that differ somewhat from those available in the armory.
The mystery continues.
Joel was extremely active throughout the game’s first month or two, frequently manipulating live battles by producing unique weaponry, Walker units, additional foes, and so on. He has recently gone dormant, and Arrowhead has yet to provide a firm explanation for what is going on.