A significant portion of Helldivers 2 players are up in arms over the new commemorative Malevelon Creek cape. If that sounds like an odd sting of words, we’ve got the details on why they’re so mad.
Malevelon Creek might just be the most famous planet in Helldivers 2’s Galactic War. The Automaton-infested hellscape made a name for itself shortly after the game’s release.
The community quickly dubbed the planet ‘Robot Vietnam’ thanks to its climate and enemies. Since then, it’s been the subject of numerous memes and inside jokes for the Helldivers 2 community.
With all of that history and player sentiment attached, it might seem like a mystery as to why players would be so ticked off about a Malevelon Creek cape. This explainer should fill in some gaps.
How did we get the Malevelon Creek cape in Helldivers 2?
The back-and-forth battle for Malevelon Creek has been a staple of Helldivers 2 since the game first exploded in popularity. There have been close calls in efforts to liberate it but those early attempts led to heartbreaking failure.
Some players have dedicated themselves completely to ‘the creek’ keeping up the battle daily in spite of whatever the current Major Order is. For those single-minded Helldivers, their persistence finally paid off.
On April 1, 2024, the forces of Super Earth finally liberated Malevelon Creek from the clutches of the Automatons. The community was elated at the news and it has become one of the most celebrated events in Helldivers 2’s short history.
To remember the literal millions of Helldivers that perished in the fight for the creek, Arrowhead gifted a free cape to every Helldivers 2 player. Fallen Hero’s Vengeance was announced alongside Malevelon Creek Memorial Day.
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PRESIDENTIAL DECREE: The President of Super Earth has officially recognized this day as Malevelon Creek Memorial Day.This week, in remembrance, all Helldivers will be issued a special commemorative cape, so they may carry the memory of their fallen companions into battle. pic.twitter.com/y5ai4GXxo7
— HELLDIVERS™ 2 (@helldivers2) April 3, 2024
Why are people so mad about the Malevelon Creek cape?
Remember those dedicated Robot Vietnam veterans we were talking about earlier? Yeah, a big portion of the Helldivers community refers to them as ‘Creekers’, and they don’t like them at all.
The feeling is that these Creekers have taken a meme too far at the expense of the concerted effort that Helldivers 2’s Major Orders demand. The developers themselves have outright confirmed that people’s fixation on the creek has caused some setbacks.
Many players have expressed concerns and indignation that the developers of the game would endorse and support Creekers. The game’s Subreddit is flooded with players condemning Creekers and their cape for wasting time and resources.
Some players have even come together in an effort to deliberately team-kill anyone caught wearing the Malevelon Creek cape in Helldivers 2. Some players sporting the cape have already reported this happening to them.
Interestingly enough, killing teammates for wearing the cape seems just as counterproductive as spending all your time on an irrelevant planet. That irony does appear lost on some, however.
Anyway, that’s the Malevelon Creek cape debacle in a nutshell. Now you’ll understand why your social media feed is currently divided.