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Fortnite Goes Full Bug Mode—Helldivers Devs Say 'Cool Story, Bro'

Originally posted on Total Apex Gaming | By Mollie Dominy | Last updated Aug 12, 2025 10:55 AM ET

Well, well, well! Looks like Epic Games decided to take a page straight out of the Helldivers 2 playbook, and honestly? The gaming community is having an absolute field day with this one! If you’ve been living under a rock (or maybe just busy squashing actual bugs), Fortnite’s latest season has players battling swarms of insectoid alien enemies they’re calling “Bugs.” Sound familiar? Yeah, that’s because Helldivers 2 has been doing this exact thing since day one!

Arrowhead Game Studios Serves Up Some Premium Sarcasm

The folks over at Arrowhead Game Studios definitely didn’t miss this “coincidence,” and their response has been nothing short of legendary! Community manager Katherine “Baskinator” Baskin dropped what might be the most perfectly crafted burn of 2025 on the game’s Discord server: “Hmmm…it’s giving ‘we have Helldivers at home.'”

Ouch! That’s the kind of subtle shade that cuts deep while still maintaining that professional polish. But here’s the thing – she followed it up with something that honestly makes us respect Arrowhead even more: “I’m not worried.”

Talk about confidence! Baskin continued with what has to be one of the most diplomatic yet sassy responses we’ve seen in gaming: “Fortnite is Fortnite, Helldivers is Helldivers. If the kings of video game drip think our drip is cool enough to… inspire them… then that’s super cool. But our games couldn’t be more different from one another. There’s room for us all at the king’s table.”

The CEO Weighs In (And It’s Chef’s Kiss Perfect)

But wait, it gets better! Arrowhead CEO Shams Jorjani decided to join the party with his own perfectly crafted response. When asked about his thoughts on Fortnite’s new season, he simply said it “feels very democratic.”

For those not in the know (where have you been?!), this is a brilliant reference to Helldivers 2’s satirical political setting called the ‘Great Democratization.’ It’s subtle, it’s clever, and it’s exactly the kind of response that shows these developers have a sense of humor about the whole situation!

Fortnite Bugs vs. Helldivers 2: The Similarities Are Real

Image of Fornite Shock N Awesome update, Courtesy of Fortnite

Let’s be honest here – the similarities between these Fortnite bugs and Helldivers 2’s Terminids are pretty undeniable! Both games feature:

Insectoid alien enemies nicknamed “Bugs”
Squad-based gameplay against these creatures
That whole “humanity fighting for survival” vibe
Bug-squashing mechanics that are oddly satisfying

Even the well-known leaker ShiinaBR couldn’t help but comment that the update “screams Helldivers collab.” The resemblance is so strong that fans have been flooding the Fortnite trailer’s comment section with lines like “Super Earth should deploy some Helldivers for this bug infestation!”

Epic Games Plays It Cool (As Always)

Now, here’s where it gets interesting – Epic Games hasn’t said a peep about any official crossover or collaboration. This is classic Fortnite behavior, folks! The game has made a career out of “borrowing inspiration” from pretty much every corner of pop culture. Movies, games, TV shows, memes – nothing is safe from getting the Fortnite treatment!

And you know what? It’s working! According to Epic Games, players have already eliminated more than 250 million bugs since the season launched. That’s a lot of digital insect genocide, people!

Why This “Inspiration” Actually Makes Sense

Here’s the thing that’s got us thinking – maybe this isn’t such a bad thing after all? Helldivers 2 has been absolutely crushing it in the gaming world, and for good reason! The game’s satirical take on militaristic democracy, combined with genuinely fun cooperative gameplay and those hilariously over-the-top bug battles, has captured something special.

When you’ve got a formula that works (and boy, does Helldivers 2 work!), it’s only natural that other developers are going to take notice. The real question isn’t whether Fortnite “copied” Helldivers 2 – it’s whether they can capture what makes the original so compelling!

The Gaming Community’s Reaction Is Pure Gold

The best part of this whole situation? The community’s reaction has been absolutely incredible! Social media has been flooded with memes, comparisons, and that perfect blend of outrage and amusement that only gamers can provide.

Some players are calling it shameless copying, while others are just happy to have more bug-squashing content in their lives. And honestly? Both reactions are totally valid! There’s something deliciously ironic about a game that’s built its entire identity on crossovers and collaborations suddenly finding itself on the other side of the “inspiration” conversation.

What This Means for the Future

So where does this leave us? Well, Arrowhead Game Studios seems pretty confident that their game can stand on its own merits (and rightfully so!). Meanwhile, Fortnite continues to do what it does best – taking popular concepts and giving them that signature Battle Royale twist.

The real winners here? Us players! Whether you’re team Helldivers 2 or team Fortnite (or hey, why not both?), more bug-squashing content is never a bad thing. Competition breeds innovation, and if this little situation pushes both games to up their ante, we’re all going to benefit!

This article first appeared on Total Apex Gaming and was syndicated with permission.

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