A backend update introduced a bug into Helldivers 2, causing an unexpected surge in the rate of planet liberation. This significant disruption to the core "Galactic War" mechanic prompted developer Arrowhead Game Studios to temporarily disable both Galactic War and planet liberation.

The developers cited the bug's potential to “break the Galactic War mechanic itself” as the reason for the temporary halt.  Some players referred to the rapid planet liberation as a "miracle", jokingly dubbing the day of the incident "Armistice Day".

Despite initial reports suggesting developers were unavailable due to the weekend, the bug was quickly addressed.  Arrowhead Game Studios confirmed the fix with a post on social media, stating: “We have implemented a fix on the backend which hopefully has resolved the liberation rate issue. Players should now be able to contribute to planet liberation and engage in the Galactic War once again!”

A unique aspect of Helldivers 2's Galactic War is that every player victory and defeat becomes part of the game's official canon. This raised questions among players regarding how Arrowhead would incorporate the bug-induced events into the game's lore.  It seems the studio opted for a humorous approach, incorporating an in-game denial of the incident.

Following the bug fix, the Super Earth Command issued an in-game announcement: “High Command would like to inform all personnel that no unusual incidents have occurred within the past 24 hours.”

The announcement continues:  “The fight to administer democracy continues in an inspiring yet entirely expected fashion.  Personnel who believe they experienced or witnessed any unusual events may be suffering from Illuminite psychic interference and are ordered to report themselves immediately for psychological evaluation.”