01-05-2026, 06:48 AM
The narrative of Helldivers 2 evolves through Major Orders and galactic events. One of the most significant and persistent threats introduced is "The Gloom." If you've been fighting on the front lines, you've seen its effects and the new enemy strains it brings. This guide breaks down what The Gloom means for you as a Helldiver, based on how operations have unfolded.
What is The Gloom?
In simple terms, The Gloom is a massive, dense spore cloud of Terminid origin. It acts as both a hazardous environmental effect and a narrative device that introduces new gameplay challenges. Initially, it blocked travel, prevented FTL jumps, and was a source of powerful new Terminid variants. From a gameplay perspective, it’s the reason we started seeing enemies like the Predator Strain, Spore Burst Strain, and later, the Rupture Strain and Dragonroach.
How Does The Gloom Affect Gameplay?
The Gloom’s impact has been rolled out in phases, each changing the warfront:
New Enemy Variants: Planets touched by The Gloom consistently debut tougher, mutated Terminids. This isn't just lore; in practice, missions on these planets feel different and often require adjusted tactics. The Rupture Strain, favoring underground attacks, forces players to watch their footing constantly.
Special Objectives and Expeditions: Major Orders often revolve around The Gloom. We've had to secure "Gloom-resistant polymer coating" by gathering samples from infected planets and later, conduct deep strikes into Hive Worlds to destroy "Spore Lungs." These are not just background fluff; they are direct instructions that shape the community's focus for a week.
The Hive World & Spore Lungs: The key discovery was that The Gloom is generated by "Spore Lungs" on designated Hive Worlds, like Oshaune. Destroying these (via specific in-game objectives like planting Hellbombs deep in caves) directly causes The Gloom to recede on the galactic map. This created a clear, player-driven cause-and-effect: our success in liberating Oshaune visibly pushed the cloud back.
Logistical Constraints (Initially): Early on, The Gloom was an impassable barrier on the map. Our collective research efforts, by completing sample-gathering orders, directly "unlocked" the ability for Super Destroyers to enter it. This progression makes the community's grind feel connected to opening new battlefronts.
What Are Common Player Strategies for Gloom Planets?
Most players adapt their loadouts and strategies for the increased difficulty of Gloom-heavy planets and Hive Worlds.
Area Control is Key: With the prevalence of spawning bugs and ambushes from underground (Rupture Strain), stratagems like the Tesla Tower, Autocannon Sentry, and Eagle Airstrikes are valuable for area denial.
Mobility Over Armor: The sheer number of enemies, including aerial threats like the Dragonroach, makes heavy armor risky. Many players favor light or medium armor to stay mobile and avoid being surrounded.
Prioritize the Objective: On missions targeting Spore Lungs, the focus is on reaching the cave and planting the Hellbomb. Most teams agree it’s better to avoid prolonged fights on the surface and push toward the objective, even if it means taking casualties. The mission timer is usually the biggest enemy.
Sample Collection: Because progress against The Gloom has often been tied to gathering rare samples (like Terminid tissue for polymer research), squads on higher difficulties will make concerted efforts to scour the map. This is a core part of the community's contribution to the war effort. However, this system has been exploited; during Operation Prometheus, High Command discovered counterfeit samples, which severely set back our scientific progress. This incident highlights why the in-game economy matters. While some players look for shortcuts, such as searching for Helldivers 2 medals for sale from trusted sellers on U4N, most veterans will advise that this undermines the collective effort and the intended gameplay loop. Earning medals through completed operations and objectives is the only reliable way to advance your warbond and capabilities.
What Happens When We Push The Gloom Back?
The liberation of Oshaune showed us the tangible results of our work. When a Hive World is freed and its Spore Lungs destroyed, The Gloom visibly recedes from multiple star systems on the galactic map. This doesn't mean the new enemy variants disappear—they are now a permanent part of the Terminid arsenal across the galaxy—but it removes the extreme environmental hazard from those reclaimed planets and shrinks the overall threat zone. It proves that our actions have direct, visible consequences on the strategic map.
Is The Gloom a Permanent Feature?
Based on its narrative importance and the depth of gameplay mechanics it has introduced, The Gloom is likely a permanent fixture of the galactic war. It serves as a spawning ground for future Terminid evolutions and high-strike expedition objectives. Its expansion and contraction will likely continue to be a primary driver for Major Orders and community goals. The "Second Gloom Expansion" event in September 2185 confirmed that it's a cyclical threat; when we defeat it in one sector, it can surge in another, requiring constant vigilance from the Helldiver Corps.
In general, treat The Gloom as the Terminids' version of a super-weapon. It's not just a cloud; it's a factory for new horrors and a strategic challenge that requires the entire community to overcome. Your missions on these planets directly contribute to cutting it back, one Spore Lung at a time.
What is The Gloom?
In simple terms, The Gloom is a massive, dense spore cloud of Terminid origin. It acts as both a hazardous environmental effect and a narrative device that introduces new gameplay challenges. Initially, it blocked travel, prevented FTL jumps, and was a source of powerful new Terminid variants. From a gameplay perspective, it’s the reason we started seeing enemies like the Predator Strain, Spore Burst Strain, and later, the Rupture Strain and Dragonroach.
How Does The Gloom Affect Gameplay?
The Gloom’s impact has been rolled out in phases, each changing the warfront:
New Enemy Variants: Planets touched by The Gloom consistently debut tougher, mutated Terminids. This isn't just lore; in practice, missions on these planets feel different and often require adjusted tactics. The Rupture Strain, favoring underground attacks, forces players to watch their footing constantly.
Special Objectives and Expeditions: Major Orders often revolve around The Gloom. We've had to secure "Gloom-resistant polymer coating" by gathering samples from infected planets and later, conduct deep strikes into Hive Worlds to destroy "Spore Lungs." These are not just background fluff; they are direct instructions that shape the community's focus for a week.
The Hive World & Spore Lungs: The key discovery was that The Gloom is generated by "Spore Lungs" on designated Hive Worlds, like Oshaune. Destroying these (via specific in-game objectives like planting Hellbombs deep in caves) directly causes The Gloom to recede on the galactic map. This created a clear, player-driven cause-and-effect: our success in liberating Oshaune visibly pushed the cloud back.
Logistical Constraints (Initially): Early on, The Gloom was an impassable barrier on the map. Our collective research efforts, by completing sample-gathering orders, directly "unlocked" the ability for Super Destroyers to enter it. This progression makes the community's grind feel connected to opening new battlefronts.
What Are Common Player Strategies for Gloom Planets?
Most players adapt their loadouts and strategies for the increased difficulty of Gloom-heavy planets and Hive Worlds.
Area Control is Key: With the prevalence of spawning bugs and ambushes from underground (Rupture Strain), stratagems like the Tesla Tower, Autocannon Sentry, and Eagle Airstrikes are valuable for area denial.
Mobility Over Armor: The sheer number of enemies, including aerial threats like the Dragonroach, makes heavy armor risky. Many players favor light or medium armor to stay mobile and avoid being surrounded.
Prioritize the Objective: On missions targeting Spore Lungs, the focus is on reaching the cave and planting the Hellbomb. Most teams agree it’s better to avoid prolonged fights on the surface and push toward the objective, even if it means taking casualties. The mission timer is usually the biggest enemy.
Sample Collection: Because progress against The Gloom has often been tied to gathering rare samples (like Terminid tissue for polymer research), squads on higher difficulties will make concerted efforts to scour the map. This is a core part of the community's contribution to the war effort. However, this system has been exploited; during Operation Prometheus, High Command discovered counterfeit samples, which severely set back our scientific progress. This incident highlights why the in-game economy matters. While some players look for shortcuts, such as searching for Helldivers 2 medals for sale from trusted sellers on U4N, most veterans will advise that this undermines the collective effort and the intended gameplay loop. Earning medals through completed operations and objectives is the only reliable way to advance your warbond and capabilities.
What Happens When We Push The Gloom Back?
The liberation of Oshaune showed us the tangible results of our work. When a Hive World is freed and its Spore Lungs destroyed, The Gloom visibly recedes from multiple star systems on the galactic map. This doesn't mean the new enemy variants disappear—they are now a permanent part of the Terminid arsenal across the galaxy—but it removes the extreme environmental hazard from those reclaimed planets and shrinks the overall threat zone. It proves that our actions have direct, visible consequences on the strategic map.
Is The Gloom a Permanent Feature?
Based on its narrative importance and the depth of gameplay mechanics it has introduced, The Gloom is likely a permanent fixture of the galactic war. It serves as a spawning ground for future Terminid evolutions and high-strike expedition objectives. Its expansion and contraction will likely continue to be a primary driver for Major Orders and community goals. The "Second Gloom Expansion" event in September 2185 confirmed that it's a cyclical threat; when we defeat it in one sector, it can surge in another, requiring constant vigilance from the Helldiver Corps.
In general, treat The Gloom as the Terminids' version of a super-weapon. It's not just a cloud; it's a factory for new horrors and a strategic challenge that requires the entire community to overcome. Your missions on these planets directly contribute to cutting it back, one Spore Lung at a time.