Helldivers 2 by Arrowhead Game Studios launched in early 2024 and immediately became the biggest surprise hit of the year. A cooperative third-person shooter dripping with satirical fascist propaganda (for democracy, naturally), it sends squads of four to alien-infested planets to complete objectives while calling in orbital strikes, supply drops, and heavy weapons. The friendly fire is always active, meaning your biggest threat is often your own teammates accidentally carpet-bombing your position. The game features a persistent galactic war where the entire player base collectively fights to liberate or lose planets, creating emergent community narratives.