Helldivers 2's creative director, says that it's a better and sillier world if physics bugs kill players when they jump past the wrong lamppost.

The Helldivers are facing an overwhelming hostile galaxy. Each deployment involves the risk of death, whether it's from the armor-shredding Terminid claws or the steel onslaught by the Automaton threat. Super Earth's soldiers are also vulnerable to a more subtle enemy: the physics bug, a merciless foe that will pulverize Helldivers for tripping on the wrong terrain. It's a sneaky foe that's also very funny. Helldivers 2's creative director Johan Pilestedt believes it will be a net benefit for everyone if the glitch isn't addressed.

Redditor 0_2AL posted a clip of Helldivers 2 earlier this week showing their spectacular failure at navigating the level geometry (via GamesRadar). While trying to run across a trench, the helldiver becomes snagged by a bit invisible terrain at a lamppost's foot. They then dive forward to free themselves.

This is a ridiculous one from r/Helldivers

The lamppost had a different idea. The player's Helldiver falls prone when he leaps out of the trench. He is then yanked forward by an invisible, vengeful ghost, and collides with the lamppost. This is a tragic loss but also a silly and stupid one.

As you might expect, there are a lot more comments that poke fun at Arrowhead and the fallen helldiver. "Actually, it's realistic since you had a heart attack and hitting the ground moved the blood clot into your brain," wrote one commenter. Pilestedt responded with a philosophy that we should all adopt when a videogame character is imploded by the ground because it decided to be weird. Sure, it may not be realistic, but it works, so why care?

"The balance/realism is a killer." Pilsetedt stated that this is a perfect storm involving unfortunate physics jitters, impact calculations and other unforeseen circumstances. "While a glitch, I don't know if it's worth fixing because of how hilarious it is." I should also mention that this is a realistic videogame in which every infantryman gets their own interstellar cruiser with unlimited ordnance.

It can be frustrating if a geometry bug unceremoniously kills your character, especially if this results in a mission failure, or a loss of progress. Helldivers 2's slapstick humor, even when it's accidental, reminds us not to take giant bugs and killer robotics too seriously. Even if videogames were able to simulate reality perfectly, freak accidents would still happen. A car drove straight into my apartment just a few months back! It happens! In games, you can usually watch someone fall all weird.

The unfortunate ragdolling accident wasn't a catastrophe for anyone involved. I'm happy to announce that, thanks to redditor Sketch_56, the lamppost was named a hero by the automaton collective in honor of its service:

Comment from r/Helldivers