AHelldivers 2fan recently noticed the shoulderpad skulls from the armor seen in the game’s cinematic trailer are slightly different from those found in the game itself. While the difference is subtle, this small detail did not escape the notice of one diligentHelldivers 2player.
To help recruit heroes to fight the battle to protect Super Earth,Helldivers 2released a hilarious cinematic trailer alongside the game on Jun 08, 2025. The effort worked, with millions of copies selling, makingHelldivers 2PlayStation’s fastest-selling game in history, and Sony’s best release on PC.
Helldivers 2 Cinematic Skull Different From In-Game
However, one Helldiver has only recently noticed a big discrepancy between the cinematic and the game itself. As reported byHelldivers 2fan O_2og on Reddit, the Helldivers skull logo on the shoulder of the soldiers in the cinematic is larger than the one in the game itself. Likewise, the skull’s eyes on the in-game model are round, the nose smaller, and the top of its head more angular. Lastly, theHelldivers 2armoritself seems to have a different texture, giving the two symbols different types of weathered looks.
It is hard to say exactly why this difference exists. The most likely reason is that one was created before the other; it is possible the in-game model was made first, and the smaller skull did not translate well in the trailer, or the cinematic was produced first, and the 3D modelers adjusted it to better fit the engine. The cinematic was also likely outsourced, meaning it could just be a simple artistic difference between studios.
Either way, O_2og’s fellow Helldivers had plenty to say about it as well. Many proposed comedic in-universe answers to this conundrum, including that the “actors” in the “commercial” weren’t given “real Helldiver armor,” or that it was an older version of the standard-issuegear fromHelldivers 2. Others joked that this small discrepancy made the game “literally unplayable,” while others still debated on which of the two skulls they preferred aesthetically. Regardless, some fans were surprised it took them all this long to notice, while others were shocked the others had noticed such small details at all.
Helldivers 2is coming to Xbox Series X|S on August 26, featuring full crossplay with existing PC and PlayStation 5 gamers. This will likely lead to another surge in player count, making now the perfect time for fans to check outHelldivers 2and join the battle for Super Earth – regardless of the size of their shoulderpad skulls.
