More than two decades after its initial release, “Starship Troopers” is experiencing a resurgence in popularity, thanks to a video game homage that taps into many of the film’s core themes.
In recent weeks, the launch of Helldivers 2 on PS5 and PC has reignited interest in the over-the-shoulder shooter genre. The game thrusts players into the midst of a frenzied and evolving conflict against an insectoid alien species known as the Terranoids. This premise may ring a bell for those who recall “Starship Troopers,” the sci-fi movie that also depicted a relentless struggle against insect-like creatures called Arachnids.
The parallels between “Starship Troopers” and Helldivers 2 are hard to ignore. While the former was based on a 1950s novel, the latter serves as a faithful reimagination of the film. So much so that a viral tweet cheekily dubbed Helldivers 2 as “an unlicensed Starship Troopers game.”
While both projects share the concept of an ongoing conflict with alien insects, their similarities extend beyond mere warfare. “Starship Troopers,” upon its release in 1997, faced criticism for seemingly glorifying elements of a society steeped in propaganda, militarism, and xenophobia. These themes resurface in Helldivers 2, echoed by an introductory sequence reminiscent of its cinematic predecessor.
Helldivers 2 has quickly ascended the ranks on gaming platforms, surpassing popular titles like Starfield and GTA 5 on Steam and even outperforming Fortnite on PS5. Concurrently, “Starship Troopers” has experienced a resurgence in popularity, with the film trending on Twitter and witnessing significant increases in viewership, Wikipedia traffic, and IMDb rankings.
This renewed interest in “Starship Troopers” has sparked a fresh analysis of its underlying themes, fueling further discussions on social media. While debates on totalitarianism may not yield concrete conclusions, the intriguing connection between Helldivers 2 and its decades-old inspiration underscores a rare phenomenon wherein a video game prompts a surge of attention towards a cult classic from nearly three decades ago.
