Helldivers 2 Director Supports Arrowhead’s Controversial No-Cowboy Hat Policy: “Helmets Aren’t for Hats”

You might have noticed us chattering quite a bit about this recently, but Helldivers 2 just got a new cowboy-themed Warbond called Borderline Justice. Interestingly, it’s missing a cowboy hat because the game developers at Arrowhead think such headgear doesn’t quite fit the Helldiver uniform aesthetic.

Many players are not on the same page with this decision. Some have even left the official gear discussions to download mods that add a ten-gallon hat to their new armor. Johan Pilestedt, the Helldivers 2 director and chief creative officer, who is currently on a break, shared his thoughts on the matter through a Twitter thread while participating in GDC panels.

During a call for player feedback on the new Borderline Justice gear, it wasn’t long before the absence of the cowboy hat was questioned. Players want to know if there’s ever going to be a chance to see it in the game. Pilestedt responded, “I don’t know—haven’t been privy to the design conversations. But I do think it steps out of line with what Helldivers represent, and I agree with that.” He added, “I’ll bring it up with the team next time I’m in the office.” In another exchange, he mentioned, “I agree it would be awesome, but it could break Helldivers’ fantasy…people don’t typically put hats on helmets.”

Some players were a bit miffed by that last comment, reminding Pilestedt that the beret from the PH-9 Predators armor in last year’s Viper Commandos Warbond sits atop a helmet too. It seems the definition of military-appropriate hats is debatable. Do cowboys actually fight battles, and does a cavalry hat count as military?

On a brighter note, Pilestedt hinted at some exciting possibilities in the future during the same Twitter thread. He teased the idea of a perk allowing players to use sidearms as primary weapons and even wield them akimbo. “Unfortunately, creating the animations would involve a lot of work,” he added, “but maybe someday?”

In the end, here’s the real question: do you strut around wearing a hat over your helmet in real life? If so, which helmet are we talking about here? Share your thoughts below!