Helldivers 2 Director Backs Arrowhead’s Bold Stance Against Cowboy Hats: “Helmets Aren’t for Hats”

You might have caught the buzz around Helldivers 2 and its latest addition, the cowboy-themed Warbond called Borderline Justice. There’s been chatter all week, but the standout detail? It doesn’t include a cowboy hat. Arrowhead Studios decided that such headgear doesn’t align with the official Helldiver uniform.

This decision hasn’t sat well with everyone. Some players have even ventured off the beaten path, opting to mod their gear to pair the new armor with a classic ten-gallon hat. While taking a break from directing, Helldivers 2’s chief creative officer, Johan Pilestedt, weighed in on this via some tweets during his time at GDC panel discussions.

In discussions with gamers about the new gear, Pilestedt was inevitably asked if a cowboy hat would eventually make its way into the game. He candidly replied, “I don’t know – haven’t heard the design convo. But I think it crossed the line of what the Helldivers are. Which I agree with. I’ll bring it up next time I’m at the office.” To another curious fan, Pilestedt admitted, “I agree that it would be awesome, but I think it would break the fantasy of Helldivers…people don’t wear hats on helmets.”

This response left some community members baffled, prompting reminders that the prior PH-9 Predators armor featured a beret positioned atop a helmet, managing to bypass those strict uniform standards. So, the debate continues: Do cowboys head into battle, or is a cavalry hat a different beast altogether?

Amidst all this, Pilestedt did tease a potential future addition that sounds promising. He mentioned a “[A] perk that allows people to take sidearms as primary AND wield them akimbo,” albeit admitting it’s a bit too much work right now due to animation complexities. But who knows? Perhaps it’s something we might see later on.

What about you? Do you think a hat on a helmet is a yay or nay, and which helmet are you sporting in reality? Share your thoughts!