Yee-naw: Helldivers 2 Director Supports Arrowhead’s Controversial No Cowboy Hats Policy, Asserts “Hats Don’t Belong on Helmets”

If you’ve been keeping up with the latest buzz, you’ll know that Helldivers 2 recently introduced a cowboy-themed Warbond called Borderline Justice. Strangely, it doesn’t come with a cowboy hat, as Arrowhead believes such a hat doesn’t align with the Helldiver uniform standards.

This decision hasn’t sat well with many players, leading some to leave the official gear shop and seek mods that let them style this new armor with a traditional ten-gallon hat. Johan Pilestedt, the director and chief creative officer of Helldivers 2, who is currently taking a break, weighed in on this debate via Twitter from the Game Developers Conference (GDC).

In response to players curious about the missing cowboy hat or whether it’ll appear in the future, Pilestedt shared his thoughts. “I’m not sure—I haven’t been looped into that design discussion. But personally, I think it goes a bit outside what Helldivers is all about, and I stand by that,” he mentioned in a reply. He added he’d check in with the team next time he’s in the office. In another exchange, he agreed that while it sounds cool, it might not fit the Helldivers vibe: “Sure, a cowboy hat could be fun, but it doesn’t really mesh with the fantasy of Helldivers. You don’t typically see hats on helmets.”

This particular comment irked some players, reminding the developers that last year’s PH-9 Predators armor in the Viper Commandos Warbond included a beret, which technically is a hat atop a helmet. Whether cowboy hats count as military attire, though, remains a point of quirky contention.

On a more exciting note, Pilestedt hinted at a potential future feature in that Twitter thread: “[A] perk that lets players use sidearms as primary weapons and dual-wield them…” he teased. “It’s a bit complex to animate right now, but maybe it’s something we can explore down the line.”

So, what’s your take on sporting a hat over your helmet in real life? Which helmet are you thinking of? Share your thoughts below!