Helldivers 2 Director Stands Firm on Controversial Anti-Cowboy Hat Policy: “Hats Don’t Belong on Helmets”

As you’ve probably heard by now, Helldivers 2 introduced a cowboy-themed Warbond called Borderline Justice just yesterday. Surprisingly, there’s no cowboy hat included; Arrowhead decided that such hats don’t really fit within the Helldiver dress code.

This decision has ruffled a few feathers among players. Some fans have taken their frustrations out of the official forum and found mods to pair the new armors with a quintessential ten-gallon hat. Johan Pilestedt, the Helldivers 2 director and chief creative officer, who is currently taking a break, shared his thoughts on the matter through a Twitter thread while attending GDC.

During discussions about the new Borderline Justice ensemble, many players were quick to ask about the missing cowboy hat or whether there might be a chance of seeing one in the future. Pilestedt 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 will ask the team next time I pop by the office.” In response to another player, he remarked, “I agree that it would be awesome, but I think it would break the fantasy of Helldivers…people don’t wear hats on helmets.”

Of course, this reply didn’t sit well with everyone. Some players were quick to point out that the beret from last year’s PH-9 Predators armor, part of the Viper Commandos Warbond, also features a hat atop a helmet. So, what makes one hat acceptable and another not? Perhaps it boils down to what we define as suitably military gear. Do cowboys go to war, or is a cavalry hat an entirely different category?

On a more exciting note, Pilestedt teased a potential future feature in his thread: “[A] perk that allows people to take sidearms as primary AND wield them akimbo…” He admitted it would require a significant amount of work to develop the necessary animations, but it’s a possibility down the road.

How do you feel about hats on helmets? Let us know your thoughts below!