Yee-naw: Helldivers 2 Director Supports Arrowhead’s Bold Stance Against Cowboy Hats, Asserting “Hats on Helmets Are Impractical”

As many of you have probably noticed, the latest update for Helldivers 2 introduces a cowboy-inspired Warbond called Borderline Justice. However, it seems to be missing a key cowboy element—a cowboy hat. Arrowhead, the developers, decided that such headgear doesn’t fit the strict dress code of a Helldiver.

This decision hasn’t sat well with a portion of the fanbase. Some players have been so disgruntled that they’ve sought out mods to pair the new armor with a classic ten-gallon hat. Johan Pilestedt, currently on a break from his duties as the Helldivers 2 director and chief creative officer, weighed in on this lively debate via a Twitter thread while attending GDC and participating in panel discussions.

After inviting feedback on the new Borderline Justice gear, Pilestedt was promptly bombarded with questions about the absence of a cowboy hat in the game, and if there might be any plans in the pipeline. 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 ask the team next time I pop by the office.” In another reply, he acknowledged the potential appeal of a cowboy hat but reiterated his concern: “It would be awesome, but I think it would break the fantasy of Helldivers…people don’t wear hats on helmets.”

Some fans have pointed out an inconsistency in this rationale. They noted that last year’s Viper Commandos Warbond came with the PH-9 Predators armor, which featured a beret over a helmet, seemingly bending the uniform rules. This raises an interesting question about what qualifies as an appropriate military hat. Do cowboys ever go to battle, and is there a significant difference between a cowboy hat and a cavalry hat?

On a more optimistic note, Pilestedt floated the idea of a new perk: “[A] perk that allows people to take sidearms as primary AND wield them akimbo…” Although he admitted that the animation work might be intensive, he left room for future possibilities, stating, “Maybe sometime in the future?”

Do you ever find yourself donning a hat over a helmet in your day-to-day life? What kind of helmet are you wearing, anyway? Share your thoughts and personal style in the comments below!