As you might have heard (we’ve been talking about it quite a bit this week), the latest addition to Helldivers 2 is the cowboy-themed Warbond known as Borderline Justice. Notably, it’s missing a cowboy hat, as the developers at Arrowhead feel it doesn’t quite fit the Helldiver uniform standards.
However, many players beg to differ. Some have even left the official gear “saloon” in search of a mod that allows them to pair the new armors with a classic ten-gallon hat. Johan Pilestedt, the director and chief creative officer of Helldivers 2, currently on sabbatical, shared his thoughts on the matter via a Twitter thread while attending the Game Developers Conference (GDC).
In discussions about the Borderline Justice gear, Pilestedt was quickly inundated with questions from players wondering why the cowboy hat was omitted and if there’s any chance of it being added later.
“I haven’t heard the official design conversations,” Pilestedt responded to one query. “But I think a cowboy hat kind of crosses the line of what Helldivers are meant to be, and I agree with that.” He added, “I’ll ask the team next time I’m at the office.” On a slightly different note, he replied to another fan, saying, “I agree it would be awesome, but it would disrupt the fantasy of Helldivers… people don’t wear hats on helmets.”
Interestingly, some players pointed out a contradiction: the beret from last year’s PH-9 Predators armor, part of the Viper Commandos Warbond, also sits atop a helmet and managed to bypass these strict uniform rules. So it seems the debate centers around what counts as “military-ish” enough. Do cowboys venture into battle, and does a cavalry hat fit differently?
Amidst this discussion, Pilestedt teased something exciting that might be on the horizon: “[A] perk that allows people to take sidearms as primary AND wield them akimbo…” However, he acknowledged, “It would require quite a bit of work to animate, so maybe it’s something for the future.”
So, do you sport a hat on your helmet in real life? Which style do you prefer? Share your thoughts with us below!
