As I’m sure many of you are aware—it’s been quite the topic of discussion this week—Helldivers 2 rolled out its new Warbond, Borderline Justice, with a cowboy flare. The only catch? No cowboy hats are included, and that’s because Arrowhead doesn’t think such headwear aligns with the Helldiver uniform code.
Not everyone’s on board with this decision. A few players, disappointed by the omission, have left the game’s official gear lineup to download a mod that lets them pair their shiny new armours with a classic ten-gallon hat. Meanwhile, Johan Pilestedt, the Helldivers 2 director and chief creative officer, currently taking a break from the action, shared his views on Twitter while attending GDC, interjecting panels with his thoughts.
When asking for feedback on the Borderline Justice gear, players swiftly fired back questions about the missing cowboy hat, wondering if it might make its way into the game eventually. Pilestedt responded candidly, saying, “I don’t know—I haven’t been part of that design conversation. But I think it kind of steps outside what Helldivers represent, and I agree with that.” He did add, “I’ll bring it up with the team next time I’m at the office.” Another player received a slightly different take: “I agree it would be cool, but it might compromise the game’s theme… helmets and hats don’t mix well.”
That didn’t sit well with some in the community. Players pointed out that last year’s Viper Commandos Warbond featured a beret from the PH-9 Predators armour, which sat right on top of a helmet, bypassing these purported regulations. The debate seems to hinge on what qualifies as a ‘military-appropriate’ hat. Are cowboy hats suited for battle, or does a cavalry cap cut a different silhouette?
Amidst the hat debate, Pilestedt dangled a tantalizing hint for the future: a possible perk enabling players to wield sidearms as primary weapons—dual-wielding style. “The animations would be quite a lot of work, but maybe someday?” he mused.
So, do you flaunt a hat over your helmet in your daily life? Let us know which helmet you’re picturing in the comments below!
