Helldivers 2 creative director once said transmog "doesn't make sense" for the shooter, but has now confirmed Arrowhead is "looking into" armor color customization

Helldivers 2 intro cutscene helldiver thumbs up
(Image credit: Sony)

It sounds like Helldivers 2 players could eventually have a few more options when it comes to picking out their perfect Terminid-squashing attire, as the third-person shooter's creative director confirms that Arrowhead is "looking into" armor color customization.

In Helldivers 2, armor isn't just for show – depending on what you wear, you have access to different passive abilities and stats, meaning that it's just as important a part of your loadout as your weapons and stratagems. It's also for this reason that creative director Johan Pilestedt previously explained that a transmog option that'd allow you to strut your stuff in whatever armor you like on the outside while reaping the passive benefits of something else underneath just wouldn't "make sense." Back in April, he said: "We are not doing transmog. It doesn't make sense – equipment looks different because it has different effects. Swapping one for the other is like having an apple that tastes like bacon or the other way around."

It makes sense from a multiplayer perspective since you can currently easily tell what your teammates' abilities are, but it's not a fantastic setup for anyone wanting to be Super Earth's next top model. Thankfully, it sounds like Arrowhead is at the very least contemplating an alternative, as Pilestedt replies to one fan on Twitter asking for color customization by simply saying with a smile: "We are looking into it." 

Hopefully, this'll eventually be able to come to fruition – it'd be fantastic to have the option to make body armor, helmets, and capes match even if they're not part of the same set. Having a greater variety of colors than what's already on offer with the preset armor designs would be fun, too – I imagine nothing would strike greater fear into an Automaton than seeing an approaching group of Helldivers clad in bright pink and purple ensembles. For now though, we'll just have to wait and see if Arrowhead implements the idea at all. 

As Helldivers 2's new Democracy Space Station guns down the divers who helped build it, one dev says Arrowhead need to "own that and adapt" but warns that "things are rarely crap or fantastic" at first.

Catherine Lewis
News Writer

I'm one of GamesRadar+'s news writers, who works alongside the rest of the news team to deliver cool gaming stories that we love. After spending more hours than I can count filling The University of Sheffield's student newspaper with Pokemon and indie game content, and picking up a degree in Journalism Studies, I started my career at GAMINGbible where I worked as a journalist for over a year and a half. I then became TechRadar Gaming's news writer, where I sourced stories and wrote about all sorts of intriguing topics. In my spare time, you're sure to find me on my Nintendo Switch or PS5 playing through story-driven RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles and Persona 5 Royal, nuzlocking old Pokemon games, or going for a Victory Royale in Fortnite.

Read more
Helldivers 2 screenshot showing a fully geared/armored diver standing with gun in hand as three jets soar the skies behind him
Arrowhead reveals the Helldivers 2 ideas left on its cutting room floor, from 5-player squads to low-gravity planets and a whole new armor system
Helldivers 2
Helldivers 2 has an endgame problem, but a developer assures us "things are coming," they just can't say what yet because otherwise our expectations will be too high
Helldivers 2 screenshot showing a fully geared/armored diver standing with gun in hand as three jets soar the skies behind him
Another Helldivers 2 collaboration is already in the "early stages" after the sci-fi shooter crossed over with Killzone
Helldivers 2 screenshot showing a fully geared/armored diver standing with gun in hand as three jets soar the skies behind him
Helldivers 2 CEO says Warhammer 40k owners "would love a crossover," but "time and resources are finite and we have our hands busy"
Helldivers 2 Escalation of Freedom
As Helldivers 2 players hope to get their Crysis on, Arrowhead CEO says he'd "be surprised" if they didn't add a bow "at some point"
Four Helldivers lined up on base ship
Less than a year after launching 2024's best live service, Helldivers 2 creative director has already started working on "the next Arrowhead game"
Latest in Third Person Shooter
Four Helldivers lined up on base ship
A year after Malevelon Creek became Helldivers 2's fiercest battleground, it looks like the Automatons are coming back for more
Helldivers 2 screenshot showing someone using a big gun
Helldivers 2 boss says "death and rebirth" is a natural part of the games industry, but it's "unnecessarily brutal" right now "because we don't diversify enough"
The Invisible Woman in Marvel Rivals
Marvel Rivals devs know exactly how popular Invisible Woman is, and say that "body shape or silhouette" add to a character's popularity in a way far more innocent than the internet deserves
Helldivers 2 Warbond
Helldivers 2 players "became obsessed" with Malevolon Creek, but it was Gabe Newell who really kicked off one of Super Earth's bloodiest battles
Heroes and villains face off in Marvel Rivals key art
Marvel Rivals exec isn't afraid of roster bloat after NetEase promised new heroes every 6 weeks: "There's no limit for the sky. We just throw everything at it"
Marvel Rivals: Ignite #1
Marvel Rivals goes manga in a new comic from Peach Momoko and three other Japanese artists that reveals several new in-game costumes
Latest in News
Dune Awakening
Dune Awakening launches for $50 without a stay in early access, and while the survival MMO "will not have a monthly subscription" it will have "optional" paid DLC
Linda Cardellini as Laura Barton in Hawkeye
Linda Cardellini cast as Jason's mom, the original Friday the 13th killer, for Crystal Lake prequel series
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 studio CD Projekt Red won't make survival games just because they're popular, but Netflix's Edgerunners anime is fueling dreams bigger than RPGs
Assassin's Creed Shadows screenshot showing female protagonist Naoe
Assassin's Creed Shadows Naoe actor was terrified to perform until her first mocap scene earned "a standing ovation" on set: "Maybe I can do this mocap thing"
Daredevil: Born Again
Marvel may have just sneakily confirmed one of the biggest Daredevil: Born Again fan theories
Assassin's Creed Shadows cinematic screenshot
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Yasuke actor says that Naoe could beat his samurai in a fight: “Especially with that big a** helmet of mine”