When we fall in love with excellent games like Helldivers 2, it is only natural to feel the need to represent it beyond hours of gaming. Currently, developer Arrowhead Game Studios isn’t producing any official Helldivers 2 merch, but that doesn’t matter to eager PS5 owners. Fans are taking matters into their own hands, producing unofficial merch at the risk of copyright infringement.
We’d love some official Helldivers 2 merchandise, so graphic designer Haley Shane is stepping in to bring it to life for players. Shane’s sleek designs depict fun spins on the new PS5 game, and they’re catching the attention of game director Johan Pilestedt. While most developers would be quick to fire off a cease and desist order, Pilestedt is willing to overlook it: “Since we don’t have merch on our own I am going to pretend I didn’t see this, after I put in an order… then I’ll forget about it.”
In response to Pilestedt’s concerns over creating merch for a brilliant co-op game, Shane says “I’m the one that designed it. Hit me up. Me and the patch company can get it done.” Although Pilestedt thinks that Shane’s design is “really cool”, he adds that “you shouldn’t openly admit to copyright infringement like this.” It isn’t all bad news, though, as he encourages Shane to get in touch so Arrowhead can “look into making it legal.”
The PS5 exclusive, despite some notable technical hurdles, is taking players by storm. Should a proper merch line come to fruition, we’d be curious to see what Arrowhead has in mind. We just hope it is better than the initial run of Starfield clothing from last year.
Should you feel inspired to show your passion for spreading democracy around the galaxy, Pilestedt lays out some key tips to take note of: “To be clear, fan art and the design are super fine and in no way a problem. It is encouraged and very much appreciated! If you want to sell something related to Helldivers 2, reach out to the studio with a clear proposal and we go from there.”
Like you, we can’t get enough of Helldivers 2. It is one of the best PS5 games around right now, and easily an essential multiplayer game to get your friends involved with. You can track the galactic battle in real-time with this Helldivers 2 TikTok account, and prepare for the game’s possible third faction.