On June 27, 2025, the Pillars of Freedom cape came to Helldivers 2 for all current Helldivers. The Pillars of Freedom cape symbolizes the unquestioning commitment to the defense of Managed Democracy. Of course, the Helldivers never question their commitment, but this cape’s representation doesn’t stop at the fictional world of Helldivers 2.
The Pillar of Freedom cape’s representation reaches through fiction and into our reality with its story. The tale of the Pillar of Freedom cape begins with the release of Helldivers 2 itself, and spans across its entire development. The story of the Pillars of Freedom cape is a story of hope, devotion, and comradery.
The Story Of The Pillar Of Freedom Cape In Helldivers 2
The history of the Pillar of Freedom cape in Helldivers 2 begins on February 8, 2024, with the game’s release. As players flooded into Helldivers 2, they noticed that they could log in with a PlayStation Network (PSN) account. However, at the time, players could opt out of it if they chose to and continue to spread democracy.
Unfortunately, on May 3, 2024, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SEI) announced that having a PSN account would become mandatory. This new mandate was to take effect on May 6, 2024, for new players and by June 4, 2024, for existing players. This decision by SEI became a point of critical scrutiny from fans and is forever a part of Helldivers 2’s history.
SIE stated that the PSN login was necessary to “[uphold] the values of safety and security provided on PlayStation and PlayStation Studios games.” Additionally, many players noticed that Sony stated that PSN accounts were optional for games on PC. Making players confused and more upset.
This statement later changed to an ambiguous “some games” after some players contacted Sony support regarding their past statement. On May 4, 2024, Helldivers 2 and many other Sony titles became unlisted from store pages in 177 countries without PSN. And this decision seemed permanent.
Johan Pilestedt, the CEO of Arrowhead Games Studio at the time, and the Arrowhead developers stated that they were on the player’s side. Johan even apologized for the sudden change on X (formerly known as Twitter), “I hope we will make it up and regain the trust by providing a continued great game experience.”
The Creation Of The New Pillars Of Freedom Cape In Helldivers 2
The creation of the new Pillars of Freedom Cape in Helldivers 2 started as a simple fan creation. The cape represented the hope that the 177 countries may one day be able to purchase and play the game. And Arrowhead teased that the cape could be real if SEI relists all of the countries.
Some hope did come when SEI announced that it would not be going forward with the mandatory PSN login; players also thought they would also back out on the delisting of 177 countries. Unfortunately, only the necessary PSN login was discontinued, and the 177 countries would still be delisted. The delisting of countries would last for quite some time, seemingly forever, but that would ultimately change.
On June 13, 2025, over 100 countries were listed for the sale of Helldivers 2, along with other games affected by the delisting. Players rejoiced as their constant fight for the delisting of the 177 countries wasn’t in vain. Now, everyone can become a Helldiver and spread managed democracy with their brothers in arms.
Subsequently, in just a couple of weeks, on June 27, 2025, Arrowhead released the promised Pillars of Freedom cape. Players proudly donned the symbol of their never-ending fight for the freedom of the 177 countries. They fought for freedom in Helldivers 2 and real life.
Now, with the recent announcement that Helldivers 2 will be coming to Xbox, Helldivers can fight together as an even larger community. And you can read everything about it here.
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