It’s been 5 years since Gearbox launched Borderlands 2 and provided that the sport was beloved by critics and gamers alike, we would not be in any respect stunned if a 3rd correct entry was within the phrases (and no, the Pre-Sequel does not depend).
Borderlands three might not have been formally confirmed however at this level just about everybody suspects that it’s within the works.
This isn’t simply because it is sensible for Gearbox to develop a sequel based mostly on the earlier performances of video games within the franchise; there have additionally been sturdy hints from the sport’s builders which you’ll learn extra about beneath.
Minimize to the chase
- What’s it? The as-yet-unconfirmed third numbered recreation within the first-person shoot and loot franchise
- When can I play it? We will not make sure however we suspect late 2018 to 2019
- What can I play it on? It’s prone to be launched on PS4, Xbox One and PC
Launch date
As Borderlands three hasn’t been confirmed as being actively in improvement fairly but, Gearbox has unsurprisingly not given it a launch date both.
Nonetheless, based mostly on a Take-Two investor call, a launch window of October 2018 to September 2019 may very well be a risk. In the course of the name, Take-Two’s CEO Strauss Zelnick mentioned that a “extremely anticipated new title from one among 2K’s largest franchises” is in improvement for the fiscal yr of 2019 which runs between October 2018 and September 2019.
This doesn’t make any direct reference to Borderlands three, nevertheless, it’s the almost definitely candidate for “a extremely anticipated title” launch from an present franchise provided that 2K-owned Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2 is out earlier than the interval begins, and Gearbox has mentioned one other Borderlands recreation might be coming.
Information and rumors
So, Borderlands three hasn’t been confirmed by title as being in improvement proper now. That’s true. However there’s been loads of teasing from Gearbox over the previous yr or in order that makes us really feel fairly assured that it’s coming.
The Flamethrower
A latest interplay between Randy Pitchford and Elon Musk has thrown but extra weight behind the rumor new Borderlands recreation is in improvement.
After Tesla CEO and all-round benevolent billionaire Elon Musk released a ‘Boring Company’ flamethrower for sale as a reward for the group having bought 50,000 hats, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford received in touch to see if he might put the gun within the “subsequent Borderlands recreation.”
To everybody’s shock, Musk agreed to the weird request – making the Boring Firm Flamethrower the primary confirmed weapon within the unannounced recreation.
Elon – I’m going so as to add this to our subsequent Borderlands recreation. Tremendous critical. Let me know if you wish to write the flavour textual content. You could have already performed so – we’ll simply raise it from one among your tweets.January 29, 2018
PAX West 2017
At this yr’s PAX West, Pitchford announced during a panel that 90% of the Gearbox workforce is “engaged on the factor I feel most of you guys need us to be engaged on.”
On condition that he had simply acknowledged a lot of the viewers was current on the panel as a result of they’re followers of the Borderlands franchise, we’d say that is fairly a heavy-handed trace though Borderlands three wasn’t explicitly talked about.
The IGN Interview
Across the identical time because the PAX West panel tease, Pitchford additionally took half in an IGN Unfiltered interview the place he mentioned that if one other Borderlands recreation have been to be made, it might be extra of a real sequel versus one other Pre-Sequel spin-off.
Pitchford said that the subsequent Gearbox recreation might be a “actually huge, worthy” step ahead for the franchise earlier than including “if we’re going to do one, it’s going to be that” to take the the understanding of his assertion down a notch.
Randy takes to Twitter
In April 2017, Pitchford took to Twitter to put up an image of himself sporting a movement seize swimsuit with the caption “Doing a shoot… I could or might not be a psycho bandit in a online game we might or might not be engaged on. Additionally, joyful Bulletstorm launch day!”
On condition that Psychos are a Borderlands enemy we’d say this tweet might be learn with a reasonably large nudge and wink.
Doing a shoot… I could or might not be a psycho bandit in a online game we might or might not be engaged on. Additionally, joyful Bulletstorm launch day! pic.twitter.com/5X9ZzC6kdJApril 7, 2017
The GDC presentation
Earlier than all of this Pitchford took to the stage throughout Epic Video games’ Unreal presentation at GDC in March 2017, the place he confirmed off new rendering tech that “could also be utilized in a future Gearbox recreation.” He explicitly mentioned the footage proven was not from a online game however what was proven was extremely harking back to Borderlands.
He additionally revealed that this new tech is able to simulating totally different physics relying on a planet’s properties. Particularly he mentioned “there is perhaps totally different physics and the solar and the moons is perhaps in several positions than what we’re used to on Pandora.”
Not solely does this trace closely that Borderlands three is within the works, it means that we’ll be capable to discover extra settings than we now have earlier than.
PAX East panel
You’ll discover numerous the hints that Borderlands three is coming have come from Randy Pitchford. That development continues all the way in which again via to April 2016 when, throughout a PAX East panel, he gave the largest signal that Borderlands three is coming.
“It is no secret, clearly there’s going to be one other Borderlands,” he revealed throughout the panel. On Twitter he additionally revealed that Battleborn’s artwork director Scott Kester would be the artwork director on Borderlands three.
He did, nevertheless, say that the sport may not truly be known as Borderlands three: “We do not even know if we will name it that. We might name it Borderlands four for all we all know.”
Some modifications
If Borderlands three is within the works, nevertheless, there are prone to be some modifications from the primary two titles. The primary distinction might be that author, Mikey Neumann, won’t be on board as he was sadly pressured to resign from the venture attributable to well being issues. The lead author on Borderlands 2, Anthony Burch, has additionally since left the corporate. There’s been no trace as regards to who’ll be taking over the pen after their departures.
One other change is that the voice behind Claptrap, David Eddings, has left Gearbox for Rooster Tooth so it’s unlikely he’ll be taking over the position once more.