Those who wanted to play Borderlands 3 on PC had to rely on the Epic Game Store until now. However, as Gearbox announced at PAX East, the Steam release is coming soon.
When does Borderlands 3 launch on Steam? Borderlands 3 will arrive on Steam on March 13, 2020. This launch comes about 6 months after the original release, also for those who preferred to avoid the Epic Game Store. Previously, Borderlands 3 was PC-exclusive there.
Launch with crossplay features: The Steam launch will come with some additional features that will facilitate entry into the community. One of them will be launcher crossplay between Steam and the Epic Games Launcher. It will be possible to:
- Add friends to a friends list
- Play in co-op
- Send weapons to each other (though only at a later time and not directly at launch)
So those who have avoided Borderlands 3 until now don’t need to worry: You can easily play with all PC players, regardless of which launcher you use.
Epic launch caused controversy
This is how fans reacted to the release: That Borderlands 3 was initially available only through the Epic Games Store for the PC version did not sit well with some fans. Many did not want to resort to the new platform and preferred to stay with Steam. This even led to a full-blown review bombing on Steam.
Gearbox head Randy Pitchford had extensively commented on the controversy at the time and explained that the decision was made by publisher 2K Games. The deal was necessary at that time – and ultimately, according to Pitchford, the new store brings a new balance that did not previously exist.
What fans can look forward to now: Starting in March, all users who have been waiting for the Steam release can finally join. And Borderlands 3 has received several improvements in the form of patches since its release, which Steam users can utilize directly. Therefore, the gaming experience is likely to be even a bit better than it would have been at launch.
However, the Steam release is not all that awaits Borderlands 3 soon. A new DLC is also coming:
