Borderlands 3
What’s in Borderlands 3: Borderlands 3 is highly anticipated by fans and critics, but it remains a big question mark. The successor to Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel has not even been officially announced yet.
Other than a tech demo from 2017 based on the Unreal 4 Engine and some hints from developer Gearbox Software, little is known. However, many fans and observers speculate that the game will be released between April 2019 and March 2020.
On one hand, Randy Pitchford, the founder of Gearbox Software, has repeatedly hinted that Borderlands 3 is indeed in the works. He mentioned in an interview that nearly 400 people are working on precisely that game which he believes fans want them to be working on.
On the other hand, the publisher Take 2 Interactive plans to release a “new, highly anticipated title from one of 2k’s biggest franchises” according to a financial report between April 2019 and March 2020. This can essentially only be Borderlands. A new BioShock or new sports games are seen as unlikely in this context.
The latest rumors suggest that a release date by the end of 2019 seems quite realistic, as the game was allegedly already in localization for multiple languages by late last year. This is a step that typically occurs relatively late in a game’s development.
An announcement is reportedly planned for the first or second quarter of 2019, according to a leak. Expert opinions suggest that Borderlands 3 will be an online shooter with MMO elements like Destiny or The Division, focusing heavily on the online component.
How has the development of Borderlands 3 gone so far? It is not known when work on the game began. However, rumors from alleged insiders and leaks suggest that, in addition to localization, Borderlands 3 was already in an advanced alpha state by the end of 2018.
The leaked video material even touched on potential details about new characters from the third part of Borderlands. However, it should be noted that these info snippets are not official details. At this time, it is uncertain how reliable the sources are. Therefore, these pieces of information should be treated with caution.
What Borderlands 3 could be at its best: A Borderlands that remains true to the original character of the series with its comic style, quirky characters, and special humor.
At the same time, it should also consistently develop the series towards an online experience, enriching it with more MMO elements, such as social spaces, group content, and a “Game as a Service” model that provides the game with long-term content. This is what many fans hope for from the next installment of Borderlands.
What Borderlands 3 could be at its worst: A Borderlands that falls short technically and gameplay-wise, providing no innovations outside of new classes or a new setting. For instance, many fans have previously expressed the wish to finally play together with more than just four characters in corresponding content.
What to expect in 2019 with Borderlands 3: Whether Borderlands 3 will indeed be released in 2019 remains to be seen. It does not seem impossible if the leak and rumors are accurate. However, at the very least, an official announcement of the title should occur within this year. By then, players can hopefully know exactly what to expect from Borderlands 3.
As there is no official video material except for the tech demo, we’ve embedded the video with the leaked classes for you:
What do you think of these games? Are there any other new shooters with MMO elements that you are looking forward to this year?
