Gearbox drops more Borderlands 3 info at Guardian Con!

Borderlands 3 is one of the most hotly-awaited games of 2019, and for good reason – we’ve waited over seven years! So it goes without saying that fans are keen for any associated news or releases. Fortunately, developer Gearbox Software has been rather generous here, having dropped yet another treasure trove’s worth of information on us.

Claptrap will be Claptrap.

There’s two parts to this release; the first concerns gameplay and how Gearbox has expanded on the franchise’s co-op centrepiece, while the second homes in on the NPCs, detailing what our Vault-hunting buddies have been up to since the events of Borderlands 2. It’s pretty interesting stuff, so stick with us as we explore what else this “Vault” has to offer!

Ping stuff for your pals…because you can.

First things first: Gearbox has revealed that Borderlands 3 will have its own set of pings for co-op gameplay. After the success of the system pioneered by Apex Legends, the use of such a feature has continued to prove useful not just in battle royales, but in multiplayer-centric games as a whole. It facilitates more effective communication within the party – making it easier to take down team-based objectives, which in this case mainly refers to raid bosses like Borderlands 2‘s Terramorphous the Invincible.

Terramorphous likes eating, sleeping and taking out unprepared Vault Hunters.

Alongside the announcement, Gearbox also dropped a short video detailing how the ping system will look. Naturally, it might not see much use if you usually fly solo, but I think it might help you keep track of smaller enemies. Have a look!

Next, let’s go over what Gearbox shared on multiplayer presence and accessibility.

Understandably, that first bit may seem complicated, but it’s actually pretty simple. Basically, players will be able to buy items that their friends have sold to vending machines in their own game! Your friend keeps the cash, and you get the desired loot; it’s a mutual win!

Speaking of sending items over, if your pals are in a good mood, they can mail items to you directly as well.

Last but not least, players will be able to browse their friends’ skill trees, opening up avenues for experimentation and discussion, which in a co-op game is almost always a good thing.

Addressing the skag in the room

The second bit is Gearbox addressing a problem that’s plagued many players: being over/under-leveled. After all, there’s nothing duller than watching your friends bulldoze everything while you feed off the experience.

Granted, that may make levelling up super easy, but it does get awfully boring after a while.

Can’t have a Borderlands game without Psychos!

Anyway, Gearbox will be introducing level-syncing and matchmaking filters, so to speak. Essentially, players can fine tune their matches to search for teammates at specific arcs, allowing them to enjoy both story and gameplay. Oh, don’t worry about having to stare at the matchmaking screen while you wait either; you can still play while the game searches for a match.

Level-syncing operates around a similar concept. Gearbox mentioned that they didn’t want the game to become what I call a “grind race”, where players have to constantly keep up with their pals and vice versa. By syncing players’ levels, everyone can fully enjoy the cooperative aspects, while not having to worry about who’s higher or lower. Thanks a lot, Gearbox!

Catching up with the Vault Hunters

Moving on, we’ll be taking a look at what our favourite NPCs have been up to since we last saw them.

• Tiny Tina

The Vault Hunters’ psychotic teenage ally and foremost explosives expert is first in line. Yup, Tiny Tina’s back to blow more stuff up. Personally, she’s one of my favourite characters from Borderlands 2, especially in the Assault on Dragon Keep DLC. Mentally unstable or not, she shows some semblance of humanity when the situation calls for it.

Just don’t make any sudden movements near her. *wink*

• Mordecai

Reprising his image as a hunter and mercenary, Mordecai dons his original mask and goggles from Borderlands, taking down enemies across the galaxy as part of “The B-Team”. There isn’t much else to say, except that he’s got a new feathered pal in place of Bloodwing (bless her soul). Long story short, he’s back and as keen a marksman as ever.

• Moxxi

Why am I not surprised? You can find Moxxi running bars on any world that’s facing impending doom or a tyrannical dictator. The lady’s a magnet for disaster.

However, she’s also one of the series’ core NPCs, so Gearbox themselves would have faced their own world-ending crisis had they left her out of the equation. Anyway, for Moxxi it’s business as usual; she’s now running an establishment aboard the Sanctuary 3.

• Maya 

As one of the universe’s six Sirens, Maya wields immense magical power at her fingertips…but of course you already knew that. Putting aside her bob haircut after the events of Borderlands 2, she returned to her homeworld of Athenas to train herself and her new apprentice. And also to grow out her hair, presumably.

Well, what more is there to say? Girl looks lit. Welcome back, Maya.

Spicy.

Yeah, you got that right. All this juicy info, coupled with the four new Vault Hunters make Borderlands 3 a prime contender for my personal “Game of the Year”, and it’s not even out yet! On that note, hopefully Gearbox drops more of these information “Vaults” before September rolls around. I know I definitely wouldn’t mind, and I’m sure all the Borderlands fans out there would say the same!

Borderlands 3 releases on Epic Store on September 13, 2019 for PC, Xbox One and PS4. It will remain an Epic Store exclusive till April 2020.

Images: Gearbox Software/2K Games