‘Borderlands 3’ Release Date And Rumors: 3 Ways Gearbox Could Make The Game Into 2017’s Best Looter
The last few years have not been very kind to Gearbox Software, the developer of the highly acclaimed Borderlands series. Several of its high-profile titles, such as Duke Nukem Forever and Aliens: Colonial Marines, ultimately bombed among consumers, and its recent halo title, Battleborn, was quickly trampled by Blizzard’s gargantuan Overwatch franchise. Despite these, however, the developer appears to be optimistic for 2017, since there is one particular title that might definitively save the firm — Borderlands 3. If speculations are right, fans of the loot-shooting franchise might see the first signs of the game sometime this year.
The Borderlands franchise has been very silent over the last few years. Borderlands 2 was released way back in 2012, and in 2015, Gearbox simply released a special edition set called Borderlands: The Handsome Collection. Since then, the popular gaming series has largely been quiet, with the developer revealing very little information about the loot-shooting franchise’s future. Leaks from artists who are allegedly working on Borderlands 3 and the like appear every now and then, but these have never been officially confirmed by Gearbox. For a while, it seemed like the developer would be keeping the lid closed on Borderlands 3 for a little bit more. That is, of course, until recently.
During New Year’s Eve, Randy Pitchford, the CEO of Gearbox Software, posted a rather interesting tweet. In his short post, the Gearbox CEO confirmed that the gaming firm is currently working on a title that he hopes to announce in 2017. With the developer’s gaming lineup practically exhausted, fans of the loot-shooter have begun speculating that the title being referenced by the CEO was none other than Borderlands 3. After all, with Battleborn seemingly on its way to Free-to-Play territory, it appears like Gearbox would need a sure-fire hit to put itself back on the map.
2016: Founded a new studio in Quebec, Canada developing new a great new video game I hope to announce in 2017.
— Randy Pitchford (@DuvalMagic) January 1, 2017
While it still remains to be seen if Pitchford’s tweet was indeed referencing the highly anticipated Borderlands 3, fans of the franchise have already begun voicing out their support for the upcoming game. Numerous Borderlands players even stated that the developer should not rush the development of the title, in order to avoid risking a high-profile failure such as Hello Games’ now-infamous No Man’s Sky, which was released premature, causing massive damage to its developer’s reputation.
Borderlands is one of the pioneers of the loot-shooting genre, and over the years since the franchise became an iconic title among FPS games, other games with rather similar mechanics have emerged. Among these are The Division and Destiny, both of which have proven pretty successful. The latter, especially, is considered by numerous FPS fans as one of the finest shooting games in the market right now, with its expansive story and its compelling gameplay. As Borderlands 3 approaches its release date, Gearbox Software would be wise to consider several new features for the upcoming game. Features which, if properly implemented, would make the title a sure-fire hit among critics and fans alike.
A PvP Mode
The Borderlands franchise already has a pretty capable multiplayer feature, with online co-op missions being among the best aspects of the game right now. Gearbox could make the franchise’s multiplayer feature more compelling by introducing PvP battles, which are yet to see a debut on the franchise. A Forbes report stated that PvP has proven successful for other loot-shooters in the past, with Destiny’s Crucible and The Division’s Dark Zone evolving as one of the strongest components of their respective games. Borderlands already has a wide range of characters and a deep lore to match. Thus, with the right gameplay, a PvP mode for Borderlands 3 would undoubtedly be one of the franchise’s biggest draws.
Better, More Diverse Drops
This is yet another feature that Borderlands 3 would be wise to take advantage of. Currently, Borderlands primarily features drops in the form of guns, shields, and class mods that range from the common to the extremely rare. For the upcoming game, it would be very interesting to see the franchise introduce armor and gear sets for loots as well. If Borderlands 3 does introduce this feature, it would make looting in the game a lot more gratifying than before, and as any Borderlands fan knows, the heart of the franchise lies in two very important things — shooting guns and looting items.
A Polished, Bug-Free Release
This is something that numerous Borderlands fans are very passionate about. Numerous titles in the gaming industry get rushed by their developers and end up as half-baked products that are ridden with bugs. These problems, of course, could easily be avoided by ensuring that the game is indeed ready to be released before its official launch. Gearbox would be wise to take a cue from Rockstar Games in this particular aspect, as the developer of blockbuster titles such as Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 has developed a reputation for taking its time to make sure that its games are as polished as possible. If Borderlands 3 gets released without any bugs or half-baked features, it would surely become an even bigger hit than its predecessors.
Borderlands 3 has the potential to be the year’s most successful loot-shooting game. The franchise already commands a massive, very dedicated fanbase. In Steam alone, Borderlands still enjoys more players than Gearbox’s more recent title, Battleborn, proving that the interest in the loot-shooting franchise is alive and well. If the developer plays its cards right and gets the game polished and ready for a 2017 announcement, it might just end up creating the year’s most formidable FPS title on the gaming market.
[Featured Image by Joshua Livingston|Flickr|Cropped and Resized|CC BY-SA 2.0]
