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Gearbox and Claptrap honor late Borderlands fan with eulogy, NPC in sequel
Michael John Mamaril was a huge Borderlands fan, until he died of cancer last month at the age of 22. His friend Carlo, also a Borderlands fan, asked Gearbox Software to have the game's snarky robot, Claptrap, eulogize Mamaril. Gearbox did, and it has also promised to include Mamaril as an NPC in Borderlands 2. You can hear the heartfelt eulogy from Claptrap and Gearbox on Soundcloud. Gearbox has established itself as a pivotal figure in the Borderlands community, outside of simply creating the game. In April, Gearbox had Claptrap help a man propose to his girlfriend, and now we've seen the deeper side of its indulgence. Cheers, Gearbox, Carlo and, most of all, Michael John Mamaril.
You decide what goes in the Borderlands 2 collector's edition; also, a survey
Gearbox is all ears (and other limbs, internal organs and appendages -- they're not freaks) for the contents of the Borderlands 2 collector's edition, asking for creative fan suggestions to fill out its packaging. Post your collector's edition dreams in the official forum, or right here, as Gearbox has promised to read our own thread as well. Gearbox also has a short survey for Borderlands players to fill out, asking questions about which aspects of the game were most important and why, ending with an open-ended suggestion box. For those low on free-form comment juices, feel free to copy this one with the appropriate words inserted: "Borderlands was a(n) (adjective) game with (adjective) art style and (adjective) gameplay mechanics. (Don't) change anything in that regard for Borderlands 2. The storyline could be (more/less) cohesive in the sequel and the AI could (not) be improved. Also, more lasers."
Borderlands 2 leaked gameplay video is 14 minutes of amazing midget-massacre
Borderlands 2 is running on a platform of trimmed fat and effective economics -- it will be better, Gearbox says, it will be meaner and it will fix all of the problems of its predecessor. We've all heard promises like this one before, but if the leaked gameplay video above is anything to go by, Borderlands 2 has our vote. The video shows 14 minutes of Borderlands 2, featuring new weapons such as a disposable, regenerative, Wal-Mart-inspired rifle, a new character in Maya the Siren, an old character in Roland, and new enemies, such as the torturer Nomad, who uses a midget as a meat-shield. Check out the stunning new art style and gameplay mechanics of Borderlands 2 above, and don't forget to vote in 2012 pre-order before it drops after April 2012!
Gearbox gifts Borderlands 2 to its PAX panel attendees, you want ours?
In an undeniably generous gesture, Gearbox gave a voucher good for a free copy of Borderlands 2 to all of the more than a thousand attendees of its PAX Prime 2011 panel. Yes, you read that right. Free. For everybody. If you weren't among the lucky hanging out in the Pegasus room, we're continuing the Oprah spirit by passing on our code to you. Yep, that's ours up there. Go ahead. Take it. Oh, and let us know in the comments that you got it. (Update: Looks like it's been used!)
Borderlands to add Steam Cloud saving, play data collection on Sept. 9
Gearbox's eyes are affixed on Borderlands 2, but it's still building onto the series' debut. Studio head Randy Pitchford just announced at the company's PAX Prime panel that Borderlands' Steam version will add "BTest," an update that will allow Gearbox to gather play data (weapon use, player tactics, etc.) to be fed into Borderlands 2. Perhaps more exciting for players, the B Test update will also bring support for Steam Cloud saving.
Borderlands 2 improves UI for split-screen, now with online
Borderlands 2 will allow you to take you couch co-op companion online. Gearbox's Steve Gibson told Joystiq at the Gamescom reveal of the game that those playing split-screen will be able to go online and connect with two other players. "The only situation you can not do is split-screen plus split-screen because you need a host," Gibson said. "And a split-screen guy uses a lot of CPU, so he can not be the host." Another improvement for the sequel concerns the user interface, which has been reworked for split-screen. Now you can easily manage the upgrades menu without all that awkward scrolling around. %Gallery-130864%
Borderlands 2 teaser trailer is teasing, 'it's teasing!'
If you're looking for some dude dual-wielding big guns and blasting away skags and mechs, you've come to the right place. Check out this Borderlands 2 tease and the "Gunzerker." %Gallery-130864%
Borderlands 2, starring Salvador the dwarf and a dump of new details
Borderlands 2 is bumpin' up the brutality with new details, courtesy of the latest issue of GameInformer. Co-op will remain four-player, but the enemy and NPC AI has been revved to support a more interactive environment, with friendlies offering dialogue and bandits carrying weapons unique to their class. Eridium, a new element, will serve as currency and a means of upgrading weapons and vehicles, we assume by duct-taping it to whichever item you wish to improve. The original Borderlands characters will be NPCs in the Gearbox sequel, but we do have a small amount of details on a new character, the dwarf Salvador, who is pictured above. A Gunzerker, Salvador will be able to dual-wield any weapon, all while sporting a sweet beard. Borderlands 2 will use all new weapons, each designed to fit the personalities of their in-game manufacturers, and the story will feature dynamic missions, making factors such as time critical to your success. Borderlands 2 is expected to launch in Take-Two's fiscal year 2013, which begins April 1, 2012. But most importantly, Claptrap will be back, we hope with some new dance moves.
Borderlands 2 rolling in sometime after March 2012
Borderlands 2, which Gearbox described as a "no-brainer" sequel following the success of the first title, has been officially announced. The game will head to Xbox 360, PS3 and PC during 2K's next fiscal year, which begins on April 1, 2012. The sequel will bring to the unexplored regions of planet Pandora, and introduce "all-new characters, skills, environments, enemies, weapons and equipment." Borderlands 2 will be shown for the first time two weeks from now at Gamescom, and then come stateside for a PAX Prime presentation August 26 - 28.
Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot intro video is sultry, sadistic
If Mad Moxxi, the star of the upcoming expansion for Borderlands, has any endearing qualities (and we assume she does, seeing as how she's already netted three husbands), they're not present in the opening cinematic of the expansion, posted above. Who would want to settle down with a self-centered, death-dealing vixen like Ms. Moxxi? By the look of her, we're guessing clowns, mimes, and practitioners of other pasty-faced professions. What is present in the trailer is oodles of style, just as we've come to expect from Gearbox's projects. Check out the video above, then read our preview to find out exactly what Mad Moxxi's problem is. (We're guessing it has something to do with her being completely insane.)
To Borderlands director, a sequel 'seems like a no-brainer'
If you build it, they will come -- mostly for the loot. That's how Borderlands creative director Mike Neumann candidly describes the possibility of a sequel to his game. "Yes, I can probably confirm that there's a chance of a Borderlands 2 ," he told VG247 with a chuckle. "I mean, with anything, especially a new IP, if people want more and you can make more, and everybody can make money and do good business there, it obviously makes really good sense to do that."An unexpectedly large number of people thought it made really good sense to purchase the colorful, FPS-RPG hybrid. Neumann jokingly admits surprise at seeing stores running out of stock, even though "it certainly doesn't suck to be the people who made the game you can't keep in stock." Though plans for a sequel have yet to manifest outside of the water cooler area -- Gearbox is currently grinding through Borderlands DLC -- Neumann believes the "praise and love" for the franchise will make that first decision easier. "So yeah, if everything makes sense, Borderlands 2 seems like a no-brainer to me."
