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Here's a trailer from that Borderlands thing you'll never play
Borderlands Online is still a China-exclusive title, but if for some reason you want to watch the trailer for a game you'll probably never play, we have it for you after the break! MMO Culture reports that Borderlands started its "technical test" today. It also says that the game is an "instance-based online shooter," so really you aren't missing too much if you're a fan of the original series and its open world ethos.
Borderlands Online unloads hard details before testing begins
If you desperately want to play Borderlands Online but have no access to the upcoming China-only title, maybe the hard details on the game's systems will make you feel better. Or maybe they'll make you want to play it more; hard to say. The game will feature four classes: Soldier, which can summon a mobile turret; Hunter, which marks and weakens the target with a drone; Siren, which uses a little bird made out of fire to burn things; and Berserker, which can, well, go berserk. Five categories of weapon will be available, with four of the categories locked to classes (Sniper Rifles for Hunters, for example) and Pistols being available for everyone. The game's first test, running from the 23rd to the 27th, will feature three towns with six instanced areas each for gameplay. Take a gander at the full details and some early press screenshots if you just can't find out enough about this new installment of the franchise.
Borderlands Online will use heavy instancing
So, Borderlands Online. You know, that popular game-turned-MMO conversion that we'll probably never get to see in the West? At least we have a few new details that will taunt us forever with our lack of this sci-fi western title. The title looks to be a more instance-heavy MMO, akin to Dragon Nest or the original Guild Wars, with co-op adventure zones but no mass shared open world zone. Instanced MMO gaming isn't everyone's cup of tea, of course, but it doesn't automatically mean it will be horrible, just different. Other details that Chinese game site Sina discovered is that there will be over 20 million guns, plenty of hidden secrets, and some form of PvP.
Borderlands Online confirmed for a Chinese release
Remember that crazy rumor from last week that Borderlands was going to be an MMO? It was so crazy and unbelievable you just had to laugh. It was also completely true, and it's now confirmed that Borderlands Online will be coming to China, published by Shanda Games and developed by Gearbox. There are no apparent plans to bring the game to the US. Four classes will be available in Borderlands Online: Warrior, Ranger, Wizard, and Berserker. The game is planned for a release in 2015; a mobile title is also in development, although it's unclear whether it will be a tie-in to the online game or a port of an existing title. So, yes, that crazy rumor was apparently right on the money.
Rumor: A Borderlands MMO might be in the works
Back in February this year, Randy Pitchford, CEO and president of Gearbox, specifically stated that the developer was not working on Borderlands 3. In fact, the most he'd say on the matter was that the team knew a sequel would have to be massive and impressive. All fairly standard interview stuff. Not too long ago, a Chinese site for publisher Shanda Games was discovered, with what certainly appears to be a silhouette of the franchise's iconic robot Claptrap. This would all seem completely unrelated if not for the fact that Pitchford had stressed both the need for a massive game and the possibility of making the next Borderlands title into something endless, akin to League of Legends. None of this serves as a single smoking gun, but if you look at all the evidence through the right lens, it does start to appear awfully gun-like. Then again, this is Borderlands; everything looks gun-like.
