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Borderlands DLC 'Secret Armory of General Knoxx' goes public tomorrow on Xbox 360
Ready to cross the border into new lands in your ... Borderlands? The doors will creak open to Borderlands' "Secret Armory of General Knoxx" add-on tomorrow. TeamXbox reports that the downloadable expansion, which adds new areas with new missions, the requisite piles of weapons, and even an increased level cap, will be released on Xbox 360 tomorrow, February 23, for 800 ($10), with PS3 and PC releases to follow on Thursday for the same price. One more thing: When you go online to explore the new content, we recommend that you let Gearbox's own hiring policy govern your interactions with your fellow mercenaries. Update: According to a 2K press release, the level cap is increased to 61 in this expansion. "Secret Armory" also adds "almost 30 new villain types," improved AI, new vehicles and a new weapon class. %Gallery-85998%
Borderlands sells 3 million units; Pitchford discusses Gearbox hiring policy, Gamertag
Gearbox head Randy Pitchford delivered some claptrap at DICE today, saying that Borderlands has sold 3 million units globally. A good sign for 2009's fastest-selling original IP, which may not have generated the most revenue, but it's apparently starting off 2010 with good momentum. And with a third DLC pack on the way, The Secret Armory of General Knoxx, it appears Borderlands may welcome even more travelers. As DICE is a business conference, Pitchford was also quite open about what's important to Gearbox as a studio -- he also shared his Gamertag ("DuvalMagic"). He shared components of what he thinks are important to the company's employees, like aggressive profit sharing, milestone bonuses and discretionary merit based rewards. He also mentioned a crass, but wise, tenet of the studio's hiring process: "No drama, no dicks, no douchebags."
Next Borderlands DLC, 'The Secret Armory of General Knoxx' announced
click to enlarge Gearbox Software and 2K Games have revealed the name -- and first solid details -- for the third DLC expansion to Borderlands. Called The Secret Armory of General Knoxx, the new content is pitched as having "never-before-seen enemies in a huge new environment complete with tons of brand new missions." New weapons and items are also promised, along with a previously confirmed raising of the character level cap from 50 to ... an undisclosed limit. Still, Gearbox states there will be "new challenges and opportunities for growth for characters from around level 34 to level 50." No release timetable has been announced, but we've contacted 2K for additional info. First screens in the gallery below! %Gallery-84191%
Gearbox: Borderlands art style helped 'make a certain leap of faith'
The Borderlands crew at Gearbox Software is making the post-mortem interview rounds, and this time Aaron Thibault, Stephen Palmer and Matthew Armstrong stopped to chat with G4. The interview has some excellent insight into the making of the game: The team originally was finishing up the Halo PC port when they realized that Bungie had dynamically coded their guns, and wondered what you could do if you dynamically created guns from that code. "Halo meets Diablo" was the answer, and that was Gearbox's premise from the beginning. They also talk about the famous art style change, and say that the current animated look actually helped players get into the game -- they could "make a certain leap of faith into an understanding that the crazier and wackier and more fun things can exist in this world." And they say that for future installments, they are taking player feedback into account: Both a mini-map and more levels are two things that they didn't quite expect such a call for, so it's a safe bet that we'll see those features in any future installments of the "important" franchise. Please?
Next Borderlands DLC raises level cap
The biggest issue facing most Borderlands players has to be the level cap. When you reach level 50, what do you do next? Sure, you could start up a new character and do it all again, but what if you have each class maxed out? Well, then we think the technical term is: you're boned. That won't be the case for much longer, as Gearbox's Jason Reiss recently popped on the company's forums to guarantee the most-requested feature for the game was indeed in the works. Not only will there be new DLC, but Reiss also confirms there's another update coming that "solves a bunch of issues." That's like two for the price of one, right? Wait, our math may be a bit off -- moving on! There's no timetable for either the update or DLC at this point, but Reiss says we can expect a full announcement "soon." And you can expect a post about it on our website when there's more info because that's how this relationship works.
Joystiq's Top 10 of 2009: Borderlands
It's not often we see a game that effectively mixes genres to create something entirely new. Borderlands did just that this year, taking the obsessive, loot-driven mechanics of a dungeon crawler and stuffing them within the friendly and familiar confines of a first-person shooter. Borderlands also oozes style and never takes itself too seriously. It's a fun adventure, full of charismatic NPCs and an experience akin to the kind of childhood adventures you'd embark on with friends, battling imaginary monsters and building forts in the back yard.
Exclusive: Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot gameplay trailer
If more Borderlands DLC is just what the doctor ordered – not Doctor Ned, of course, star of the shooter slash RPG's first DLC outing – then look no further than this week's "Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot." Developer Gearbox is giving Joystiq readers an exclusive look at the above gameplay trailer, showing off some of the pack's offerings: three new Riot Mode arenas, the "bank" where you can "'stache your loot" and a litany of modifiers, like "Hot Potato," "Loaded" and "Dodgeball." It's a slow week, folks – "Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot" spices things up on Xbox Live tomorrow, and PlayStation Network next week.
Big Download awards 2009's vaporware
In response to Wired's own 2009 vaporware awards, our pals at BigDownload have complied their own list of software and hardware that woulda, coulda and shoulda seen the light of day this year. Topping the list is the streaming service OnLive, which was slated to release in "winter 2009," following a healthy dose of beta testing. While reception for the service has been mostly positive, OnLive's claims have yet to be tested on a global stage (during E3 2009, OnLive was previewed for select media via a cable modem connection to the service's California-based headquarters). Other nods go to Gearbox Software's oft-delayed -- we'll believe it when we see it -- Aliens: Colonial Marines, Obsidian's "oh, by the way, it's not coming out today" Alpha Protocol, and Midway's This Is Canceled Vegas. Sadly, Duke Nukem Forever failed to win an award for what would have been a record twelfth-straight year.
Hands-on: Borderlands' Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot
Gearbox's Randy Pitchford made a pretty bold claim when he said that the new Borderlands DLC, "Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot," would comprise more than just new levels, but an entirely new mode as well. After an hour or so spent battling it out in Moxxi's tournament, we're happy to report that, though it doesn't feel like a brand new game, it provides a welcome shake-up of the main story's quest-based structure. Read on to see if Mad Moxxi's going to be worth your ten bucks when it arrives on December 28 on Xbox 360 and January 7 on PS3. %Gallery-80032%
Rumor: New Borderlands DLC revealed by Trophy leak
As noted by PS3Trophies.org, it appears that more Borderlands DLC is imminent. The five recently added Trophies point to three coliseums, called The Angelic Ruins, The Gully and Hell-Burbia, all of which appear to have "lesser" and "larger" challenges. Eurogamer mentions that Borderlands Creative Director Mikey Neuman was all set to reveal something on Twitter, but it appears the marketing powers changed the announcement to a "later occasion." Publisher Take-Two seems happy with the success of Borderlands and critical reception to the game's first DLC pack, The Zombie Island of Doctor Ned. Reaching out to 2K Games about the DLC, we were informed, "No official announcements have been made regarding future Borderlands DLC at this time." [Via Eurogamer]
Borderlands soundtrack escapes the vault on Dec. 8
Rejoice! Come December 8, you'll be able to grab your own copy of the Borderlands soundtrack in store or via iTunes, as Sumthing Else Music has announced (via Big Download) that it's handling the publishing rights. There is one issue, however. "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked" by Cage The Elephant will not be included on the disc, so you're going to need to continue rocking your F5 finger on this YouTube page if you want to keep listening to it. We know, it sucks, but a calloused index finger is a small price to pay for listening to an entirely badass song forever.
Gearbox: Borderlands fastest-selling new IP of 2009
Gearbox has declared that Borderlands, the studio's original RPG-FPS ("RPS") hybrid, is the current leader in the annual undercard, the race to fastest-selling new IP of the year. While it might not make it onto a second-printing retail box, the accolade is still significant, as it implies that a new game has at least been noticed among the familiar franchises that dominate the monthly sales charts. What better hook to land a publisher when pitching a sequel? Going by not entirely public NPD sales figures (in North America), Gearbox has determined that Borderlands had the most launch-week sales of any new IP in 2009. The only other title that could contest that would be Prototype, which enjoyed greater sales on the Xbox 360 platform (but just by 1,900 units) than did Borderlands when comparing the two games' respective launch months (419.9k vs. 418k units). However, Prototype, which released June 9, was available at retail for 11 more days during its launch month than was Borderlands (October 20). While we don't know total sales of either title during their launch months (both were released on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC), it's reasonable to assume that Borderlands is the fast-selling new IP (during a launch week), if not the best-selling one in combined platform sales for a launch month in 2009. So, congratulations! But watch out for Dragon Age: Origins -- we hear it's fast, too.
Borderlands DLC available November 24 on PS3, Xbox 360
Starting November 24, Dr. Ned is graciously opening his Zombie Island to any gun-toting maniac with ten bucks. 2K has announced the price ($9.99/800) and release date for the first Borderlands DLC pack on PS3 and Xbox 360. The publisher tells Joystiq that the DLC's availability for the PC version is yet to be determined -- in other words, it's probably not coming out on November 24. Though, that's unconfirmed and subject to pending details. 2K promises "ferocious brain-eating zombies, carnivorous Were-Skags and more" on the spooky island, but, perhaps more relevant to weapon-obsessed Borderlands players, there's more "sweet, sweet loot" to find. %Gallery-75689%
Borderlands Glitch Watch 2009: Radeon-powered PC crashes
Oh, poor little Borderlands -- Gearbox just can't catch a break! On top of the ongoing list of things that need to get fixed and the still unresolved character-nuking glitch on consoles, now PC players are starting to experience some serious issues. Specifically, the game is crashing for those who have certain ATI Radeon graphics cards. Reader Bryan tipped us off to three different forums on Steam, AMD and Gearbox, where numerous users haven't even been able to get past the game's first mission. We've reached out to Gearbox for comment and will be sure to update the post when we hear back. [Thanks, Bryan!] Source - Steam forums Source - AMD forums Source - Gearbox forums
Xbox Live Top 10: Halo 3, Trials HD continue to dominate
Surprising no one, Major Nelson's weekly list of most-played games on Xbox Live showcases Halo 3 and a double dose of Call of Duty on the top of the charts, with Modern Warfare and World at War grabbing second and third, respectively. XBLA top-seller Trials HD continues to lead the downloadable space, beating out newcomers Tower Bloxx Deluxe and Panzer General: Allied Assault.The most notable item on the list is Gearbox Software's Borderlands, debuting at (a disappointing) ninth on the list. Perhaps evidence that inventory shortages may in fact muck up the wheels of a critically acclaimed game's launch. Color us surprised ... then trace us with sarcasm.
Aussie Steam users get low-violence Borderlands by accident, fix incoming
Oops! Australia has become so synonymous with censorship that even distributors are starting to get confused. Despite the unedited version of Borderlands passing the OFLC's ratings board successfully, it turns out that a "low-violence" version was accidentally uploaded for Aussies on Steam. 2K Games Australia is apparently working on getting the correct version onto Steam before the game launches in a few days. This does not affect the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game, which will be presented in what can only be described as "full violence" mode. Now, with luck, Australia will have the exact opposite problem with Left 4 Dead 2's launch. [Via Big Download]
Gearbox details known Borderlands glitches, workarounds
After dealing with shortages and that PS3 friends list thing, a few Borderlands players have now reported encountering an online glitch that erases everything. Yes, folks -- it's so bad, we had to put it in italics.You can check out the list of ongoing issues for yourself over at the Gearbox forums, where the biggest perpetrator is undoubtedly the glitch that causes a player's stats to be downgraded to a big fat zero following another player joining or vacating an online match. Another glitch does the same thing, only with your entire inventory of weapons; Gearbox says the worst issues are fairly infrequent, as scary as they may sound.As of right now, there's currently no fix or workaround for a lot of the potential game breakers, though the majority of issues aren't as bad as those listed above. Still, Gearbox is working to resolve these issues and if you've found something that isn't on the list, we suggest you hit up the technical support section. We can all make these lands a better place ... together.[Via 1UP]
The Digital Continuum: 'Comfort' grind
Often times grind is lambasted as the worst part of this genre, something to be minimized and removed to any and all extent. I understand all too well why; hundreds of hours of brain melting repetitiveness. Only here's the rub: the very nature of MMOs -- persistence -- creates a grind. Unless you keep it under a reasonable number of hours played, it'll turn into a festival of grind. I used to think this was a colossal problem, yet lately I'm beginning to rethink my stance.
Gearbox expects more Brothers in Arms, not planning on Wii Borderlands port
Gearbox Software Vice President Brian Martel reveals that gamers can expect another Brothers in Arms installment and that a Wii version of Borderlands isn't likely. Speaking with local TV station CBS 11, Martel notes that more Brothers in Arms is in "the future for sure" for the developer. A surprising admission, since BiA: Hell's Highway's retail performance was cited by sources as a cause for layoffs at the developer last year. Apparently the series warrants another go.Martel also mentions that there are some ways Borderlands could work on the Wii and its control scheme, but it doesn't sound like the company is interested in porting the main game. He mentions that Gearbox may take the character Claptrap and possibly make him into a "sort of a side-scroller character." Gearbox will likely be protective of the IP that appears to be the surprise hit of the season.[Via ThatVideoGameBlog]
Borderlands PC DRM loyally guards street date; Pitchford unable to order stand-down
Isn't this what we all feared would happen when the machines took over? Even the boss's hands are tied in the curious case of consumers legally purchasing copies of Borderlands for PC, only to be barred from playing until the game's official street date, October 26, which is six days later than the console release. On publisher 2K Games' forums, the conspiracy theory abounds -- it's a tactic to boost console sales! -- but the obvious conclusion is that the digital rights management (DRM) technology in place to "protect" the game's release date unnecessarily punishes consumers.Big Download contacted Randy Pitchford, president of Borderlands development studio Gearbox Software, who said, "I don't know if something can be done to unlock copies for people that somehow get a copy before the street date ... I certainly can't do anything about it." Pitchford's sympathetic, of course -- which reminds him of, ugh, Valve's Half-Life 2 DRM -- but as a developer there's not much he can do once the game's been handed over to the publisher and surrounded by unflinching DRM."I know how that feels," Pitchford related. "I'm sorry it's happening to customers of Borderlands, and I wish there was something I could do about it."
