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Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel's fifth playable character is Jack
"That looks a lot like Handsome Jack," you might say to yourself as you look at the image above. You're right, but looks can be deceiving - Jack is the fifth playable character in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, but as his class (The Doppelganger) suggests, he's simply a look-alike body double. As was revealed by Gearbox Software at PAX Australia, Jack will be available on November 11 in the Handsome Jack Doppelganger Pack, which is included in The Pre-Sequel's season pass or offered as a $9.99 standalone piece of DLC. Striking resemblance aside, Jack's Expendable Action skill spawns two Digi-Jacks, which fight to their very deaths before respawning beside Jack for as long as the skill is active. As is the Borderlands norm, his skill tree is split into three divisions; the tank and grenade-buffing "The Hero of this Story," the co-op and Fight for Your Life-focused "Greater Good," and "Free Enterprise," which grants buffs depending on your gun's manufacturer and encourages frequent weapon switchups. There are three remaining pieces of DLC still under wraps for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC's loot-n-shoot, but an additional character, a level cap boost and a new campaign are currently part of Gearbox and 2K Australia's future plans for The Pre-Sequel. In Senior Reporter Jess Conditt's recent review, she noted that while The Pre-Sequel "boasts the loot of a full Borderlands game, it's missing a touch of depth and a dash of polish." [Image: 2K Games]
The Borderlands timeline unfurled
With the recent release of Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, Gearbox knows it may have some fans with questions on how the series' timeline is organized. That's understandable when your latest game is sub-titled "The Pre-Sequel." To bring order to the chaos, the series developer offered an "ultimate Borderlands timeline" on its blog late last week. The comic-style timeline divulges major plot points from before the original Borderlands through its direct sequel, Borderlands 2. Viewers beware: Gearbox didn't shy away from spoiling those major events in the timeline, including that of The Pre-Sequel. Our review of the latest game noted that the game is "missing just a bit of soul," but still "has the makings of a pretty great Borderlands game." The series' overarching story will continue with The Walking Dead developer Telltale's adventure game, Tales From the Borderlands, which is expected to launch this year. [Image: Gearbox Software]
Metareview: Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel
We recognized Borderland: The Pre-Sequel for what it is in our review: "It's to shoot a bunch of weird, wacky enemies in the face and to shovel as much loot into our packs as we can carry." Are you looking for more Borderlands? In that bizarre style you couldn't get enough of after going through all that content available in Borderlands 2? You've come to the right place, my friend. Handsome Jack has an adventure for you!
Battleborn and the rise of the friendly shooter
"We are absolutely, deliberately targeting the idea that we want a game that people can just pick up and play," says John Mulkey, design director on Gearbox's new shooter, Battleborn (PS4, Xbox One, PC). His team's latest design, which favors collaboration, community input and a heavy focus on testing and tuning, couldn't be more different from the cult classic he built levels for – years ago. Just how much community input and playtesting went into No One Lives Forever anyway, I ask Mulkey. "Oh, god," he says, briefly thrust back into a previous life. "None." Propelled chiefly by the strength of its clever vision, a game like No One Lives Forever seems to be an outlier now. It was a game made without a steady stream of analytics, feedback and pushback, though meant to be consumed more succinctly, and for what was then a much smaller audience. "A game like this, we hope, it's not just this game that hits and fades away," says Scott Kester, the man in charge of Battleborn's look. "We want this to go. We want to keep making it."
Sega pins Aliens: Colonial Marines marketing mishaps on Gearbox
After Aliens: Colonial Marines publisher Sega moved to settle a class-action lawsuit to the tune of $1.25 million in August for alleged false advertising for the game, it shifted the blame for the game's marketing issues to Gearbox Software, according to court documents obtained by Game Informer. Internal emails from Gearbox and Sega representatives cite examples of the former revealing information about the game without the consent of the publisher. One such email refers to a New York Comic Con panel in October 2012, in which Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford firmly states that a Wii U version of Aliens: Colonial Marines would launch in February 2013 alongside the other versions of the game. Emails within Sega stated that "no-one on the call was aware" of the Wii U version, and that it's "not been picked up so far." Of course, the game missed its Wii U launch window before Sega confirmed in March 2013 that it was no longer in development.
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel season pass, pre-order Slaughter Pit announced
In case you were worried about running out of loot to hoard in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, a $30 season pass has been announced for Gearbox and 2K Australia's upcoming shootout on Pandora's moon. The pass will last for four additional content packs, which a related press release notes will include "new characters, missions and experiences." Vault hunters wary of preemptive bulk DLC purchases will still be able to pick up the packs individually as they release for $9.99 apiece. As is the modern custom, bonus content called the Shock Drop Slaughter Pit can also be earned by pre-ordering The Pre-Sequel from select retailers. Those waiting on holiday sales to stock up on this year's remaining games won't miss out on the Slaughter Pit though, as the press release adds it will be available for purchase later on. [Image: 2K Games]
Borderlands 2 shoots through 10 million copies shipped
Publisher 2K has shipped more than 10 million copies of Borderlands 2, maintaining its spot as the highest-selling game in the company's history, a spokesperson tells Joystiq. Overall, 2K has shipped more than 18 million copies within the Borderlands franchise. During today's Take-Two financial call, President Karl Slatoff addressed the viability of series developer Gearbox's next installment, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, when it's launching exclusively on current-gen consoles and PC: "Our view is that if you give consumers what they want, they come out for it. Our catalog sales have done very well – as we announced in this quarter, it's one of the key reasons we were able to beat in the quarter. We have a lot of faith in the Borderlands franchise. There's still a huge install base of consumers; Borderlands is beloved .... We have very high hopes for The Pre-Sequel for current-gen platforms and PC, indeed. But it will be reliant on quality, and we expect to deliver a really high-quality game." Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel launches on October 14 for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC – we'll see how many more copies 2K's tower of 18 million can handle. [Image: 2K Games]
Battleborn melds the MOBA with a first-person perspective
Challenging the notion that all MOBAs must be played from an omniscient isometric viewpoint, Gearbox revealed its own MOBA, Battleborn, that takes place from a first-person perspective. Battleborn promises a wide array of character variety as heroes battle on an alien planet, including Elvish archers, steampunk riflemen, and minigun-toting heavies. The lore hook is pretty solid, too, with the good guys fighting to protect the very last star in the universe against a faction called the Varelsi. The MOBA will feature both a co-op campaign and multiplayer PvP mode, and will be coming to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC next year. You can check out the reveal trailer after the break.
Borderlands studio mixes MOBA and FPS in Battleborn
Battleborn is a brand-spanking new IP from Gearbox Software (the Borderlands people), published by 2K Games and due out for Xbox One, PS4 and PC by March 31, 2016. Battleborn is a first-person arena shooter with cooperative narrative and competitive multiplayer modes, all set in a futuristic, sci-fi fantasy world. A team of diverse warriors are tasked with defeating a consuming, evil force in order to save the universe's last star. "If Borderlands 2 is a shooter-looter, Battleborn is a hero-shooter," Gearbox President Randy Pitchford said in a press release. "As a genre-fused, hobby-grade, co-operative and competitive FPS exploding with eye-popping style and an imaginative universe, Battleborn is the most ambitious video game that Gearbox has ever created." According to the Battleborn Facebook page, the game is due out in 2015, though the press release is more conservative, placing the due date any time before March 31, 2016, during Take-Two's fiscal year 2016. Get a little more information on the main Battleborn site. [Image: 2K Games]
Borderlands 2 Vita zeroes in on Europe
Europe may have got the Vita 2000 a few months before North America, but it'll have to wait a few weeks more to play Borderlands 2 on it. Sony says starting May 28, Europeans can loot wastelands on the go too. Borderlands 2 Vita is part of the new bundle for the handheld's slimmer, lighter iteration. The shooter's standalone version hits next week on May 13, and according to Shacknews that's when the game will be patched with PS3 cross-saving. [Image: Sony Computer Entertainment]
PS Vita slim hardware launches in North America today
A revised, slimmer version of Sony's PlayStation Vita portable console launches today in North America in a new hardware bundle that includes a free copy of Gearbox Software's Borderlands 2. The redesigned PS Vita system is approximately 20 percent slimmer and 15 percent lighter than the launch Vita model, and boasts extended battery life compared to the previous hardware generation. The $199.99 package hitting retail today includes a PS Vita handheld, an 8GB memory card, and a copy of Borderlands 2 with six DLC packs. Sony released a PS Vita port of God of War Collection today to promote its newly launched portable hardware, and plans to support the platform in the coming months with games like Soul Sacrifice Delta, Sly Cooper Collection, Minecraft, and Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number. [Image: Sony]
Tales from the Borderlands gets first screens, debuts this summer
Tales from the Borderlands is dressed to kill in its first screens, which aptly showcase Telltale's dialog choices alongside Gearbox's penchant for violence. The upcoming collaboration stars data-miner Rhys and con-artist Fiona as the two playable characters, Of course, some familiar faces from the Borderlands series show up, including mysterious Borderlands 2 assassin Zer0. Telltale says its wasteland adventure is "premiering" in the summer, although we're still waiting to find out which systems are on the red carpet. There's a clue that some form of Xbox is on the guest list, and we're guessing it's most likely the original Xbox. [Image: Telltale Games]
Tackle 'Son of the Crawmerax' in final Borderlands 2 DLC
Developer Gearbox Software has released its final piece of Borderlands 2 DLC. Headhunter 5: Sir Hammerlock Versus the Son of the Crawmerax is available now via Steam, PlayStation Network and the Xbox Live Marketplace for $2.99. The content sends players to Wam Bam Island to partake in the largest Headhunter DLC mission released, according to a 2K blog post. "At the end of your adventure, you will battle a foe that may look familiar – Crawmerax Jr., the son of the great crab worm from The Secret Armory of General Knoxx add-on from the original Borderlands." The content now shelves the Borderlands sequel, giving developer Gearbox ample time to focus its efforts on the next installment of the game: Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel. Successfully completing the Headhunter 5: Sir Hammerlock Versus the Son of the Crawmerax DLC (boy, that's a mouthful) will allow players to wear a shrunken version of the final enemy's head like a hat. If swanky travel duds are more of an incentive, each character will net a beach-themed skin as part of the content. Taking on Handsome Jack in an "Aloha shirt"? Say no more. [Image: Gearbox]
Butt-stomp the moon in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel
Borderlands is in the wonderful business of providing goods and guns to insatiable looters. Dubbed the best-selling game in publisher 2K's history, Borderlands 2 refines a gaming bear trap of Diablo-esque questing and shooting, sending up to four friends across the craggy planet of Pandora in search of treasure, weapons and mightier bosses to topple. It's the perfect platform for more, more, more, and Gearbox Software has delivered big and small expansions breathlessly. Some level of self-awareness has always pervaded Borderland's sense of humor, but the title of the newest game, developed in collaboration between 2K Australia and Gearbox, is the strongest instance of it yet. Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel! – exclamation and all – is a laughing deflection of whatever criticisms you might have in the quiver. It's not quite as big as Borderlands 2, no. It's not rethinking the franchise. It's the same engine on the same ol' Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. It's filling in the backstory between games. But, y'know, it's not like Randy Pitchford's been calling it Borderlands 3! (He hasn't, honest.) I get the sense that fans are still getting more than the game's pre-emptive modesty implies, and that even a basic plan of "more Borderlands" grew into something slightly more ambitious. Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel takes players to the low-gravity environment of the moon and the Hyperion space base that's watched over them on Pandora, and it finally lets them see things (and shoot things) as a short, eccentric robot – Claptrap.
Tales From The Borderlands first details emerge from SXSW vault
A panel at the SXSW festival has shed new light on Tales From The Borderlands, the story-driven adventure game collaboration between Telltale and Gearbox. Polygon reports that the two main characters, Rhys and Fiona, will narrate the story from a future perspective - in other words, what you play is what the characters say happened. Telltale President Kevin Bruner told the panel's audience, "You never really play what actually happened, you're playing this Big Fish version of what happened." Given that Rhys works for megacorporation Hyperion (which is led by Borderlands 2 villain Handsome Jack) and that Fiona is a con artist, that's shaky ground to stand on. The characters' backgrounds also means that they won't be world-saving heroes; these are people motivated primarily by greed. Unlike Telltale's The Walking Dead or The Wolf Among Us, which often force players to choose between bad and worse, Tales From The Borderlands will present players with two extremely desirable options. The game's tone will also set it apart, as it will be a lighter, more humorous affair than Clementine or Bigby's misadventures. Tales From The Borderlands is due later this year. [Image: Telltale Games/Gearbox Software]
Gearbox polling Homeworld fans for Remastered Collection contents
Gearbox Software is polling fans of the classic real-time strategy game Homeworld to determine the Collector's Edition contents of its upcoming compilation Homeworld Remastered Edition. Announced last year, Homeworld Remastered Edition updates Homeworld and Homeworld 2 with high-res textures and support for HD resolutions, among other improvements suggested by fans and modders. The collection will also feature the original versions of both Homeworld games, and proposed Collector's Editions will include a replica Mothership and other memorabilia. Gearbox notes that further details will be revealed soon. Gearbox purchased Homeworld's intellectual property rights following publisher THQ's bankruptcy in 2012. Gearbox later leveraged its purchase to fund Homeworld: Shipbreakers, an intended series successor that now carries the official Homeworld license. [Image: Gearbox Software]
3D Realms acquired by Rise of the Triad developer
Interceptor Entertainment, developer of the 2013 Rise of the Triad reboot, has acquired Apogee Software, who in turn owns the 3D Realms brand and formerly owned the Duke Nukem IP. The news was first reported by Danish newspaper Borsen, and confirmed on Twitter by Interceptor CEO Frederik Schreiber. Apogee/3D Realms recently became embroiled in a legal battle with Gearbox Software, the current owners of Duke. It's not clear how the acquisition will impact the ongoing legal battle, but Schreiber noted that Interceptor will have an official statement tomorrow. [Image: Apogee]
Gearbox suing 3D Realms, Interceptor for 'unauthorized' Duke Nukem use
Gearbox Software filed a lawsuit against 3D Realms (3DR) and Interceptor Entertainment, accusing the studios of unauthorized use of the Duke Nukem property and alleging violation of trademarks held by Gearbox. The lawsuit points to 3D Realms' recent reveal of Duke Nukem: Mass Destruction, which features a teaser site with a timer counting down to February 25. "Apparently, after selling its Duke Nukem IP rights to Gearbox in 2010, 3DR sought to privately convince others that the sale never happened," the complaint reads. "The result is the unauthorized development effort that reportedly exists between 3DR and Interceptor." Among the documents filed in the suit is a breach statement issued by Gearbox stating that 3D Realms infringed on Gearbox's intellectual property in addition to a statement signed by 3D Realms CEO Scott Miller and Duke Nukem co-creator George Broussard that acknowledged the infringement. In a statement filed to Joystiq, Gearbox Software said, "As the filing shows, 3DR's wrongdoing is both admitted and unfortunate for everyone who cares about Duke Nukem." 3D Realms filed a lawsuit against Gearbox in June 2013 for alleged unpaid royalties for Duke Nukem Forever, and later issued a public apology and withdrawal of the lawsuit in September 2013. Gearbox took over the development of the game in September 2010 in addition to acquiring the rights to the brand from 3D Realms. [Image: Gearbox Software]
Final Borderlands 2 Headhunter add-on coming April 15
Borderlands 2's fifth and final Headhunter add-on is coming next month, concluding the game's expanded storyline with the new "Sir Hammerlock Versus the Son of Crawmerax" episode. Following up on several holiday-themed DLC packs released over the last year (including the infamous "Wattle Gobbler" Thanksgiving episode), the final Headhunter chapter challenges players to rescue Sir Hammerlock from the clutches of Crawmerax Jr., the son of the crab worm featured in the original Borderlands' "The Secret Armory of General Knoxx" DLC. After completing the add-on, players will receive a new beach-themed character skin, along with a helmet made out of Crawmerax Jr.'s head, as proof of their conquest. "Sir Hammerlock Versus the Son of Crawmerax" will be priced at $2.99 when it launches on April 15 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC and Mac via Steam. [Image: 2K Games]
Love is a battlefield in Borderlands 2 Valentine's DLC
Borderlands 2 continues its pattern of holiday-styled Headhunter packs with "Mad Moxxi and the Wedding Day Massacre," and the DLC is due to hit all platforms next week on February 11, with the usual exception of PSN in Europe which gets it the day after. It's priced $3 in North America, and £2.39/3 euros across the ocean. The Valentine's-themed update sees the hatted hostess Moxxi bring back the Innuendo Bot 5000 to try and make two rival clans go all lovey-dovey for each other. If only love was that simple, and not hilariously violent as it'll likely prove in the DLC. According to 2K Games Community Manager Joveth Gonzales, Borderlands 2 is so overflowing with DLC that it's getting to a point where "technical limitations" may make it impossible to add any more – and, you know, maybe 2K and Gearbox could move on after that. That won't happen until April at least, as the fifth and final Headhunter DLC is due then – we're not taking bets on an Easter theme. [Image: Gearbox]
