Borderlands 3 is almost upon us, and Gearbox has shared more information about the endgame and post-launch content we can expect from Borderlands 3 at their PAX West panel earlier today.
Earlier this month, Gearbox unveiled the returning Circle of Slaughter as well as the entirely new Proving Grounds missions at Gamescom, but it turns out these are only half the story when it comes to endgame content in Borderlands 3. True Vault Hunter mode is returning alongside brand-new features like Guardian Ranks and Mayhem Mode.
If you’ve played Borderlands before, you’re no doubt familiar with True Vault Hunter Mode. True Vault Hunter is the Borderlands version of New Game Plus, allowing you to run through the campaign once more, combating tougher enemies and earning shinier loot.
Guardian Ranks are similar to Borderlands 2‘s Badass Ranks. As you improve your Guardian Rank, you’ll earn incremental stat bonuses for things like gun damage and elemental effect chance. This time around, Guardian Tokens earned from increasing your Guardian Rank can be spent across three distinct skill trees rather than individual stats. It’s essentially the same system as Badass Ranks, just with more direct, concentrated rewards as opposed to tiny stat increases.
Mayhem Mode is arguably the most important aspect of Borderlands 3′s endgame. After completing the campaign, you’ll be able to activate Mayhem Mode, which increases the risks and rewards across each of the game’s planets. Enemies will have increased health and shields, but you’ll get extra money, Eridium, experience, and loot for taking them down. Mayhem Mode features three difficulty levels to choose from, each offering better rewards than the last.
Mayhem Mode also applies a random selection of modifiers to each planet you visit. These Mayhem Mods can have varying effects on your strategies. One Mod called “You’re a Wizard” reduces the damage you do with normal bullets but increases the damage you do with elemental effects. These should help to spice things up in Borderlands 3‘s endgame and stop things from feeling so repetitive.
Of course, releasing in the era of live service games and roadmaps, Borderlands 3 also offers a variety of free post-launch content updates in addition to its premium season pass. Seasonal Events are exactly what they sound like. The first is titled “Bloody Harvest” and will introduce “spooky activities” and unique event rewards themed around Halloween. Takedowns are similar to Headhunter Packs from Borderlands 2, only this time they’re free. The first one is called “Maliwan Takedown” and features an all-new map and a brand-new boss.
Following these two free content updates is Borderlands 3‘s first premium DLC, which will include a new story alongside new weapons, characters, and locations. If you’ve played Borderlands DLC before, you can expect the same type of content. Details are scarce as to what the DLC will be about, but we do know that it will arrive sometime this winter. For full details on Borderlands 3‘s endgame content and post-launch support, you can check out an in-depth overview here.
Borderlands 3 will be available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on September 13. The game will be exclusive to the Epic Games Store on PC until next year.
