Borderlands
News, coverage and analysis tracking Borderlands across the outlets.
Why Players Are Re-Evaluating Value In Modern Video Games And Digital PlatformsModern players evaluate video game value beyond the initial price, considering factors like playtime, updates, social features, and ongoing costs. This shift mirrors trends in other digital platforms, where users scrutinize terms, rewards, and overall experience before committing. Game mechanics like daily logins, progress bars, and leaderboards are increasingly used across various online services to drive engagement and user retention.
Games Inbox: Is the Xbox doomed to failure?Readers express concerns about the future of Xbox, citing recent studio closures and a reliance on aging franchises like Halo and Gears of War. The discussion also touches on the shift towards digital-only games, the impact on game preservation, and the potential for companies like Sony to influence Kickstarter campaigns.
Former 2K Games President Joins Ubisoft’s Creative House 2 as Its New General ManagerChristoph Hartmann, former president of 2K Games, has been appointed as the new general manager for Ubisoft's Creative House 2. He will oversee Tom Clancy franchises including The Division, Ghost Recon, and Splinter Cell. Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot expressed confidence in Hartmann's leadership to build lasting franchises.- HALON BEGINS NEXT CHAPTER AS AN INDEPENDENT CREATIVE PRODUCTION COMPANYHalon Entertainment is becoming an independent company through a management buyout led by CEO Chris Ferriter, formerly part of NEP Group. The creative production company, known for its work in film, episodic, games, and immersive entertainment, aims to increase agility and focus on client needs and growth. Halon has a history of working on major properties like The Batman, Fortnite, and Sid Meier's Civilization.
The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past proves that older games are just as relevant as new onesThe upcoming 2027 expansion for The Witcher 3, 'Songs of the Past,' highlights a growing trend of developers revisiting older games with new content. This phenomenon is driven by a plateau in technological advancement, making older titles still feel relevant, and a rising sentimentality within the industry, with studios paying homage to classics that inspired them.
New Borderlands 4 character Loveless fixes Gearbox's biggest DLC mistakeGearbox has announced new content for Borderlands 4, including the introduction of a new Vault Hunter named Loveless, a hacker with cybernetic enhancements. The developer is also changing its DLC strategy, offering story packs and cosmetic bundles separately. Upcoming content includes the 'Takedown at Hadron Abyss' free endgame challenge and paid story packs focusing on Zane and a murder mystery within a digital realm.- The Daily Grind: Which MMORPG would’ve been more successful with different graphics?This article discusses how different graphical styles could impact the success of MMORPGs, using Borderlands' development as an example. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick recounted how a last-minute decision to change Borderlands' graphics to a cel-shaded look, despite significant cost and time investment, was crucial to its success. The piece invites readers to consider which MMORPGs might have benefited from a similar artistic overhaul.
Destiny 2's dormancy will leave a power vacuumWith Destiny 2 entering its end-of-service lifecycle and no new content planned, a power vacuum is created in the looter shooter genre. While previous games failed to dethrone Destiny, its dormancy presents an opportunity for a new title to capture player attention, though the high development costs and the challenge of appealing to its dedicated player base remain significant hurdles.
Tencent Games Spotlights Future Player Experiences with 45 Major Updates at SPARK 2026Tencent Games revealed 45 major updates at its SPARK 2026 conference, focusing on development, publishing, and investments. The event highlighted new IP collaborations, cross-platform experiences, and technological innovations across various titles including League of Legends, Arena Breakout: Infinite, Arma Reforger, and CONTROL Resonant. Updates also covered new game launches, expansions, and collaborations with brands like Persona 5 Royal and Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln Institute.- Morning Postmortems/RetrospectivesTake-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick stated that the art style overhaul for the original Borderlands cost approximately $50 million and delayed development by a year. He believes this change was crucial to the game's eventual success.
Take-Two CEO says "Borderlands wouldn't have been a hit" without $50 million art style change gambleTake-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick revealed that a significant $50 million change to Borderlands' art style, implemented just two months before its original release, was crucial to the game's eventual success. Gearbox Software proposed the shift from a muted aesthetic to its now-iconic hand-inked look, a decision Zelnick supported despite the immense cost and risk, believing it was essential for differentiation.- Take-Two Boss Says Borderlands' Last-Minute Art Style Change Cost $50 Million, but Without It the Game Would Have FloppedTake-Two Interactive's CEO revealed that a last-minute art style change for Borderlands cost an additional $50 million and a year of development. Despite the increased costs, the change was deemed necessary for the game's eventual success.
Take-Two CEO says the original Borderlands' art style overhaul cost a year of dev time and $50 million: 'Had…Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick revealed that the art style overhaul for the original Borderlands cost $50 million and delayed the game by a year. Despite the significant investment and risk, Zelnick supported the decision to differentiate the game's visual identity, which ultimately contributed to its success.
Borderlands' last-minute art style change cost the company $50 million, Take-Two CEO says: "Borderlands…Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick revealed that a last-minute change to Borderlands' cel-shaded art style during development cost the company $50 million and delayed its release by over a year. Zelnick believes this decision was crucial for the game's eventual success and the creation of the franchise, noting that few other publishers would have made such a risky investment.
Former Gearbox Québec Leadership Have Founded Studio Ricochet, The New Independent Developer Aims to CreateFormer Gearbox Québec leadership has founded a new independent studio named Studio Ricochet, aiming to create original co-op action-adventure games for PC and consoles. The studio, co-founded by Sebastien Caisse, Pierre-Andre Dery, Maxime Babin, and Yanick Pich, is self-funded and explicitly stated they are not pursuing a live service or GaaS model, drawing inspiration from titles like Returnal and Uncharted.
Founders of Gearbox Quebec announce new studio to "create original, premium games on our own terms"The founders of Gearbox Quebec have launched a new Canadian studio named Ricochet Games, aiming to create original, premium games on their own terms. The studio, comprised of veteran developers from major franchises, will focus on original IP for PC and console, with their first title being a premium, buy-to-play co-op action-adventure game, explicitly avoiding a live service model.
Randy Pitchford says Gearbox has a firm no-AI policy after posting an AI-generated image of an AI working at GearboxGearbox Software CEO Randy Pitchford stated the company has a strict no-AI policy for any customer-facing work, following backlash from an AI-generated image he posted. Pitchford clarified that the image was a personal experiment to highlight the absurdity of AI identity and not indicative of company practices. He also denied accusations that recent Borderlands patch notes were AI-generated, attributing any errors to human mistakes.
Gearbox head Randy Pitchford says Borderlands maker won't use AI for "any work that could ever be seen" after posting ChatGPT-generated image of a Gearbox employeeGearbox CEO Randy Pitchford clarified the company's policy on artificial intelligence, stating that AI will not be used for any work that could be seen by customers. This statement follows Pitchford's own use of ChatGPT to generate an image of a Gearbox employee, which sparked discussions about AI in game development. The company, a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive, aims to prevent accusations of AI-generated content, especially after some players perceived AI-like text in recent Borderlands patch notes.
Borderlands Studio Head Responds After Fans Rip Him For "AI Slop" SelfieGearbox Software co-founder Randy Pitchford responded to fan criticism after posting an AI-generated selfie, clarifying the studio's policy against using AI in customer-facing work. Pitchford stated he uses AI tools for personal exploration and not for game development, emphasizing that the idea of AI having an identity is nonsensical. This comes amid discussions about AI's role in game development, with parent company Take-Two Interactive also implementing AI for business efficiencies.
Games Inbox: Which is better out of Pragmata and Saros?Readers debate the merits of new sci-fi third-person shooters Pragmata and Saros, with one reader expressing difficulty choosing between them due to simultaneous release and cost. Other topics include the potential impact of Grand Theft Auto 6, the value of Vampire Survivors, Microsoft's Xbox strategy, and recommendations for games similar to Mad Max.