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Borderlands 3 announced

Now with fewer technical difficulties!

Gearbox Software are, as expected, headed back to a beat-up alien planet for more looting and shooting in Borderlands 3. They announced their third game in the FPS action-RPG series, which has also seen a prequel and spin-off from other developers, at PAX East today with a flashy trailer. A trailer which looked like heck during the big announcement presentation due to technical difficulties. Though the technical difficulties were more exciting than the slow card magic trick. Oh dear. But the handy-dandy YouTube version of the announcement trailer works just fine so hey look come and see.

Watch on YouTube

I am very into sprouting extra puncharms in the manner of Asura's Wrath. And I like the idea that its procedural gun-generation doodad can apparently now spit out adorable guns which run around on wee legs? And looks like it's visiting multiple worlds?

Gearbox are pretty vague about everything you can't see in the trailer. No word on a release date, story details, any new shiny features it might have, which stores might sell it... nada. They're planning to reveal more on April 3rd on the game's site. Gearbox president Randy Pitchford said that that they've been working on the game for five years so, y'know, I assume they do have something to say about it.

My prediction for today's announcement, especially after a troubling hint sullying the good name of Bulletstorm by putting Duke Nukem near it again, was a battle royale game set largely in the Borderlands world but borrowing characters from other Gearbox games too. But naw, that tweet was just teasing a Nintendo Switch release for Bulletstorm. I am glad to be wrong about Duke appearing in a new game. Still not best pleased about Gearbox putting Duke into Bulletstorm. Put Duke Nukem in the bin, forever. Oh, right, yes, and I was wrong about battle royale too.

"Battle royale games are fun," Pitchford said at the start of the presentation. "That's not what we're making."

Naw, what they're making is more Borderlands. Which I understand is fun with pals? I didn't click with the first game because it was bad as a looter and bad as a shooter, so I skipped the rest, but then I am told I'm "great fun" by people who roll their eyes and do air quotes while saying that. I still say the best Borderlands is Telltale's episodic story 'em up Tales From The Borderlands. COME ON THEN I'LL HAVE YOU.

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