Summary
- Borderlands 3's surprise update adds accessibility options for Steam Deck users, auto-sell enhancements, and character creation.
- Coinciding with the launch of the critically-panned Borderlands movie, the game update aims to entice players back with new features.
- The small patch brings increased font size on Steam Deck, an auto-sell rarity option, and the ability to create a max-level character from the main menu.
Borderlands 3 has received a surprise update, adding accessibility options for Steam Deck users, enhancements to the auto-sell feature, and, most importantly, the ability to create a character automatically at max level. This update coincides with the launch of the Borderlands movie, meaning that players who got an itch to play the game again can jump right into the action.
The release of the Borderlands movie has so far been met with a whimper more than a bang. Fans were skeptical of the success of the film even throughout development, and it seemed their fears were true as Borderlands scored an impressive 0% on Rotten Tomato with critic reviews. As of writing, that has only risen to a mere 6%, with an audience score of 48%. Despite this, the changes to Borderlands 3 look to bring back players by allowing them to jump straight into the game's action, as well as providing some good quality-of-life changes.
The Borderlands Movie was Doomed from the Start
Lionsgate's adaptation of Borderlands is proving to be a huge flop, but did the studio set the movie up for failure from the very beginning?
The patch is a small one, and the notes can be found on the official Borderlands website, detailing the three main changes. Gamers on Steam Deck have had the font size increased in the options menu, to allow easier reading on a smaller screen. The option to auto-sell based on rarity has been added, allowing players to automatically sell gear as soon as it is picked up by setting a rarity threshold of gear they wish to keep. The arguably biggest change is the ability to make a max-level character straight from the main menu. Players will gain access to this option once they beat Borderlands 3 and have a character at max level already, allowing fans to experiment with characters and builds in the endgame that they otherwise would not be able to.
Whilst Borderlands isn't a franchise to skimp out on the story, its nature as a looter shooter results in a lot of gameplay and longevity coming from endgame content. Much of this endgame content throughout the series has been represented by Borderlands' various raid bosses. Whilst some of these raid bosses can be attempted solo with the right characters and build, many of them require strict teamwork and specific team compositions to defeat. The ability to start the game at max level and take on the world of raid bosses will certainly be a big allure for players of the game who are looking to revisit old fights from a fresh perspective, without having to go through the time investment of leveling a character to full.
While small, the change could be enough to bring some hardcore fans of the game out of the woodwork. Despite the apparent failure of the Borderlands movie, the Borderlands franchise is still one of Gearbox's most beloved IPs, and only time will tell if the movie's reputation will be enough to taint that.
Borderlands 3 August 8 Patch Notes
- Players are now able to create a Max Level Character from the main menu once they have beaten the game and have at least one max level character!
- Added an option to auto-sell gear based on rarity from the main menu:
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This auto-sell feature automatically sells gear below your set rarity when picked up. Cosmetics will not auto-sell.
- A note for Mission Gear: Once a mission has ended, any mission reward items offered as a pickup could be automatically sold if auto-sell is enabled. Before completing a mission, the auto-sell option can be set to "None" to avoid possibly losing a mission reward.
- On Steam Deck: Increased font size of text in the Options Menu.
Borderlands 3
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 78%
- Released
- September 13, 2019
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Gearbox Software
- Publisher(s)
- 2K Games
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
WHERE TO PLAY
- Cross Save
- yes
- Franchise
- Borderlands
- Number of Players
- 1-4
- Split Screen Orientation
- Vertical or Horizontal
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- yes
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Stadia, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- How Long To Beat
- 25 Hours
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
- Local Co-Op Support
- 1-4 Players
