Risk of Rain 2 Could Become a Feather in Gearbox’s Cap

Summary

Gearbox faced skepticism after taking over Risk of Rain 2, with a lot to live up to following original developer Hopoo.
Seekers of the Storm received mixed reviews initially but improved significantly with core updates based on player feedback.
Gearbox's success with Risk of Rain 2 sets the stage for future expansions, spin-offs, or a potential Risk of Rain 3.

Since it entered early access in 2019, Risk of Rain 2 has been one of the most popular roguelikes developed by a tiny indie studio. Translating the 2D formula of the first game into a hectic 3D environment, the Risk of Rain 2 found incredible success with new and old fans alike, with budding lore and modding communities to boot. However, after Survivors of the Void, Hopoo passed stewardship of the IP to Gearbox, drawing some skeptical comments from more than a few long-time fans.

Unfortunately, these fears appeared well-founded when Gearbox released Seekers of the Storm, the publisher-turned-developer’s first attempt at a home-grown expansion for the game. It did not get off to a good start, causing large bugs in the game’s code, leaving many players dissatisfied with the polish of the new content. However, instead of backing down, Gearbox took player feedback to heart, releasing three core updates, going from a disastrous launch to a beloved expansion, reassuring many players that the studio was sticking by the game for the long run.

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By Marc Santos

Risk of Rain 2 Could Sit Alongside Gearbox’s Big IPs, Such as Borderlands

While it isn’t as long in the tooth as the No Man’s Sky redemption story, the turnaround in reception for Gearbox’s DLC is plain for anyone to see. Seekers of the Storm’s Steam reviews show just how much the new developer has turned it around, with all-time reviews at 38% Mostly Negative, and recent reviews at 88% Very Positive. Obviously, no one wanted the expansion to launch in a bad shape, but it is a testament to the team’s will, and surely reassuring to fans, that Gearbox saw things through.

Following the last major patch that addressed the Survivors added by the expansion, Gearbox hinted at future Risk of Rain 2 content, suggesting that this is merely the first large wave of support the game is getting. Risk of Rain 2 has had a reasonably long history at this point, and even though Hopoo was in charge of the game’s development for a while, the small team only managed to release one expansion after the game left early access. Gearbox has proven that it has the determination to carry the torch in Hopoo’s stead, and this should be a very good thing for the franchise.

Steam reviews show just how much Gearbox has turned Seekers of the Storm around, with all-time reviews at 38% Mostly Negative, and recent reviews at 88% Very Positive.

Of course, Gearbox is known for far more than just Risk of Rain. The upcoming release of Borderlands 4 will be one of the biggest this year, especially after GTA 6 was delayed to 2026. Borderlands defined much of the looter-shooter genre when it first launched in 2009, inspiring other titles like Destiny and The Division to find their own success. Despite many years between main series installments and a contentious film adaptation, Borderlands is still a leader in its genre, with it and Destiny 2 seemingly going back and forth to take notes from each other.

Now that the veteran developer-publisher has full creative control of the Risk of Rain IP, and has proven it can deliver, the studio has its foot firmly in the door of the Roguelike genre. There are endless possibilities for the game, with options to release more expansions, establish spin-off projects, or even develop Risk of Rain 3 in the future. Even if it chugged quietly along for a while, Risk of Rain 2 is still a feather in Gearbox’s cap, as its quiet success regularly brings in upwards of 10,000 concurrent players on Steam.

Despite the initial setbacks, the future is looking bright. With Gearbox revealing new Risk of Rain 2 content at PAX East, many fans should be willing to give the developer another chance now that Seekers of the Storm is fixed. It’s unlikely that Risk of Rain will ever be as large as the Borderlands franchise, but it doesn’t need to be — it already has a blueprint for success, one that Gearbox would do well to capitalize on.

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