Borderlands 3 developer Paul Sage took to the stage at Gamescom 2019 to talk about the Borderlands 3 end game with host Geoff Keighley. Borderlands 3 is due out on September 13 this year and has been the subject of many pieces praising the hands-on looks that critics and influencers have had with the game since it began showing off playable demos earlier in 2019.
The build-up to the Borderlands 3 launch has been anything but smooth, however. Despite gameplay impressing virtually everyone who has touched it, controversy outside of the game's development has mitigated fan anticipation somewhat. Developer Gearbox Software has been the subject of some nasty speculation, most of it centering around boss Randy Pitchford. On top of an on-going lawsuit that suggests Pitchford gave himself a sizable - and potentially unwarranted - bonus, there were also allegations from ex-Claptrap voice actor David Eddings that suggested Pitchford had physically assaulted him. That, coupled with the Borderlands 3 microtransaction scandal and the return of Chris Hardwick to the game, have made for a game that looks compelling but has nevertheless been difficult to fully get behind.
Borderlands 3 end game content could be the antidote to what's ailing it's public perception, however. Sage revealed that Borderlands 3 will bring back Circle of Slaughter, a wave-based combat mode that will task players with eliminating as many enemies as possible without dying and getting loot that is equivalent to their efforts. With that said, however, Borderlands 3 Proving Grounds are the more exciting reveal. Proving Grounds starts with Eridians, and players have to discover Eridian writing to find co-ordinates to planets by deciphering them and grabbing a mission. They have different objectives - kill everything, don't die, do it with a certain amount of time left on the clock, and potentially more. Each optional objective being completed makes the end-of-mission loot chest significantly better.
Borderlands 3 is clearly focusing on developing replayability in its end game. There will be at least six Proving Grounds locations at launch, and the mode will likely play a heavy role in enticing players to come back to the game repeatedly after they complete it. Guardian Rank - a riff on Borderlands 2's Badass Ranks - will also be featured into the end game and will probably serve a similar role, that being further customization of a player's Borderlands 3 character build.
Borderlands 3 end game content will be vital in making the game a consistent performer post-launch, and Gearbox looks well-positioned to do that. We'll see how the rest of the end game reveals shake out over the course of Gamescom 2019, but as it stands, with an already great-looking first few hours and a meaty mid-game content reveal, every part of Borderlands 3 looks like it's going to deliver on the hype. For more info from Gamescom 2019, be sure to visit our hub page!
Source: The Game Awards/YouTube