Summary
Borderlands 3has 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 theBorderlandsmovie, meaning that players who got an itch to play the game again can jump right into the action.
The release of theBorderlandsmovie 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 asBorderlandsscored an impressive 0% on Rotten Tomatowith critic reviews. As of writing, that has only risen to a mere 6%, with an audience score of 48%. Despite this, the changes toBorderlands 3look 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 patch is a small one, and the notes can be found on theofficialBorderlandswebsite, 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 optiononce they beatBorderlands 3and have a character at max levelalready, allowing fans to experiment with characters and builds in the endgame that they otherwise would not be able to.
WhilstBorderlandsisn’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 serieshas been represented byBorderlands' 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 theBorderlandsmovie,theBorderlandsfranchise 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.
