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Borderlands 3 Free PS5 & Xbox Series X Upgrades Get Release Dates
Borderlands 3 will have next-gen versions available on the launch days of the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X/S. The latest game in Gearbox's "looter-shooter" franchise was released in September 2019 to mixed reviews. While many reviewers praised the game's classic first-person shooter gameplay, some felt that the storytelling, as well as the series' trademark humor, had grown stale.
Despite these reservations, the classic FPS series still has more than enough fans to warrant ongoing support of the game. Numerous DLCs have been released, introducing more locales to explore, bosses to fight, and, of course, weapons to collect. Gearbox has also introduced an annual Halloween event to Borderlands 3 called Bloody Harvest, which introduces haunted enemies and unique, spooky loot. The developer is clearly committed to keeping Borderlands 3 alive as long as possible.
To that end, the company recently announced that players will be entitled to a free upgrade of Borderlands 3 on next-gen consoles. The upgrade will let players enjoy four-person split-screen in local co-op and it also offers 4K resolutions at 60 FPS. Earlier today, an update on the Borderlands 3 website confirmed that the next-gen upgrade will be available on launch day for both consoles. Players will be able to explore the treacherous alien world of Pandora and the many other worlds of the game as soon as they have their next-gen console. This is good news both for existing players who want to carry over their progress and for new players who are interested in the game and want to give it a try.
Gearbox has already assured fans that Borderlands 3 will see yet more DLC on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, so even players who've already beaten the game will have reasons to come back. The developer seems to be pursuing a live service model for this game, in an apparent attempt to compete with the likes of Destiny 2. While the Borderlands franchise is certainly no stranger to post-game support, with a host of DLC trailing the release of every main series entry, committed, years-long support is a bit of a different approach, and time will tell how well it pays off.
No matter how one feels about Borderlands 3's sense of humor, the game's gunplay, RPG system, and addictive loot-driven feedback loop are hard to argue with. The franchise has nailed down a solid formula for success, and it makes sense that Gearbox would want to stick by it. With the news of the coming next-gen upgrade, Gearbox has ensured that no gamer will be left out of the game's delightful, gunplay-fueled mayhem. The future is looking bright for Borderlands 3.
