Big changes are coming to Borderlands 3 in terms of co-op gameplay according to a recent post on the PlayStation Blog. Most notably, their updated loot share system and the ability to join a friend at any time, regardless of player level or story progress. “Regardless of your respective levels or mission progress, you and your friends can play together online or on the couch, and not only will each of you deal a meaningful amount of damage, you’ll also receive your own discrete loot stream,” says Scott Kester, Art Director at Gearbox and author of the post.
The changes to the system are a much-needed, and amicable, upgrade from the Borderlands 2 system of ‘finders keepers losers weepers.’ Even though the game boasts “a billion guns,” having to divide them amongst your friends is just a non-starter really. Players who opt for a more cut-throat loot system will be able to flip a switch and use the Borderlands 2 loot system if they wish. Speaking of guns, the post notes changes to the catalog of weapons from certain manufacturers. “Atlas now offers guns that fire tracker tags and Smart Bullets; DAHL weapons feature alternate fire modes; and the Maliwan range now incorporates firearms that can toggle between two elements and deal guaranteed elemental damage.”
In addition to the guns, loot system, and ability to jump in anytime, anywhere, Kester also sheds a little bit more light on the playable vault hunters to entice the fans. Moze, the soldier, can summon a mech, called Iron Bear, that’s armed to the teeth and ready to shoot down any pesky Psychos making a run in her direction. Amara, the Siren, “can summon ethereal fists to pound enemies,” something we’ve caught a glimpse of in the Announce Trailer. Zane, a “semi-retired hitman” is a fan of chaos-inducing gadgets and can send a clone of himself out to further disrupt the enemy. Finally, FL4K is a robot who’s “always accompanied by one of their loyal and battle-hardened pets,” ready to jump into the fray to lend a hand, er, paw.
The blog post also mentions an extended look at the game during a worldwide gameplay reveal, so be on the lookout for that coming May 1. Borderlands 3 is set for release on September 13 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC through the Epic Games Store and is available for pre-order now.