Gearbox Software and 2K Games announced that the Ultimate Edition of Borderlands 3 is coming to the Nintendo Switch platform. This means that you will be getting the base game, all six content add-ons, and over 30 cosmetic items.
Play solo or join a friend in two-player local and online co-op.
Borderlands 3 Ultimate Edition will be released on October 6, 2023, for $59.99. Pre-orders for a physical copy are available now.
Table of contents
Announcement History
Randy Pitchford said during the initial marketing of Borderlands 3 that they were talking with Nintendo about bringing the game to Nintendo Switch, however, they stopped talking for some reason.
Greg Miller asked during episode 1 of the Borderlands Show if any games in the series would come to the Nintendo platform. Borderlands 3’s Creative Director, Paul Sage, replied to that question by saying; “Never say never.”
2K Games is the exclusive publisher for the Borderlands franchise and they are very optimistic about the Nintendo Switch. Since the successful release of Civilization on the Switch they have had an eye-opening experience and started releasing more and more games for the system.
1,5 years after the release of Borderlands 3, the Borderlands legendary collection for the Nintendo Switch was announced. Now add another 2,5 years and we finally have Borderlands 3 on the Nintendo Switch platform. Not just the base game but the ULTIMATE EDITION!
Borderlands 3 Ultimate Edition
Here is a quick breakdown of all the content that’s included in Borderlands 3 Ultimate Edition. I have links to in-depth articles if you want to learn more about each item or want a specific review.
Base Game
Borderlands 3 takes place 7 years after the events of Borderlands 2. The Calypso Twins have stolen the Vault Key from Lilith and are on a quest for power.
Play as one of the four Vault Hunters, who each have their own unique abilities and skill trees, and stop the Calypso Twins from conquering the universe.
Moxxi’s Heist of the Handsome Jackpot
In this Story campaign add-on, you will join Moxxi’s crew to take control of Handsome Jack’s Casino called the Handsome Jackpot. During your quest, you will encounter new enemies, make new friends, and find a new LOOT!
Moxxi’s Heist on the Handsome Jackpot will offer you a ~10-hour story campaign with side quests and collectibles. I really enjoyed this DLC, It has the casino vibe and you get to meet an old “friend”. You can read my full review here.
Guns, Love, and Tentacles: The Marriage of Wainwright & Hammerlock
Sir Alistair Hammerlock and Wainwright Jakobs are finally tying the knot. They have invited you to the ice planet of Xylourgos to celebrate their marriage, however, things go bad and you have to secure their happily ever after.
Guns, Love, and Tentacles: The Marriage of Wainwright & Hammerlock will offer you a ~10-hour story campaign with side quests and collectibles. This is my favorite Borderlands 3 DLC as I really enjoyed the Lovecraft vibe! Full Review Here.
Bounty of Blood
Bounty of Blood: A Fistful of Redemption is a Western-inspired story campaign. You will be traveling to a new planet called Gehenna where you will claim a bounty on The Devil Riders. They are terrorizing the small town of Vestige and you are tasked to bring this vicious gang of bandits to justice.
This story campaign add-on will offer you a ~8-hour story campaign with side quests and collectibles. Bounty of Blood is beloved in the Borderlands community because it delivers a good story, with a good villain, and the loot (farming) is great. Check out my full review on Bounty of Blood here.
Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck
Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck will take you into the mind of Krieg the Psycho. Because Tannis believes it contains the secret location of “Vaulthalla”. It’s up to you to help both sides of Krieg’s mind and find this mythical place.
This hits differently as this DLC was developed during the pandemic and not only tackles this complex character but also dives into the inner struggles that we face. While this DLC is a bit shorter than the others with clocking in ~6 hours it hits on other emotional levels. Check out my full review of the Fantastic Fustercluck here.
The Designer’s Cut
The Designer’s Cut DLC of Borderlands 3 adds an additional skill tree to each Vault Hunter and a brand new survival mode called Arms Race.
The new purple skill trees offer a new way to play each Vault Hunter and tackle aspects that they previously didn’t master.
Arms Race is kind of a survival mode that is inspired by popular battle royal modes. You get stripped from your loadout and need to loot the arena in order to stay alive. However, due to a storm, the playable area becomes smaller and forces you to the boss fight. You can extract new loot from this mode to the main game. Check out my full Arms Race review here.
The Director’s Cut
The Director’s Cut DLC adds that additional cherry on top of an already great cake! The elements themselves aren’t as sizeable as the other DLCs but the complete package elevates the whole game and adds content for the fans.
Ava’s Murder Mysteries adds multiple detective side quests throughout the story campaign that reveal some interesting things.
Vault Cards give you additional challenges and rewards.
Hemovorous the Invincible is a challenging Raid Boss if you (and your friends) want to test your build.
Then there is the Behind the Scenes content that shows how the game was made.
30+ Cosmetic items
Borderlands 3 Ultimate Edition also includes over 30 additional cosmetic items like the “COV Alternative Universe Cosmetics” and “Final Form” skins.
These are really cool but there are also a ton of skins to find in the game and DLCs.
Conclusion
This is the ultimate edition of Borderlands 3, It has everything and you get to start with the Designer’s Cut and Director’s Cut in place, which gives you the most complete Borderlands 3 experience.
There is a ton of gameplay content in this package and you can take it wherever you go. I can see “Arms Race” being that quick game for on-the-go.
