New Game Mode Announced
Gearbox Software and 2K Games announced that Borderlands 3 is getting more DLC beyond the initial season pass content. The next premium DLC was teased during the Gearbox Digital Showcase. It mentioned new skill trees for each of the Vault Hunters and a new game mode. While we got a little taste of FL4K’s new skill tree, the new game mode was completely left in the dark. After the digital event, Gearbox President, Randy Pitchford mentioned on twitter that “Calling it a new game mode might be underselling it”. To him, it’s like an entirely new kind of game, and looking at a recent interview it sounds like we are in for a whole new experience.
I think calling it a new game mode might be underselling it. To me, it’s like an entirely new kind of game. I cannot wait until it’s ready to share more details! https://t.co/92zom3nmli
— Randy Pitchford (@DuvalMagic) September 13, 2020
Arms Race is Not a Battle Royale Game
In a recent Gamespot interview, the site talks with Randy Pitchford (President GBX) and Graeme Timmens (BL3 Live Team) about Borderlands 3’s first year and get a little tease at what’s ahead. This included some details about the new game mode which is set to be revealed later in October, likely during the next episode of the Borderlands Show.
The new standalone mode is called Arms Race. It sets players in an isolated map, where every gun they pick up will matter throughout the game mode. Randy Pitchford stated that Arms Race does have elements that players who love Call of Duty and battle royale games might find interesting, however, it is “not a battle royale game.” Graeme Timmins adds that it’s their goal to make the guns matter in this game mode.
“Our goal with Arms Race is to make the gun game in our game of millions of guns really matter, I can talk about that game mode for hours. I’m so excited about it, but we’ll have to wait. I’ll say it’s got its own environment and just leave it at that [for now].” Graeme Timmins
Discussion
I’m excited to learn more about this new game mode. Randy compared it with Battle Royale Games but mentioned it’s not a Battle Royale game. Curious why he still made that comparison as people will make that association from now on. Funny enough is that before Borderlands 3 was announced some folks were saying it will be a Battle Royale game since that was the trend.
An arms race occurs when two or more nations participate in interactive or competitive increases in “persons under arms” as well as “war material”. Simply defined as a competition between two or more states to have superior armed forces; a competition concerning production of weapons, the growth of a military, and the aim of superior military technology. Wikipedia
Graeme said they want to make guns matter. If it’s really a standalone game mode this could mean that we only have a subset of weapons. Fewer numbers but greater diversity. On the other side in the Forbes interview with Graeme, it was mentioned that the new class mods for the new skill trees would drop inside the new game mode. Therefore, I wonder how standalone Arms Race is as the Forbes interview suggests that items can cross-over.
My head is still in this “Battle Royale” space and therefore I kinda want to say that weapons are a resource. Setting you up on this isolated map up against other players. You need to collect as many weapons and bring them to a specific point? Mixing PvE with PvP elements?
On the other hand it could be a fancy title for an official “The Hunt” like game mode. Where you can compete who gets all the legendary drops the quickest.
More info about this new game mode soonish. I’ll keep you up-to-date! Let me know what you think of Arms Race.
