Update: April 3,2019
You can pre-order the Borderlands 3 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Windows PC (6 months Epic Store Exclusive), so this rumor is officially debunked.
Update: March 29,2019
For the moment this rumor doesn’t seem to be true as the official PlayStation channels have also promoted the Borderlands 3 announcement trailer.
Update: May 25,2018
Gearbox President Randy Pitchford debunks the rumor that Borderlands 3 will be a Microsoft exclusive. However, in the tweet, he says that Gearbox didn’t sign such a thing. But isn’t the publisher in control of that? That would mean that 2K Games would need to sign it. GBX Devs have said in the past that they just make the game and 2K sells it. But that’s just adding more speculation to a rumor article.
But what do you think about this leak, do you think it’s real? Let me know in the comments below. I’ll be covering this game extensively so check back from time to time for more updates. If you have any other specific questions then check out the Borderlands 3 FAQ for a quick overview of the most frequently asked Borderlands 3 questions.
Original Article: April 6, 2018
Earlier this week Rectify Gaming posted an article claiming that their sources tell them that Microsoft acquired the rights to exclusivity market Borderlands 3. Besides having the rights for the next Borderlands game Microsoft would also have the rights for some other potential heavy hitters. Last year before E3 2017 Rectify Gaming’s sources gave them info about ‘intel on ReCore Definitive Edition‘ and the ‘Xbox One X‘ which turned out to be mostly accurate.
The recent Borderlands 3 leak also suggested a reveal on June 10. This is the same day when Microsoft has its Xbox presentation for E3 2018. While that leak used artwork from Dark Souls 2 and therefore got dismissed, I did mention that it’s still possible that we could see something at E3 this year. Because we have gotten a lot of hints that Borderlands is in development. While the Electronic Entertainment Expo is like 2 months away, this news by Rectify Gaming doesn’t confirm there will be a reveal at the E3. However, next to GamesCom it would be one of the bigger events that we know Microsoft will be present at. And if 2K Games wants to hit their Borderlands 3 release window there has to be something soon-ish.
Having the right to exclusively market a game doesn’t mean Borderlands 3 will be a (timed) exclusive for the Xbox platforms. It does mean that all the commercials will be branded to that specific platform and all demo pods will feature their controllers. I don’t mind playing on an Xbox Controller as I’m used to playing on that. It was a bit weird for me when I had to transition from playing Battleborn on an Xbox controller and later going to a Playstation controller at a Battleborn press event.
For the moment this is still a rumor but it is possible. Microsoft has been getting some slag for not having enough exclusives. However, getting those is pretty hard if you are not the leading gaming platform. Publishers will prefer the biggest console party and currently, Playstation is still in the lead. Therefore I mentioned that that scenario would be more likely in previous statements. 2K Games also partnered with Sony with Battleborn. Phil Spencer, Head of Xbox, has been mentioning that they are preparing a kickass show of E3 that would fulfill consumer demand. But that’s a pretty brought statement. For now, we have to wait and see if we will be seeing exclusive Borderlands 3 content on the Xbox/Microsoft channels.
Possible Microsoft Marketing Exclusives
- Borderlands 3 (unannounced / rumored game)
- Splinter Cell (unannounced / rumored game)
- Metro Exodus (showcased at Microsoft’s 2017 E3)
- Cyberpunk 2077 (I thought this game was still a long way out)
- Battlefield 5 WW 2 (EA and Microsoft have been very close business partners recently)
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Microsoft had a timed exclusive with the previous Tomb Raider)
- Anthem (reveal at Microsoft’s E3 conference last year)
- Elder Scrolls 6 ( I haven’t heard anything about this game)
- Madden NFL 19 (long history of Xbox partnerships over the years)
Jorge Esparza
Borderlands 3 is now borderlands x? I’ll wait for the sequel, borderlands xxx
Ellinger Valentin
X is just a spacer for whatever they will call it
Jorge Esparza
Ellinger Valentin I’m still waiting for a xxx version with more violence and dirty jokes
MentalMars
Jorge Esparza borderlands xxx is the miss moxxi stand alone spin-off
MentalMars
Yeah it’s not sure if the next borderlands still be bl3. I found the x also suggestive forward the xbox, maybe neXt
Jorge Esparza
Mixxx moxxxxxi fantaxxxtic voyaxxxe, I’m buying.
Luca Mercuri
they should indeed add a dlc about moxxi story, you can hear somuch about her in all the games but at the end we have no propper dlc .
Chad Ting Ramos
well if it becomes an Xbox exclusive and the PC port is not available on Steam, sign me out
MentalMars
Yeah that would be terrible. However I don’t expect that to happen
Luca Mercuri
nah i dont think soo , microsoft presented borderlands 2, so it will probably just present this one too.
Saymon Carvalho
expect a low budget game now
Il Tony
Edoardo sperem di no sennò porcaccioilclero infilo la finestra in culo a Gates
Ricki Guldborg Jensen
I hope the fuck not! i dont want to pick it up a month later on micrsoft store… I Want my Borderlands to come home to steam and be with its brothers B1, B1½ and B2 plus tales of the B xD
Mick Mortensen
Tbh i dont think thats gonna happen there might be a huge backlash if they do it.
Ricki Guldborg Jensen
Mick Mortensen that may be, but If Gearbox get enough money, can Microsoft fuck what ever they want up. Just like they do now. Rare just made a decent game. However I didn’t even notice it was out because it wasn’t on the major services, like Ubisoft and steam. But on Microsoft store and just like Forza, made me don’t want to buy the game. I don’t think it will happen to Borderlands. However it is a legitimate threat and we have to be aware of the situation.
Ricki Guldborg Jensen
Mick Mortensen
Bluephosphorus
I would be fuckin livid
Robert Genik
Who cares, hurry up and finish it so I can play!
Mat
No exklusive only rights
DrIvanRadosivic
nope and nope.
plus it is possible this is just a prank.
Jorge Esparza
As much as I love borderlands I’m not buying n Xbox to play it. Bad move after all my friends on PSN have brought all games on PSN, that makes like 50 less sells and I’m not sure we’re the only ones.
Jamison Willis
I sold my Xbox and have a PS4.? ?
Kenny Howlett
Probably just Microsoft showing their stuff off. There won’t be any of that COD BS with DLC for BL3. Everything should come out at the same Time unless there’s troubles with a platform then they might have it delayed but people get upset over dumb stuff all the time
Kenny Howlett
Even if there was exclusive stuff on other systems I’m content with my Xbox1 until at least 2025 before I think of getting something else
Luca Mercuri
guys borderlands 2 was presented by microsoft too. They will never just have it on 1 console . Its just how marketing works around games. Someone has to present it or not?
MentalMars
Someone has to do it, GBX/2K aren’t doing it :p
Because of the early endeavors of MS with Xbox Live I do associate them more with (online) co-op, which is a key feature of Borderlands
Luca Mercuri
I hope only 1 thing…. Sea of thief is only on windows 10… and i dont use w10 because i dont like it at the moment…. So hope they ll let us play it on windows 7/8 tooo
Luca Mercuri
and.. borderlands “3” is in the hands of take 2 … sooo yeah there are a lot of money behind this game at the moment…
Patrick Quinn
I’m not too concerned – I’m assuming it will still hit the PC sooner or later. Gearbox has managed to do Borderlands console and desktop releases in the past, they can probably manage it again.
beya ??
oooh that would be bad…
Daniel Pereira
Fabio Costa ta chegando!!!
Fabio Costa
Kkkkkkkkkkkkkkk agora tô na viber do Gears 3 kkkkkkkk simbora!
B.d. Dickerson
if its not on ps4 they will miss tons of sales. im not gonna switch to a microsoft console after all the time and money i put in my playstation products.
MentalMars
Exclusives are a thing to win over people at the beginning of a console’s life cycle not at the end. But with all those small console upgrades when does a life cycle end.
Teddy Powers
Greatest news ever! Heather Rena