Borderlands 3 is just a few months away, and players can not wait to get their hands on the long-awaited sequel. Since the epic gameplay reveal stream, fans have been clamouring for more news on the game, especially in terms of the differences between Borderlands 3 vs Borderlands 2.

Since Gearbox has remained mostly tight-lipped, we have searched, sourced, and collected and created a list of the biggest things Borderlands 3 will do differently when compared to Borderlands 2, and there is a lot! The list includes significant gameplay changes, casting leaks, and more.

Here are the 10 major differences for the Borderlands 3 VS Borderlands 2 debate

NO MORE SLAG [SORT OF]

A constant threat that players had to deal with in Borderlands 2 was slag – an element that increased all incoming damage for quite some time. This was not only annoying, but could literally mean life or death in a few hairy situations. Borderlands 3 will be doing away with slag… sort of. In terms of the Borderlands 3 VS Borderlands 2 comparison, we have surmised that players will instead have to deal with Radiation: a new damage-over-time ailment. How it will work, exactly, is still an unknown.

BETTER MOVEMENT

Falling damage has never been an issue in Borderlands. In fact, it is one of the game’s best aspects! However, there is no denying that Borderlands 2 felt stiff compared to what it could have been. Fortunately, Borderlands 3 seems to feature improved mantling and movement capabilities! In the reveal livestream, characters could be seen climbing boxes and buildings – something we have always wanted to see in a Borderlands game.

PLAYER HOUSING

Heck yeah baby! Players will be able to own and decorate their own quarters in Borderlands 3. The gameplay livestream confirmed that players can decorate the walls with their favourite guns, and even feature decorations that change depending on the chosen character. I am almost certain that this alone will bring all massively multiplayer online (MMO) players to the game once it releases, and is a one of the main differences when looking at Borderlands 3 VS Borderlands 2.

MODERN TAKE ON ENEMY LABELS

Considering how old Borderlands actually is, it may come as a surprise that its “edgy” nature has not aged as well as the developers thought it would. In the original game and its sequel, players frequently confronted enemy characters called Midgets. According to an interview with PCGamesN, Gearbox has renamed many enemies to feature names that are not as inappropriate for today’s much more inclusive climate. Psychos still remain “Psychos” though. You know, because we all have one of those in our lives.

INTERACTIVE ENVIRONMENT

Gamers seldom expect the level of environmental destruction featured in Battlefield games to be in other games. It is kind of like a secret rule. However, it is always a cool surprise to see when games have some semblance of environmental interactiveness to them, versus nothing at all. Thus, in terms of Borderlands 3 VS Borderlands 2 differences, it certainly makes the ability to light oil on fire or use elemental barrels to damage characters and set environmental traps, all the more exciting.

NO MORE FAMILIAR CLAPTRAP

Look. I am not saying that like, half of the people I know (myself included) play the game just for only Claptrap… but they totally do. The previous Borderlands games featured one of the most loyal, incredibly funny, and impossibly clumsy computer allies ever. Claptrap is great! Gearbox is aware of that fact, and is confirmed to be bringing Claptrap back for Borderlands 3. The thing is that he will not be the same Claptrap we have all grown to love!

I was fine moving on after Gearbox. But when my former boss starts mouthing off about various aspects of my employment including “how highly compensated” I was and how “generous” he is, I feel obligated to correct the record.

— David Eddings (@davideddings) May 7, 2019

In a tweet by Claptrap voice actor David Eddings, it was revealed that Eddings is no longer working for the company, and it is apparently all because he wanted compensation for his work. Oh, and because Randy Pitchford physically assaulted the guy. Not cool, Gearbox. Not cool at all. Changing Claptraps voice is a definite negative when looking at Borderlands 3 VS Borderlands 2.

NO MORE PANDORA

Well, not entirely. Pandora still exists, but Borderlands 3 will finally allow players to leave Pandora’s orbit via a new “hub location” spaceship called Sanctuary 3. The spaceship will act as an intergalactic ferry to new and exciting worlds, each with their own unique aesthetic. It is still unknown how this will play into the entire Vault Hunter plot-line from the previous entries, but it will definitely ensure for a lot more variety in gameplay! Basically, in terms of Borderlands 3 VS Borderlands 2, the new game will probably be bigger and better.

NO Vault Hunter DLC

While not entirely set in stone, Gearbox revealed that, unlike Borderlands 2, the sequel does not have any planned Vault Hunters as post-launch content. This means that the Vault Hunter characters you get at launch, will likely remain the only Vault Hunter characters you can choose – for the time being anyway. I am not entirely sure how this will work, or if this is a possible result of a new progression system or character customisation system we do not know about yet, but only time will tell!

BETTER LOOT SCALING

Gearbox made it very clear during the reveal event that Borderlands 3 will feature instanced loot and loot scaling. A hug positive in the Borderlands 3 VS Borderlands 2 debate. The aim for this is so all players can join up and play together without ruining the experience. Loot scaling allows lower level players to earn guns appropriate to their level, while loot instancing will finally allow everyone to loot from the same chest or drop, without worrying that others players will have stolen their share. The game will also feature a Classic Mode for anyone who wants to do things the old way.

https://youtu.be/JiEu23G4onM

MULTIPLE ACTIVE ABILITIES

Unlike its predecessors, Borderlands 3 will let every character run up to three different active abilities at once. Gearbox states that, depending on the character, they may also have augments or elements associated with the abilities, making them unique to the player and their style. The reveal stream also confirmed that players will have access to Action Skills right from the start, which removes the need to work through an entire spate of tutorial quests before you can use a single skill.

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While these changes and improvements are by no means definitive, they are most certainly the biggest we could discern from the official footage and social feeds available to us at this moment in time. While one or two things may seem worrisome, I think it is safe to say that when it comes to Borderlands 3 VS Borderlands 2, it is going to be one heck of a sequel!

Borderlands 3 is slated for release on 13 September 2019 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows. No Nintendo Switch, MacOS, Linux, Google Stadia, or any other “Netflix for Gaming” wannabes out there. Not yet, anyway.

[Sources: CNet, Gamespot, PC Gamer, Polygon(1)(2), YouTube(1)(2)(3)(4)