Borderlands has always been an over the top series ever since its inception. So much so that someone could say, "Man, I wish this game had guns that could talk or guns with legs," and would you look at that, they do! But that's small fry compared to what we want to see in Borderlands 3. Gearbox hasn't detailed just how exactly it will improve upon the looter shooter formula, but we have a few ideas as to what can make the experience even better for longtime fans and newcomers alike.
Here are five features we'd love to see in Borderlands 3. (And two we don't.)
More character customization options
Before anyone misunderstands, I don't mean that Borderlands needs a character creator or anything of the sort. That stuff can stick to proper RPGs. What I'd like to see is the current customization options expanded upon, and possibly even add armor into the mix. Right now your customization options are purely cosmetic with different character heads and skins. It'd be nice to have some variety that can affect the gameplay in some way while still making your character look badass. That's where armor can come in as an entirely new loot pool.
Cross-play
Borderlands 3 would be the perfect title to implement cross-play in. While the first game has a small PvP arena meant for competitive multiplayer, the series is by and large a co-op experience unless you prefer to go solo. We don't know if PvP will be making a return in some form, but it's safe to say Borderlands 3 will have cooperative gameplay, and it would be amazing if we could play with our friends on other systems. Sony historically hasn't been too keen on cross-play with Xbox One, but Microsoft is more than willing to open up cross-play capabilities. At the very least, Xbox One/PC cross-play would be nice to see.
Ability to visit other planets
This one seems to be the most likely addition we'll see added as the Borderlands 3 trailer notes that players will "explore the worlds." In previous games, we were generally stuck on Pandora (or Pandora's moon Elpis in The Pre-Sequel), and we know for a fact that vaults are on other planets across the galaxy in the Borderlands universe. This would let Gearbox really stretch their legs and come up with varied locations, characters, and cultures. Maybe we could even visit the planet of Promethea where the Atlas Corporation first found Eridian technology.
Photo mode
With Borderlands' signature art style how could we not want a built-in photo mode? It's the perfect game for one. A lot of games with photo modes today tend to be hyper-realistic, or at least aim for graphics as real as possible. The Division 2, Assassin's Creed, God of War, Spider-Man. The list goes on. It'd be pretty cool to add Borderlands 3 to that list, especially given the possibilities with its chaotic gameplay.
Modifiable weapons and crafting
Gearbox boasted that Borderlands 3 would have "1 billion guns," a drastically increased number from the over 17 million in Borderlands 2. These numbers are certainly inflated with various stat variations, but you can't argue that the series still has a hell of a lot of guns. Unfortunately, as it is you can't modify them or craft them in any way. Whatever the boss drops is what you get, and is what you'll stick with until you find a better one. I'd like to see Borderlands 3 give us the opportunity to find upgradable parts for our weapons and swap out pieces like scopes and magazines, or even change the elemental damage effect.
And no, the Grinder in The Pre-Sequel does not count as true gun crafting.
Honorable mention
Spoilers for those who haven't played Tales from the Borderlands: Bring back Scooter somehow.
And what we don't want to see in Borderlands 3?
No battle royale
Does this even need to be said? Please, no battle royale. I get it. It's a popular genre. Gearbox could always add in a battle royale mode without making it the focus of the game. The success of Apex Legends makes it even more feasible for a game like Borderlands to add battle royale with its unique characters and abilities. But that's not what Borderlands is, and that's not what we want to see.
No loot boxes or microtransactions
Another thing we don't want? Loot boxes and microtransactions. Borderlands currently has something within the same vein as a loot box called the Golden Chest, which can be opened using Golden Keys acquired through SHiFT Codes and rewards random rare items, but it's not really the same as a traditional loot box as you don't need to spend real money to unlock one and it isn't anti-consumer like most. SHiFT Codes are given out free to those with a Gearbox SHiFT account, and the company frequently posts codes online for users to grab up.
