Borderlands 3 Will Have Cosmetics, But No Pay-To-Win Paywalls

Back at PAX East this year in Boston, Gearbox Software showcased a handful of different games to be coming from the self-published studio like Bulletstorm for Nintendo Switch and a handful of different indie titles that Gearbox has announced to back leading towards the titles’ release in the coming months.

The one that many have anticipated for weeks prior to the annual event was the inevitable Borderlands 3. Gearbox Head Randy Pitchford reassuring fans that there is no battle royale aspect touching the franchise, but for microtransactions, this was one element fans were worried to plague the upcoming first-person RPG.

Now following the recent livestream showcasing the title’s gameplay trailer, Pitchford went to announce that Borderlands 3 will in fact have no microtransactions at the slightest at launch or following after. Here’s where it gets a little grey though: players will not have the ability to purchase gameplay affecting weapons and gear, but cosmetics will be up for purchase at launch.

“We’re selling cosmetic items, but we’re not going to nickel and dime players,” Gearbox’s Paul Sage shared with Game Informer. “DLC will come down the line, but the game won’t have anything excessive.”

The Gearbox Boss adds onto the matter by sharing that pay-to-win loot boxes and other forms game altering microtransactions away from the game was the studio’s initial plan for the game and plans to stick with it. “We’ve made a commitment to the story, style, and design that our fans have told us loud and clear that they cherish and want us to preserve.”

Following the confusion from Pitchford, 2K later had to confirm that cosmetics will be present when the title drops later this year. The statement emphasizing “that none of these purchases would be considered pay-to-win or impacting on the gameplay, like weapons or actual gear.”

Borderland 3 will be out on September 13, 2019 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.