Borderlands 3 only came out a month ago, so it's best to savor all the goodness Gearbox Software delivered to fans who patiently waited all these years for the sequel. At the same time, it's hard not to ponder the future while exploring Pandora and the other planets contained within the game.
With the next generation on the horizon, is the studio already thinking about ways to take advantage of new hardware? Whatever their plans may be, we have some ideas of our own as to what we want from the next Borderlands. The following are mostly subjective, though a couple include obvious quality of life changes that would drastically improve game play.
10 Improved Map System
The most recent title in the series already made some profound changes to the map, but it's not up to the standard other contemporary open world games have set. Breath of the Wild allows the player to lay down multiple custom way points at once. Rockstar Games titles like Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption 2 let the player temporarily expand the map with the push of a button to get better bearings and also mark the best path to a destination. These three features are just a few of many possible ways the next game could make navigation easier.
9 Better Optimized At Launch
One of the game's shortcomings is its performance. Things aren't so bad when playing solo, but going in and out of the menus sometimes takes several seconds. Players with the PS4 Pro or XBOX One X have also found that the High Resolution modes have trouble keeping up an acceptable frame rate. Additionally, split-screen takes a big hit, an unfortunate fact for the couch co-op lovers. While patches may remedy these in the future, a sequel should address these before the game ships.
8 Make Notable Supporting Characters Playable
All of the mainline games have introduced a new group of Vault Hunters as playable characters. By the end of Borderlands 3, the supporting cast is sizable and varied. Many would appreciate the chance to play as some of these during the next title's campaign instead of all new fresh faces.
Why introduce a new Siren if both Tannis and Ava have their own unique abilities? The third game does a better job than the prior ones at giving the new faces personalities, but they could be livelier if they all had previously established backstories.
7 Better Driving
Driving sure is wonky considering the amount of time players spend behind the wheel. We're not asking for it to feel as smooth and refined as GTA V, but the current method makes turning slow and unreliable. As of now, it feels more like the player controls the camera which then steers the car.
If cruising around was more fun, the developers could craft more unique side quests revolving around motor vehicles. Currently, the weakest missions involve driving, whether it be jumping over ramps or making deliveries.
6 Upgrading Guns
Playing with the series' core mechanics is toying with fire, but so little has changed regarding equipment in the past ten years. The number of guns and variety has increased, but something needs to shake up the formula more dramatically.
If players could upgrade their existing guns to hold on to them a little longer, it would help postpone those sad moments when one's favorite firearm becomes obsolete. Maybe they could buy upgrades or they could come from unwanted guns scavenged in the field. If it was the latter, it would make picking up the thousands of guns per play session a more alluring effort.
5 Learning More About The World Outside The Corporations
The third game delves far deeper into the lore than ever before. At the end of the day, however, it still deals primarily with corporations and Vaults. The next entry should not be afraid to shy away from these themes and go for something else.
The Eridians and the Watcher are two enigmatic topics fans desperately want to know more about. The companies and Vaults can still play a role, but it doesn't have to revolve around them.
4 Expanded Melee Combat
Some players have concocted a build for Amara that renders her melee attacks hilariously overpowered. While it is somewhat unbalanced to go this route, it does spark an idea for the next game. Instead of focusing mainly on guns, why not include a variety of melee weapons as well? One of the characters could be a dedicated melee specialist, wielding a plethora of knives, blunt objects, and heavy everyday items. Balancing it for both fun and fairness seems like a nightmare, but it would be worth it to give players more options. Some people are bad at shooters but still enjoy the RPG mechanics, and a melee-focused character would be perfect for them.
3 The Watcher
The Watcher is a mysterious force. Several people mention it in echo logs, but it only showed up in person during Borderlands: The Pre-Sequels' ending. Neither the players nor any of the characters know a thing about the entity. Is it looking out for the human race or could it care less about people? Assuming future DLC doesn't reveal any juicy details about the creature, here's hoping the fourth numbered game finally pulls back the curtain.
2 Gun Editor
To some, the ability to craft one's own weapon goes against everything Borderlands represents, but perhaps a way exists to include such a feature while maintaining the focus on collecting loot.
Creating a gun could be one of the last features players unlock, and even then one would still have to find specific parts and do quests in order to unlock various components. Legendary guns, for example, could be crafted by finding specific parts instead of simply earning the whole weapon at once.
1 No Pandora (Or At Least Save It For Later)
The opening hours are the weakest points of Borderlands 3's story. Arriving on Pandora via bus gives players an unwelcome sense of Deja Vu. We're not saying the next game has to eschew the iconic desert planet completely, but starting the game off in a fresh environment would be a welcome change. Players could then visit the planet later in the game. Leaving it out completely may upset a few fans, but the series and lore has expanded so much, the barren world no longer has to be the central focus.