Borderlands -- the fantastic end result of an FPS that was impregnated by an RPG with a rusty instrument -- had an impressive October debut, taking third place in the October NPD results with over 400,000 units sold. The success is kind of a big deal, but there’s something even more to be made out of the numbers. According to Gearbox Software in a recent press release, Borderlands has had the best week one sales of any fresh (game) IP in all of 2009.
“We are extremely excited about the reception that Borderlands has earned,” said studio head honcho and Valve-lover Randy Pitchford via the press release, “and I am personally very proud of the incredible team here at Gearbox for having created video game’s first great shooter-looter.”
He continues, thanking fans and 2K for their support.
Borderlands is indeed an f’ing metal game, worthy of the sales and heads it has turned thus far. I’ve had a good time with it at least. What say you guys?
Borderlands is my favorite game this year so far, I doubt I will like L4D2 more than it but I guess we'll find out tomorrow! I'm glad to see it's been doing so well.
Congrats to Gearbox for putting out a game that kept on its promises and rocked so hard! A few issues (and the PC thing) aside, I think gearbox deserves the praise they've been given over this game.
I don't understand not liking this game, but you know, to each their own. I've enjoyed it a ton and am excited for the zombie dlc. Does anyone know how they're putting the dlc in the game? Do the enemies scale or do you have to do the dlc at a certain point in the story?
This is the most fun I've had with a PC Game since Bioshock. I cannot wait for the DLC and the pending PC patches to fix up a couple of issues. Way to go 2K Games, I can haz sequel plz? Pwetty Pwz?
It's absolutely mindless in a great way. The satisfaction of taking down the bosses with a few people is loads of fun. Great idea of letting you join people that are no where near you in the story. I'll def. be looking out for a sequel
Has anyone else been having issues with the 360 version not dropping good enough weapons? I have the PC and 360 version and with four players on the PC we end up with great weapons, but the 360 version shafts us and we blow through ammo like crazy. Other than this minor flaw (I hope it remains minor), the game is fantastic fun and I can't wait for the DLC.
NPD doesn't even count PC, so I would add at least another 100,000 to that, especially since Steam had a massive preorder deal and pretty much everyone I know bought the game on Steam.
Way to go Pitchford, you're an ass but your game rocks and deserved this.
Diablo II, and Phantasy Star Online had linear stories, (sometimes no story at all), and hardly ANY quests. And I bought those for $50, and played each for 400+ hours.
Borderlands could have been like that. But they opted to go for spoon fed DLC for $10 a pop rather than a higher level cap/grinding system. Diablo's max level cap was 99, and Phantasy Star's was hundreds of levels. Hell, in Borderlands, you can't even farm the final boss, or customize your character outside of a few bland color palettes. There's so many wasted opportunities in that game.
Borderlands on paper was exactly what I wanted in a modern game.
Unfortunately the game didn't quite live up to my hopes. The class specializations only increased raw percentages instead of providing unique abilities or real role variation. The environment, while initially impressive, was repetitive. They needed more than a single desert texture set, and 5 enemy models.
The quest interface, which requires reading reams of text no one cares about, interrupted fast-pace game flow. Most modern RPGs have replaced this with a more informative UI and voice dialogue. Ammo and item collection was obnoxious, at best.
It was a good first attempt at a great new idea. There are many areas the formula can be improved and refined however.
I'm glad someone else feels that way. I was so hopeful about this game. It seemed like the perfect marriage of gameplay types. But they didn't fully embrace what makes an action RPG fun. It isn't reading 10000 words of text or capping after 20-30 hours of play.
And after you hit level cap, what then? There isn't the variety of interesting gear that Diablo had. I mean, I like a lot about Borderland's item system, but they chose quantity over quality by far.
No thanks to the PS3 users. I weep for my brethren, too cheap to buy Uncharted 2 AND Borderlands.
I can't wait for the first DLC, and I'll probably buy every piece of Borderlands DLC, because I really enjoy my time in that game, more than most others, actually.
I give them credit for releasing the game next to MW2 when everyone else pushed back. I bought the game mainly to support that, and as it turns out the game was fking amazing. Crazy what happens when you make a good game, it sells regardless of the market.
Borderlands really has its moments and it was unique(at least art style was), but then again it is the same old shoot-and-loot(more emphasis on looting) every other bugger in the market.
Still Magnalon said, this game could have been so much more. Let's hope that the probable sequel give us that.
I'm consistently amazed at the love-it-or-hate-it attitude Borderlands seems to be garnering. I mean, I recognize it's flaws when compared apples to apples against other games of the ilk, but there's some serious vitriol flying here.
Congrats to Gearbox, they deserve all the praise they can get for making such a great game. Sure, it had its flaws, but the overall experience was definitely worth. I don't think I've had so much fun playing a co-op game with friends in a long time.
Interestingly enough though, seems like it's a rather polarizing game based on the comments here. Some people absolutely love it, and some of you guys seem determined to brand it as the most worthless disappointing IP of all 2009. Ah well, I personally enjoyed it and I'll continue to do so for at least a few more months.
Getting this for Xmas, can wait. It's good to see new IPs sell well, as the reason we don't see enough is because of the risk that they might not sell well.
Best original game this year. The art style, the blending of fps and rpg elements, persistant characters and those 17 mill guns is far beyond what any devloper has done this year. While others were rehashing old products, Gearbox was innovating for a better game experience.
@Matrix
I feel pretty good, considering little to no kills from skilled players are knife spam; which you would know if you played it for more than a few minutes.
DUR HUR U FORGOT GRENADE SPAM. LOL AND COPTER SPAM.
I thought this could possibly be the Diablo 2-esque game that grabbed me again (like that did years ago) alas it's good, but doesn't touch D2 in any way shape or form. Basically, the comparisons should end at, 'the game has loot'.
I was gonna buy this but I think I will just wait for the sequel. Now that Valve has opened the floodgates for releasing "sequels" in less than a year we should be seeing Borderlands 2 by next november.
I bought Borderlands over MW2 because A) I wanted a decent length campaign. B) I wanted a crazy as hell co-op experience and C) I wanted something new and different.
I was not in the slightest bit disappointed - and that speaks volumes.
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Contest:
4:20 PM on 11.16.2009
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But that's good to hear, still, since it's a fantastic game.
AWESOME!
[i]MAYBE THEY'LL PATCH THE SHAMELESS CONSOLE PORT THAT IS THE PC VERSION GUYS
But that's good to hear, still, since it's a fantastic game.[/i]
This.
This is the most fun I've had with a PC Game since Bioshock. I cannot wait for the DLC and the pending PC patches to fix up a couple of issues. Way to go 2K Games, I can haz sequel plz? Pwetty Pwz?
Way to go Pitchford, you're an ass but your game rocks and deserved this.
I maxed out in 30 hours.
Diablo II, and Phantasy Star Online had linear stories, (sometimes no story at all), and hardly ANY quests. And I bought those for $50, and played each for 400+ hours.
Borderlands could have been like that. But they opted to go for spoon fed DLC for $10 a pop rather than a higher level cap/grinding system. Diablo's max level cap was 99, and Phantasy Star's was hundreds of levels. Hell, in Borderlands, you can't even farm the final boss, or customize your character outside of a few bland color palettes. There's so many wasted opportunities in that game.
Unfortunately the game didn't quite live up to my hopes. The class specializations only increased raw percentages instead of providing unique abilities or real role variation. The environment, while initially impressive, was repetitive. They needed more than a single desert texture set, and 5 enemy models.
The quest interface, which requires reading reams of text no one cares about, interrupted fast-pace game flow. Most modern RPGs have replaced this with a more informative UI and voice dialogue. Ammo and item collection was obnoxious, at best.
It was a good first attempt at a great new idea. There are many areas the formula can be improved and refined however.
I'm glad someone else feels that way. I was so hopeful about this game. It seemed like the perfect marriage of gameplay types. But they didn't fully embrace what makes an action RPG fun. It isn't reading 10000 words of text or capping after 20-30 hours of play.
And after you hit level cap, what then? There isn't the variety of interesting gear that Diablo had. I mean, I like a lot about Borderland's item system, but they chose quantity over quality by far.
It was all an illusion of progression.
I can't wait for the first DLC, and I'll probably buy every piece of Borderlands DLC, because I really enjoy my time in that game, more than most others, actually.
Follow up: has that guy been right about anything this year?
Still Magnalon said, this game could have been so much more. Let's hope that the probable sequel give us that.
Interestingly enough though, seems like it's a rather polarizing game based on the comments here. Some people absolutely love it, and some of you guys seem determined to brand it as the most worthless disappointing IP of all 2009. Ah well, I personally enjoyed it and I'll continue to do so for at least a few more months.
Also did anyone else on the 360 get modded weapons? I got something that does 50000 x 6 dmg.
Trying to find MOAR!
Most of us here enjoyed it very much, but the consensus is getting max level/the longevity factor blows.
Very old -very quick.
Bizarre lack of change in environment from map to map.
Almost zero replay value. Characters add little change.
No new enemies playing through the second time.
I was initially excited playing this and now that I have hit the cap even missions seem pointless.
How can a modern developer not understand that a supposedly "HUGE" world that all looks the same feels very small, and redundant.
I feel pretty good, considering little to no kills from skilled players are knife spam; which you would know if you played it for more than a few minutes.
DUR HUR U FORGOT GRENADE SPAM. LOL AND COPTER SPAM.
Do you like anything?
I was not in the slightest bit disappointed - and that speaks volumes.