Remember Battleborn? No? Okay, well back in 2016 there were two games featuring colourful heroes and shooting that many saw as similar. The dawn of the Hero Shooter. One was Blizzard's Overwatch, the other Gearbox's Battleborn. As per the history book of life we all know how that head to head went, but over the weekend Gearbox shut down Battleborn severs for good.

Meaning that even the single-player or peer-to-peer side is no longer playable in any way. Not that many were still playing, over the past year the peak player count has been hovering at around 30-players on any given day (as per SteamCharts) -- still, with its morning cartoon vibe and character-driven cinematic story in the guise of FPS-MOBA hybrid, Battleborn was a very different game than anything else at the time.

On that front, as per our review from 2016, Battleborn was fun and different, yet ultimately flawed.

If you own a physical copy of the game then it's basically a coaster now. This is always the concern when it comes to always online titles, games that require a constant connection to a server -- it puts a question mark on the shelf life. And in the case of Battleborn it was roughly 4.5 years.

Not that there's a sizable audience that still plays Gearbox Software's hero shooter meets MOBA hybrid thing Battleborn. But, it's still disappointing to hear that online titles with single-player components can cease to exist.

In the case of Battleborn this means removing the game from storefronts, putting an end to virtual currency sales, and then in January 2021 switching off servers.

With publisher 2K Games noting, "The game’s servers will remain active and the game will continue to be playable until January 2021. However, once servers are deactivated, Battleborn will no longer be playable."

And this extends to the single-player story-driven campaign too, which will also become unplayable. So yeah, no Battleborn past the title screen as of 2021. The first phase of the sunset plan, which includes removing the game from sale has already happened.

It's more than safe to say, now that well over a year has passed, that Gearbox's Battleborn failed to step out of Overwatch's shadow and make a name for itelf. Released around about the same time, both titles being shooters with MOBA sensibilities didn't help. Battleborn being more of a MOBA, with lane-based multiplayer and co-operative story missions. It's actually pretty good all things considered.

In a new post over at the Gearbox forums, Battleborn Creative Director Randy Varnell took the time to let everyone know that "there will be no more Battleplans and there is currently no planned content after the Fall Update".


He then goes on to confirm that the servers will be up for the foreseeable future, and that current players can still play long after the updates stop. As for the studio and the team Randy advises that he has moved onto "highly anticipated project" that is almost definitely Borderlands 3.

I’ve been working on Battleborn nearly exclusively since 2012, and in some ways, that work stretches back to 2009 for me. It’s been a long labor of love with many of my good friends at Gearbox, and I’m proud to have shared that journey with you, our community. Your spirit and loyalty have been a constant inspiration to the team at Gearbox.

Also, I want to personally thank you for giving Battleborn a chance, and dipping down into a new universe with us. We make games for you. And many of you have shared with us how much Battleborn has meant to you personally.

This news comes after the recent change to a free-to-play model about three months ago for Battleborn, even though it was labeled Free Trial Mode.

Called the Battleborn Free Trial, it's available now for PC and Xbox One (with PS4 owners having to wait until next week) and grants unlimited access to all competitive multiplayer modes and maps in the game. With no time or level cap restrictions. Plus, a rotating roster of six playable heroes to choose from. Yeah, it's starting to sound a lot like a Free to Play MOBA.

For those that need a reminder Battleborn from Gearbox and 2K released last year to very little fanfare, in the sense that the juggernaut that is Overwatch was released around about the same time. And even though with its colourful heroes and first-person perspective it may look similar, in terms of modes things are very much kept in the MOBA realm -- with in-game levelling, lanes of AI enemies to deal with, and an enemy core to take out.

We had a lot of fun with it, so it's great to see it making this transition to reach a wider audience.



Those who've purchased the full game wont be left out as they'll receive a bunch of in-game item rewards. Plus, the ability to play with the entire roster of heroes on offer.

Yeah, so its no secret that Gearbox's Battleborn didn't sell all that well. Even though it's a fairly decent game that showed a lot of promise. And with low sales and a small player-base, rumours of it moving to a free-to-play model cropped up not that long ago. But even so, it's great to see that both 2K and Gearbox are continuing post-release support for the game with the first of five planned story-based DLC missions dropping today -- called "Attikus and the Thrall Rebellion."

Plus, a new free competitive multiplayer mode called Face-Off where two teams battle each other and the Varelsi to collect their face masks. Here's a trailer to accompany the release of the first Story Operation DLC.

In this Story Op, “Attikus and the Thrall Rebellion” gives you Attikus’ perspective with a film noir flair. Play as any of the Battleborn heroes to fight your way through the streets and rooftops of the Tempest slums.
Experience these highly replayable Story Operations solo or co-op with up to two buddies. Each time you relive the Thrall Rebellion, you can unlock new lore, skins, titles, and taunts. Not to mention all the dialogue, enemies, and objectives that change depending on your current playthrough.

Or, at the very least 2K and Gearbox will make the formal announcement soon. Chalk this one up to, "Well, what choice to they have". With Battleborn's sales and player numbers pretty much teetering on the brink on non-existence, especially when you compare them to Blizzard's Overwatch, this makes a lot of sense. The news, which has appeared over at Kotaku, comes from an anonymous source that pointed to the recent F2P model seen in Evolve as the catalyst for the change.

But, in response to the article Gearbox's Randy Pitchford denied any plans to turn Battleborn into a free-to-play title. But then hinted that a trial version of sorts is coming. And as the source noted that story content and certain characters would be available behind a paywall, it lends some legitimacy to the claim.

We have some unannounced plans to do a trial version of the game that would be free and from which retail can be purchased along with DLC.

— Randy Pitchford (@DuvalMagic) September 29, 2016

Whatever happens, it's clear that Battleborn hasn't been a success for 2K or Gearbox. And that repackaging the game as a free-to-play title with paywalls or hero rotation, could be the way to go.

With Gearbox's hero shooter slash first-person MOBA thing Battleborn out in the wild, the developer has posted its plans for future content, both paid-for and free. As part of the Season Pass, five additional Story Operations are set to drop before year's end, in addition to new characters and free additional maps and modes for the multiplayer side of things. As part of the update to its community, they offer up rough time-frames and details as to when we can expect to see it all.

The post, outlines the studio's plans to announce or release new content every other week starting in July.

FREE DLC CONTENT

• 5 more heroes, bringing the total to 30
  
  • Alani – released May 31st, 2016
    
  • Pendles – coming soon in July
    
  • Three more heroes to be revealed in late Summer through the Fall
  
  
• Three new PVP Maps in the next couple of weeks, one for each mode
  
• Broadcaster Mode coming hopefully next month
  
  • Broadcaster mode will allow you to spectate the battlefield using a set of third-person camera controls to follow players on either team, jump to points of interest, or to move freely around the battlefield in Private Versus Matches.
  
  
• In-game Reporting, our goal is to include it in the next major patch update for July
  
  • In the interest of making it easier to report players who are trying to ruin the fun for everyone, we’ve created an in-game reporting function that will be accessible through the scoreboard and allow you to flag players who are suspected of cheating, abandoning games, or ruining the overall experience.
  
  
• Matchmaking Adjustments: Ongoing
  
  • We regularly adjust and tweak matchmaking parameters in order to keep improving the matchmaking process. In fact, we’ll be testing out an overhaul to the matchmaking system starting later this week.
  
  
• Hero Balancing: Ongoing
  
  • As we gather data from matches and mission, we’ll continue to adjust and refine hero balance in the game. You can expect a bigger adjustment to 24 of the 26 characters likely coming in the next couple of weeks.
  
  
• Lore Challenges: Upcoming major patch
  
  • We are working on adjustments to lore requirements as well as how those requirements are tracked.
  
  
• New PVP mode this Fall
  
• Another new PVP mode in late Fall or Winter
  
• Weekly hot fixes as well as regular updates and patches
  

PREMIUM DLC CONTENT

Premium DLC content includes DLC packs 1 through 5, each with a playable Story Operation and unlockable skins and taunts, as well as early access to heroes 26 through 30 with the use of a hero key.

Premium DLC Timeline:

• Alani early access with hero key started May 24, 2016
  
• Pendles early access with hero key in mid-Summer
  
• Each DLC Story Operation release includes new, unlockable skins and taunts
  
• DLC 1 Story Operation “Attikus and the Thrall Rebellion” coming late Summer
  
• Heroes 28 – 30 early access, each with a hero key, coming mid-Summer through the Fall
  
• DLC 2 Story Operation around late Summer
  
• DLC 3 Story Operation coming early Fall
  
• DLC 4 Story Operation coming late Fall
  
• DLC 5 Story Operation coming this Winter

The first DLC Story Operation features Attikus and his twisted recount of the thrall rebellion he led to overthrow his Jennerit oppressors. Each DLC Story Operation is a highly-replayable scenario featuring one of Battleborn’s heroes. Each time you play through an Operation, the story, enemies, and objectives will change, increasing the difficulty but also the rewarded loot.

Alani, the first of five new free heroes coming to Battleborn, is available now for Season Pass and Digital Deluxe owners. Everyone else will have to wait until May 31 and cough up an unreasonable number of in-game credits to unlock her. But, based on two new reveal videos for the character, you may just want to start hording those credits as Alani's water-based attacks and healing both look pretty cool in action.

Alani is the last vestige of an Eldrid monastic warrior enclave on the freshwater ocean planet, Akopos. Raised with a deep reverence for water, Alani learned to embody and manipulate low-viscosity fluids with the use – er – rather, the warranty-breaking misuse of a water-soluble nanotech. This technology and her training allows her to manipulate water all around and even within her own body, healing injury and ailments.

And here's a Let's Play video of Alani in action.



As part of the reveal Gearbox has also given a sneak peak at the next free character coming to the game, called Pendles. A literal cold-blooded killer, because he's a reptile. That wears sneakers.

Alani, a new warrior-healer, will join the Battleborn ranks on May 31 free for all players. Well, for a hefty 47,500 in-game credits that is. Season Pass and Digital Deluxe owners will get the new character a week early as well as be given a unique Hero Key that can be used to unlock any character. Also, a double XP weekend event is kicking off tomorrow giving players double the Command Rank and Character Rank experience across all modes.

The double XP event will run until midnight on Wednesday, so plenty of time to beef up that command rank and unlock some the higher level heroes.

Here's a brief description of Alani, which we'll get to see in action for the first time on May 24.

A member of the Eldrid faction who was raised as a healer, but forced to be a warrior, Alani is all that remains of her order after Rendain’s Jennerit Imperium stole the oceans from her world. As a warrior from a planet with vast seas, Alani’s attacks and abilities revolve around her power to control water to dish out pain, or heal her fellow Battleborn.

Battleborn, which was released earlier this month was recently reviewed on AusGamers where it earned a respectable 7.8 for its unique take of first-person-MOBA-action-co-op-gaming.

We take Gearbox's latest offering Battleborn for a spin. A mix of traditional shooter, loot and cosmetic based progression, co-operative action game, story-based animated thing, and MOBA-ish hero and competitive design. Yep, Battleborn is a game as hard to pin down as it is bright and colourful. And thankfully it's that aspect -- the vibrant, colourful, and memorable heroes you get to play, that stand out.

So what’s Battleborn? Well, that’s a good question. For one it’s a co-operative character-based shooter, one where the different heroes on offer take on class roles like tank, medic, sniper, support, or assault. Albeit one where a mechanical robot butler that wears a monocle doubles as both a sniper and recon unit by sending out a mechanical owl to scout an area. Plus, he can spawn a giant time bubble that slows anyone caught within its giant bubble-ness. With 25 heroes to choose from, ranging from elves to sentient fungi, the different ways to play the game can be a little overwhelming. But thanks to the inventive abilities they share, it never feels boring.

Click here to read the AusGamers' Battleborn Review

After spending some time with the open beta I'm pretty excited about Gearbox's hero/co-op/MOBA/shooter-thing Battleborn. It features a bright and colourful cast of characters, the same irreverent humour found in the Borderlands games, and some pretty fun co-op and competitive action. And, it's out tomorrow for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.

Unlike Overwatch (which is getting it's own open beta later this week) Battleborn feels like a harder sell. Mainly because it's hard to gauge exactly what sort of game it is from watching trailers. One great thing about it is that outside of the MOBA-style competitive modes there's a detailed and lengthy campaign that can be played solo or with friends. And in split-screen too.

Save the universe. Got it. 25 diverse heroes, all from various galactic backgrounds. Sure. An evil dude who wants to destroy entire systems. Right, but why? And how. Also, where am I? With Gearbox's Battleborn launching next week, figuring out where all the heroes fit into the story can get a little tricky. So to set the scene, and get you up to speed with the world of Battleborn, Gearbox has released a handy three-part motion comic series.

Chapter 1: Running the Numbers

A few years and several hundred star veilings are enough to drive even the most loyal officers to betrayal.

Chapter 2: The Rescue

The Varelsi invasion is becoming overwhelming but the United Peacekeeping Republics (UPR) will not leave their own man, clone, or avian behind.

Chapter 3: No More Heroics

When the end of the star system is immanent, a UPR commander must choose between obeying orders, or saving untrustworthy potential allies.

Available now on Steam, PlayStation Network, and the Microsoft Store, the Open Beta for Gearbox's Battleborn is now, err, open for business. With access to two story missions, seven heroes, and a couple of competitive modes, this is your chance to dive in and become a galactic hero. Well, for a few days at least. So if you do decide to give it a spin, let us know what you think!

Mine is downloading now on Xbox One (gamertag 'Toadovsky'), and having only seen a few trailers on the game, and recently playing a bunch of the original Borderlands I'm keen to see how it plays. Especially when compared to something like Overwatch.

Dive solo into Battleborn’s Story Mode or bring some friends for up to 5-player co-op in two full episodes, “The Algorithm,” and “Void’s Edge.” Then challenge other players to duke it out in two Competitive Multiplayer Modes: Incursion and Meltdown.

In the Open Beta, you’ll start with 7 unlocked heroes and you’ll unlock more as you rank up and complete objectives. Experience the natural progression of the game as you unlock heroes, skins, taunts, titles, and more. Test out Battleborn’s multiple progression systems where playing either Story Mode or Competitive Multiplayer Modes will earn you XP towards temporary Helix augmentations as well as persistent Command Rank and Character Rank levels.

The open beta for Battleborn will conclude on April 18, with the full game set to release on May 3. To find out more about the open beta head to the offical site.

Starts today on PS4 and April 13 for Xbox One and PC. The open beta is set to debut with both story content and multiplayer stuff so it should give players a good taste of what to expect when the full game launches next month. Still unsure as to what exactly Batteblorn is all about? Well you're in luck as a new trailer, called Battleborn Bootcamp, goes over the story and several game modes.



There certainly seems to be a lot of content in Battleborn, and the vibrant visuals and wonderful hero designs look great too. And the differences to Blizzard's similar looking Overwatch are almost immediately apparent. It's also great to see this trend of betas, open betas, or as they used to be called in the '90s demos getting out there before a game launches.

Gearbox Software's Battleborn is set to drop May 3, and today the studio has revealed that the story mode, which can be played solo, split-screen, or with up to five players cooperatively online, is structured like a season of a TV series. Which means that players will be able to tackle any of the eight episodes using any of the 25 playable characters on offer.

You are the commander of the Battleborn, an uneasy alliance of intergalactic heroes from five different factions who have banded together to stop a dark and mysterious enemy from destroying the universe. Under your command, the Battleborn must live together or die alone.

Each episode, which will take on average about an hour to complete, has been designed with replayability in mind. Which, with a stable of 25 characters to choose from, is certainly a good thing. And with loot, gear, and experience tied to both the story and multiplayer content, this means that Battleborn will be another 'always online' experience.

Post-release content is expected to follow this seasonal approach, with the game launching in May serving as a sort of Season One for the franchise. Check out the new story trailer below.

And it'll include a bunch of free stuff as well as some exclusive stuff for those that shell out for the Season Pass. On the free-front players can expect an additional five heroes to be added to the game, bringing the total up to 30, as well as new maps, modes, and other goodies. For Season Pass holders, which is currently available at the very reasonable $29.95 AUD, players can expect substantial new story content, in addition to exclusive skins and taunts.

The first of the new characters to come to Battleborn will be Alani, who is described as both a healer and warrior. "As a warrior from a planet with vast seas, Alani’s attacks and abilities revolve around her power to control water to dish out pain, or heal her fellow Battleborn." Which, certainly sounds cool. As a character/hero based shooter that at face value seems to blend Gearbox's other stylish shooter Borderlands with something like DOTA, Battleborn is shaping up to be an interesting departure from the studio. The blend of solo story content, online and couch co-op, competitive modes, and even PvPvE stuff, there seems to be a lot on offer here.

And just about all of it looks good.



Battleborn launches with a roster of 25 playable heroes on PS4, Xbox One and PC on May 3, 2016.

May is going to be a busy month for bright colourful first-person shooter things with a huge line-up of characters, with both Battleborn from Gearbox Software and Overwatch from Blizzard set to debut. Of the two Battleborn seems to feature multiplayer more akin to a first-person MOBA, as seen in the recently announced Incursion mode, which pits two teams, a bunch of minions, objectives and power-ups in a changing war-zone.

Here's a new video going over this new mode. As you can see it look fairly involved, with level-progression, XP, building up defenses, and pushing forward. And it looks like a lot of fun too.



Battleborn will be out May 3 for PS4, Xbox One and PC.

As part of its financial reporting Take-Two announced that the upcoming shooter from Gearbox is now headed to PC, PS4 and Xbox One on May 3. Originally scheduled for release on February 9, this extra womb-time will no doubt allow Gearbox to add an extra coat of polish to the game. And in case you were wondering, yes Take-Two made a lot of money.

Often compared to a MOBA, Battleborn is a multiplayer-focused effort from the studio behind Borderlands. Its bright, colourful, sci-fi vibe, make it one to definitely keep an eye on. It's just that with the recent announcement that Blizzard's Overwatch is due in June, this just about puts the two games head-to-head.

In the mean-time check out the stylish multiplayer trailer for Battleborn.

Recently at a pre-E3 press conference, AusGamers was given a chance to take Gearbox Software's Battleborn for a spin. Will it strike gold like Borderlands did, or is this a game set for an uphill battle.

Here's a slice from our hands-on preview:

It’s a criticism you should take with a grain of salt, but Battleborn reeks with Borderlands design and art. Which is a sore point when you consider the reaction the studio’s departure created in making Borderlands just how they did. The issue here is a true lack of dynamism, at least in the build I was able to play, where we were pushed through the same slice of gameplay a few times over with the option of choosing a new character each time. Taste-testing at its best. The trouble is regardless of your palette, we were playing the same content over and over and each time it was delivered in the same, eventually predictable way: Enemy AI became Groundhog Day victims, and no matter which hero you were using, the only main difference was either in how you were dispatching them, or how you might have been supporting a team who were also going through the same motions.

Click here for our full Battleborn hands-on preview.

Gearbox's Battleborn is shaping up to be an interesting hybrid of a number of games, focusing on heavy characterisation to play to the developer's strengths. Overnight a ton of new information was revealed on the game's various modes and options.

Battleborn is set in a distant future, where nearly every star in the universe has gone dark at the hands of a mysterious enemy. Solus, the last star, is the only beacon of hope for the universe’s surviving population. The fading of stars has led to a great war among those desperate for the last remaining resources. Heroes, called Battleborn, fight for the dominance of their unique factions as all life in the universe teeters on the brink of extinction. Now, the mysterious enemy is threatening to finish what they’ve started, and only an unlikely alliance between the universe’s most powerful heroes can stop them.

Game modes and features for Battleborn include:

• Story Mode: Battleborn’s Story Mode is a narrative experience playable in a single-player capacity, as well as cooperatively by up to five friends via splitscreen or online. The Story Mode is modular, allowing players to choose which missions to enjoy next. The modular structure of Story Mode also allows players to replay missions for the chance to earn better loot;
  
• 25 Playable Heroes: Battleborn has a deep and diverse roster of 25 playable heroes, each with its own personality and equipped with unique weapons and powers. An accelerated character growth system, known as the Helix System, allows players to level up a character from 1 to 10 in a single story mission or competitive multiplayer match;
  
• Competitive Multiplayer: Battleborn’s team-based competitive multiplayer action can be experienced by up to 10 players online in 5v5 matches and will include three distinct modes:
  • Incursion: Teams of heroes defend their base from waves of AI-controlled minions while working together, alongside their own minions, to destroy their opponents’ base;
    
  • Devastation: Teams of heroes face off in a fast-paced death match and must capture and hold objectives on the map to win;
    
  • Meltdown: Teams of heroes protect their minions as they march to their death at the center of the map. Points are scored for minions who throw themselves into the incinerator, and the team with the most points wins.
• • Persistent Progression System: All experience points, whether earned through playing Battleborn’s Story Mode or Competitive Multiplayer modes, contribute to leveling up individual Character Rank, as well as player profile Command Rank:
  • Character Rank: Each hero can permanently rank up from 1 to 10 outside of missions and matches, allowing players to swap out augments in their helix skill tree, as well as unlock skins.
    
  • Command Rank: Players can rank-up their own player profile, unlocking badges and titles to impress friends, and loot that can be used to benefit any hero the player chooses to command.

Watch the new E3 trailer for Battleborn embedded below.