Even the biggest critic of Borderlands 3 would likely agree that the game had some solid post-launch support. Not only were the four expected expansions seen in past Borderlands games present, but Gearbox regularly added free events both large and small. Community challenges allowed players to acquire rare cosmetics, while a few Takedowns added some Destiny-like missions to the game.
Borderlands 3 even got a second season pass, which featured the Designer’s Cut and Director’s Cut. While the former introduced new skill trees for the Vault Hunters and the battle royale-like Arms Race mode, the latter introduced a fresh batch of missions and a proper raid boss. It also added a bunch of interesting behind-the scenes content, and this is something that more games should strive to do going forward.
Why Borderlands 3’s Behind-The-Scenes Content Should Be The Start of a New Trend
The most talked about part of the behind-the-scenes content in the Director’s Cut was undoubtedly Maya’s funeral. With many seeing her death as rushed and one of the worst aspects of the story, the deleted scene provided a lot of closure for those who were fond of the character. While many were frustrated that it was scrapped in the first place, it was still nice to get that moment in some form, as the scene makes the much-maligned Ava far more likable.
For games where players are attached to the characters and story, it would be amazing to see some other scenes that never made the cut. For example, franchises like The Last of Us and Uncharted that thrive off their storytelling could make use of this approach, as gamers would undoubtedly like to see the cutscenes that never shipped with the game. More time with characters like Joel or Nathan Drake would hardly be a bad thing, and many fans would surely have some interest in seeing the original plans for the story.
While Borderlands 3 is not the first of its kind to let fans view concept art that highlights things like Borderlands’ weapons manufacturers or the third game’s various locations, other additions are more unique. The “Best Bugs” section, for example, showcases some of the funniest issues Gearbox encountered when making the game. The “Enemies” section is also a highlight, as players get to see how far the game’s foes came, going from untextured models with unfinished animations to a polished final product. Seeing footage of a Tink riding a Ratch is truly strange, and it is guaranteed to provide a laugh.
The “Audio” section of the Behind The Scenes content is another massive highlight, with gamers getting to see how the gore noises were created and how the COV weapon sounds were made. Gamers very rarely get to see all the work that goes into sound design, with an audio-focused Halo Infinite trailer providing a rare look into this side of game development. Seeing more behind the scenes content like this could provide insight into how the sound was made for everything from Death Stranding’s BTs to Ratchet and Clank’s massive arsenal of guns.
Getting a behind the scenes view at game development is always worthwhile, though it is usually limited to concept art books and the occasional YouTube video of a scene being shot. Borderlands 3 changes that through its Director’s Cut DLC, and more games should look to it for inspiration. With how passionate the fanbases for games like Red Dead Redemption 2 are, many would surely love to see more of how Rockstar created its epic game. This extends to Bethesda and The Elder Scrolls, Sucker Punch and Ghost of Tsushima, and countless other popular projects. For those that cannot get enough of their favorite games, learning about all the work that went into making them should only give them more appreciation for the developers.
Borderlands 3 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
