Borderlands 3 is Timed Exclusive to Epic Game Store on PC

[Guest]

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This is a huge blow to PC gamers who have had lots of complaints about the Epic Games Store. It seems that now the dreaded "timed exclusives" are hitting the PC market too. It seems the days of "open market" on PC are coming to an end slowly. With companies now restricting how you can access/purchase games on PC, they are slowly bringing down one of the best aspects of the platform. A damn shame.

What really perplexes me here though is why would Gearbox choose to do this (Money, I know) when they just had a SERIES of poor releases and have a VERY bad reputation at this point. You'd think they wouldn't take any chances with Borderlands 3 and make sure they are focusing solely on getting the best PR imaginable after the fail that was Battleborn, We Happy Few, Alien Colonial Marines and The Pre-Sequel's lukewarm reception. I guess old habits die hard, but it's a damn shame to see a mark against a game that I really want to like before it's even out.

[The Recherche 29,959]

While I suppose legitimate competition is welcome for Steam, this has caused many, many inconveniences so far, be it Epic Games' alleged spyware and now timed platform exclusivity, or Steam's wild west policies on their platform. Either way, this may be a victory of sorts for Epic Games, but Borderlands fans and Steam users are not going to be terribly thrilled about this.

[The Historian 515]

I already have the EG Launcher, even though it's a shitpile and I want nothing more to do with it. I only use it to manage UDK installs. Suffice to say, I'm hugely disappointed by this move. I am baffled that 2K would even allow this decision with the poor reputation the EG Store currently has. I'd be less upset if it went to the Microsoft Store. I might not even buy the game now as much as I want it. Might as well vote with my wallet...

[Here No Longer 5,268]

All I'm going to say is... why, Gearbox? There's nothing good about this move and it upsets me for plenty of reasons.

1.  This game should be worth enough of the gamble to at least give the COURTESY of releasing it on Steam. Nope. It apparently isn't. That fact makes me worried about the quality of the game itself.
2. It's setting a very bad precedent that may ruin my tastes in PC gaming and may make me start not investing in it and instead play games almost exclusively on Nintendo consoles. Yep, it's getting so bad I'm considering getting a Switch and almost completely giving up PC gaming.
3. The aforementioned issues with the Epic Games Store. It doesn't help this in my mind these Epic Games people were the same geniuses behind f***ing Fortnite. I literally have zero confidence in them.
4. It makes the PR of Gearbox even WORSE than it's already getting. Between the BS controversy with Randy Pitchford and how long it's been since they've released good content... I'm losing my faith in the company, and this is from a pretty serious fan of the Borderlands series that has a bit if a bias favoring them.

[The Historian 515]

8 minutes ago, Dusky, the Boy Queen said:

All I'm going to say is... why, Gearbox? There's nothing good about this move and it upsets me for plenty of reasons.

1.  This game should be worth enough of the gamble to at least give the COURTESY of releasing it on Steam. Nope. It apparently isn't. That fact makes me worried about the quality of the game itself.
2. It's setting a very bad precedent that may ruin my tastes in PC gaming and may make me start not investing in it and instead play games almost exclusively on Nintendo consoles. Yep, it's getting so bad I'm considering getting a Switch and almost completely giving up PC gaming.
3. The aforementioned issues with the Epic Games Store. It doesn't help this in my mind these Epic Games people were the same geniuses behind f***ing Fortnite. I literally have zero confidence in them.
4. It makes the PR of Gearbox even WORSE than it's already getting. Between the BS controversy with Randy Pitchford and how long it's been since they've released good content... I'm losing my faith in the company, and this is from a pretty serious fan of the Borderlands series that has a bit if a bias favoring them.

Just remember that EGS has the following: no 2FA, no support forums, no buyer protections, no reviews and you get to pay a fee that Valve (and other platforms) just eat to keep your business. Epic can't even claim "oh we're new." No, that has nothing to do with it. It was a sloppy product cobbled together because ZOMG FORTNITE (which sucks shit through a straw no less) and did nothing else with it. There is zero reason to use the "epic games store." I won't even capitalize that now. Not worth the effort or dignification.

I sent Gearbox a message stating that, because of this decision, I would not be purchasing Borderlands 3. I recommend everyone else do the same. Vote with your wallet and do not buy it! I want the game, but my principles are worth more than a game.

[Guest]

18 minutes ago, The Historian said:

Just remember that EGS has the following: no 2FA, no support forums, no buyer protections, no reviews and you get to pay a fee that Valve (and other platforms) just eat to keep your business. Epic can't even claim "oh we're new." No, that has nothing to do with it. It was a sloppy product cobbled together because ZOMG FORTNITE (which sucks shit through a straw no less) and did nothing else with it. There is zero reason to use the "epic games store." I won't even capitalize that now. Not worth the effort or dignification.

I sent Gearbox a message stating that, because of this decision, I would not be purchasing Borderlands 3. I recommend everyone else do the same. Vote with your wallet and do not buy it! I want the game, but my principles are worth more than a game.

I mean I was getting it on PS4 anyway, but still... I don't want this to happen because if the PC sales suffer because of the Epic Game Store decision... We all know what happens. Instead of going "hmmm maybe we should change our approach" it becomes "we need to milk the other versions for all they are worth now". It's sad that we are at this point.

I'm really torn.

I want to buy this game.

I want this game to be good.

I don't want to boycott this game, but I fear I might have to.

UUUUGH I HATE THIS!

[Quinch 1,117]

I do have a question for everyone, though -

{side note: I will not be buying Borderlands 3 - I've been fooled twice and feel sufficiently shamed}

- how would you feel if it were a Steam exclusive?

Edited April 3, 2019 by Quinch

[Here No Longer 5,268]

46 minutes ago, Quinch said:

I do have a question for everyone, though -

{side note: I will not be buying Borderlands 3 - I've been fooled twice and feel sufficiently shamed}

- how would you feel if it were a Steam exclusive?

It would be nowhere near as bad. At least Steam is a more established PC platform with MANY more users. I would be much less conflicted. Frankly, I would buy it though because I despise Epic Games.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Quinch said:

I do have a question for everyone, though -

{side note: I will not be buying Borderlands 3 - I've been fooled twice and feel sufficiently shamed}

- how would you feel if it were a Steam exclusive?

Steam doesn’t have a history of putting spyware on your computer or making shady backroom deals for exclusivity. Also their security is far better, so I wouldn’t feel *as* bad. However, steam has never bought exclusivity to any game because they don’t believe in it. It defeats the purpose of PC gaming.

 

What pisses me off is that over the years the “benefits” of PC gaming have been chipped away, and I feel this is just one more they are slowly “eliminating”. The freedom to buy from any storefront of your choosing. Not having to deal with timed exclusivity, etc.

I mean with the rising cost of PC hardware, PC being “cheap” is pretty much out the door now, so that benefit is gone. With the consoles now having rather robust storefronts with virtually their entire library on them, the convenience of digital distribution is gone now too... Graphic wise... PCs are not as “drastic” of a difference as they were in 2007 to the general user unless you’re an enthusiast.

Basically, this kind of stuff is slowly making PC more of the “enthusiast” platform and less of the “best for all” platform. I hate to see this trend continue, because if it does, that means it will lure people away from the PC platform which will suck because the PC platform keeps those console makers on their toes. Sony openly admitted they saw PC as a bigger threat than Xbox; we want it to stay that way because it keeps the market in check.

I’m with @The Historian on this one. People should email Gearbox to tell them that this is unacceptable.

[The Historian 515]

1 hour ago, Quinch said:

I do have a question for everyone, though -

{side note: I will not be buying Borderlands 3 - I've been fooled twice and feel sufficiently shamed}

- how would you feel if it were a Steam exclusive?

Many games are 'exclusive' to Steam, but not because they're locked into it. It's just most convenient. If they said "STEAM ONLY" and didn't allow anyone else to sell it, even places that just give you keys, I would have a similar reaction. I wouldn't even mind 'epic games' having Borderlands 3 if their store wasn't so terrible and insecure.

When I first opened my EG account to use their crappy launcher, it got compromised every day for a week because their security is arse. Anecdotal sure, but does not give me a good feeling. Especially since I can't two factor it.

Edited April 3, 2019 by The Historian

[Jon the VGNerd 841]

Epic Games sure love to receive hate, and Gearbox getting more hate, don't they? I bet Epic Games has majority of features that aren't included from Steam itself.

[Celli 4,326]

15 minutes ago, Jon the VGNerd said:

Epic Games sure love to receive hate, and Gearbox getting more hate, don't they? I bet Epic Games has majority of features that aren't included from Steam itself.

Epic Launcher has a fraction of the features that Steam does. 

[JetPistol 32]

Do people actually care about Borderlands 3? I watched the trailer the other day and genuinely thought I was seeing Xbox 360 footage throughout (thought they were gonna showcase the jump in graphics from the first two Borderlands by playing some old footage and then blowing it out of the water with the brand new sequel). Before I knew it the trailer was over and I was left scratching my head in disbelief. This is what qualifies as AAA production values in 2019?

Hell, even the shit-tier Crackdown 3 has better visuals on display than this travesty.

Just because the game is Cel-shaded doesn't automatically excuse the lack of effort. Compare these atrocious character models & character animation work to a niche Japan-only Playstation 4 exclusive which released back in 2016. Why do Cel-shaded games always seem to get the shaft when in the hands of non-Japanese devs? Hell, even most newer Japanese games have lackluster Cel-shading; Idolmaster is more an outlier than a standard. Is this seriously the "future" I'm living in right now? What the actual fuck?

[Here No Longer 5,268]

2 minutes ago, JetPistol said:

Do people actually care about Borderlands 3? I watched the trailer the other day and genuinely thought I was seeing Xbox 360 footage throughout (thought they were gonna showcase the jump in graphics from the first two Borderlands by playing some old footage and then blowing it out of the water with the brand new sequel). Before I knew it the trailer was over and I was left scratching my head in disbelief. This is what qualifies as AAA production values in 2019?

Hell, even the shit-tier Crackdown 3 has better visuals on display than this travesty.

Just because the game is Cel-shaded doesn't automatically excuse the lack of effort. Compare these atrocious character models & character animation work to a niche Japan-only Playstation 4 exclusive which released back in 2016. Why do Cel-shaded games always seem to get the shaft when in the hands of non-Japanese devs? Hell, even most newer Japanese games have lackluster Cel-shading; Idolmaster is more an outlier than a standard. Is this seriously the "future" I'm living in right now? What the actual fuck?

Because graphics are everything that matters and this post had actual substance instead of bordering on bashing the game... over graphics.

[JetPistol 32]

Just now, Dusky, the Boy Queen said:

Because graphics are everything that matters and this post had actual substance instead of bordering on bashing the game... over graphics.

Graphics certainly aren't everything. But they most assuredly DO matter. If Sony came out with a sequel to the God of War remake and it looked like a Ps3 game, I think we all know there would be riots in the streets. How about the IMMENSE backlash that Watch Dogs received over being "downgraded" and supposedly "held back back consoles"?

 

 

[Here No Longer 5,268]

8 minutes ago, JetPistol said:

Graphics certainly aren't everything. But they most assuredly DO matter. If Sony came out with a sequel to the God of War remake and it looked like a Ps3 game, I think we all know there would be riots in the streets. How about the IMMENSE backlash that Watch Dogs received over being "downgraded" and supposedly "held back back consoles"?

 

 

This may be a subjective topic, but I'll say I don't exactly agree. Yes, they make a difference in my opinion. But a real difference...? Not really. Though to other people it may make a difference, I think these people getting downright p!$$¥ about graphics frankly are just trying to find something to complain about.

[Rikifive 23,210]

I'd prefer having to constantly swap floppy disks than installing tons of unwanted garbage on your poor innocent PC and having to manage tons of accounts. 

Seriously though, yes I agree. These platforms are ridiculous. Epic Fail Games's store isn't the only problem, there are more joke-software. Uplay? No u. Battle.net? Yeah I'm battling to not have to use that...

Uplay thinks:

Spoiler

I beg to differ, they'll be all over the place, thanks to trash like this. Who's idea was to put that there? It's wrong. 

One would think that the future will bring more convenience, but it started going the other way. PC gaming indeed started to go down.

I'm definitely not going to invest any money into building libraries on these silly platforms, so yeah, I'm not gonna buy Borderlands 3 there. I swear I won't. 

[JetPistol 32]

20 minutes ago, Dusky, the Boy Queen said:

This may be a subjective topic, but I'll say I don't exactly agree. Yes, they make a difference in my opinion. But a real difference...? Not really. Though to other people it may make a difference, I think these people getting downright p!$$¥ about graphics frankly are just trying to find something to complain about.

xD Well to be fair, I DO like complaining about things /)^3^(\

[Goat-kun 2,426]

Don't' worry guys. They'll just beta test it for the Steam users

[Jon the VGNerd 841]

1 hour ago, Celli said:

Epic Launcher has a fraction of the features that Steam does. 

Good lord. No wonder the guys at Epic Games are just touchy and self-centered when it comes to PC players and community.

[Merry Brony 42 9,388]

Why the hell is gaming so complicated these days? This is why I don't download games and I play old games. 

[Here No Longer 5,268]

Well, at least they're releasing it on Steam April of next year. I'll get it then. But on release? Nope. Not happening.

 

We keep blaming Gearbox for this, but this is actually on 2K. They're the ones forcing it to be this way, and I've yet to hear a reason why that isn't just a platitude or a nonsensical response trying to say that they are trying to do the exact opposite of what they're actually doing. 

[Flutterzky 24,885]

Oh, another game I won't play.

To be fair, timed exclusives and exclusives in general are just anti-consumeristic and only serve to drive people towards a certain platform for the maximum profit.

[The Historian 515]

19 hours ago, Celli said:

Epic Launcher has a fraction of the features that Steam does. 

I knew the egs was bad, but holy shit, that is low level garbage tier work. Did they hire a bunch of high school coders looking in books to write this shit? Nothing against high school coders looking in books of course, everyone starts somewhere. For a professional company, they're not doing their best to actually, you know, compete. 2K can suck it.

19 hours ago, JetPistol said:

Do people actually care about Borderlands 3? I watched the trailer the other day and genuinely thought I was seeing Xbox 360 footage throughout (thought they were gonna showcase the jump in graphics from the first two Borderlands by playing some old footage and then blowing it out of the water with the brand new sequel). Before I knew it the trailer was over and I was left scratching my head in disbelief. This is what qualifies as AAA production values in 2019?

Hell, even the shit-tier Crackdown 3 has better visuals on display than this travesty.

Just because the game is Cel-shaded doesn't automatically excuse the lack of effort. Compare these atrocious character models & character animation work to a niche Japan-only Playstation 4 exclusive which released back in 2016. Why do Cel-shaded games always seem to get the shaft when in the hands of non-Japanese devs? Hell, even most newer Japanese games have lackluster Cel-shading; Idolmaster is more an outlier than a standard. Is this seriously the "future" I'm living in right now? What the actual fuck?

I don't really see the issue here. The games have a unified aesthetic and the graphics themselves reinforce the grungy world that Borderlands really is. Not every game needs perfectly crisp, clean graphics. The focus on graphics needs to stop anyway. Focus on aesthetics, which Borderlands 3 does very well, even if the graphics themselves are a bit lackluster.

[__________ 39,687]

I am purely a console gamer, but I will still fully say this; Epic needs to do us a favor and go fuck themselves entirely. Ever since Fortnite became the most overrated trash on the planet, Epic has grown an ego the size of Jupiter. They get all this money so they think they can make a gaming storefront, but missing the vast majority of features of its main competitor. Their solution in the meantime? Purely anti-consumer practices like this, creating 'timed exclusives' in the PC market. I HATE when the big 3 does this kind of stuff and I will protest it here too. It does nothing for anyone. They don't even have a CART SYSTEM on their store yet and won't for possibly another 6 months, yet they can freely throw all of this money around for timed exclusives? Trash. Nothing more. Epic is pure garbage.