Gearbox Wants Another Dev to Make Borderlands 2 Vita

Marshall Honorof

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Gearbox Wants Another Dev to Make Borderlands 2 Vita


Gearbox doesn't have time to make a Borderlands 2 Vita port, but still wants one.

For those with a compulsion to pick up loot, there are few games out there more addictive than Borderlands, which combines item hunting, RPG mechanics, and some clever writing. Up until now, gamers have been able to escape the shooter's entangling tendrils by leaving the house, but if Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford has his way, that kind of failsafe will not apply to the upcoming sequel. Pitchford wants to take advantage of the PS3-Vita connectivity with a portable version of Borderlands 2, but would need an outside company to develop it due to time constraints.

"I want to be able to have the character I'm working on with my PS3, and then when I'm on the road with my Vita I can just keep developing that same character because it exists on the cloud somewhere," says Pitchford. While the staff at Gearbox is otherwise occupied (namely with making the console/PC versions of Borderlands 2), the CEO is willing to share his assets with another company if it means his dream of on-the-go Borderlands could come true. "We're too busy to develop it ourselves. But I know there are a lot of talented developers who could take our code, our source and our content and perhaps create something like that."

Even if Borderlands 2 hits the Vita, there may be some logistical problems playing the game in the same fashion as its full-size brethren. Continuing a character's progression on the go means that each session would have to begin and end with an online sync, which may not be possible sometimes for those who lack a 3G plan on their Vitas. Even those with a plan would have to be cautious about running up against data limits, since character syncing and online play would likely eat through 3G coverage pretty fast. Nonetheless, it's probably better to secure the game first and worry about its theoretical drawbacks later. After all, if Borderlands 2 gets a fully functional, cross-platform portable entry, its biggest problem for many players may be finding an excuse to put it down.

Source: Eurogamer [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-07-06-pitchford-would-love-for-an-outside-developer-to-create-borderlands-2-vita]

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ResonanceGames

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Marshall Honorof said:
Continuing a character's progression on the go means that each session would have to begin and end with an online sync, which may not be possible sometimes for those who lack a 3G plan on their Vitas.
If you were wanting to switch back to your PS3, presumably you would just hook up to the local network between the two. You wouldn't need an online connection at all. If you were out of town and wanted to go from PS3 to Vita, you'd just need to be able to connect to a WiFi connection for a short period. Not too much of a problem really, unless you live in an area with no coffee shops.
 

80Maxwell08

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SupahGamuh said:
I'd definitely buy this.

Gearbox, make it happen. Now.
You read the article right? They are busy making the current versions and can't. They are offering any other studio who wants to do it the assets so they can. In other words this happening is dependent on another studio not Gearbox.
 

EHKOS

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Not surprised. They did almost the same thing with Claptrap's Robolution. I'd say they should use the same studio. Cluck-trap was the best thing ever.
 

ThunderCavalier

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*looks at Borderlands 2*

*looks at Vita*

Maybe the people who are psyched about the Vita think this is a good idea, but I don't see a conversion of Borderlands 2 to the Vita to be anything but a complete and total disaster, or at least more awkward than the console.

If they can make this work, then great, more power to the people who have PS3s and Vitas. I just don't really see this ending well, though.
 

Korten12

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ThunderCavalier said:
*looks at Borderlands 2*

*looks at Vita*

Maybe the people who are psyched about the Vita think this is a good idea, but I don't see a conversion of Borderlands 2 to the Vita to be anything but a complete and total disaster, or at least more awkward than the console.

If they can make this work, then great, more power to the people who have PS3s and Vitas. I just don't really see this ending well, though.
How would it be awkward? The Vita would work great with Borderlands 2, it has enough controls.
 

80Maxwell08

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ThunderCavalier said:
*looks at Borderlands 2*

*looks at Vita*

Maybe the people who are psyched about the Vita think this is a good idea, but I don't see a conversion of Borderlands 2 to the Vita to be anything but a complete and total disaster, or at least more awkward than the console.

If they can make this work, then great, more power to the people who have PS3s and Vitas. I just don't really see this ending well, though.
I'm actually in full agreement of this. For one the Vita has 4 less buttons and far worse analog sticks than either console making aiming worse. Granted there's a couple of functions that could jump to the touch screen with ease like just hitting the icon for your character's skill. I'm not hoping this turns out bad I just don't think it will be as good as any of the other versions.
 

ResonanceGames

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80Maxwell08 said:
ThunderCavalier said:
*looks at Borderlands 2*

*looks at Vita*

Maybe the people who are psyched about the Vita think this is a good idea, but I don't see a conversion of Borderlands 2 to the Vita to be anything but a complete and total disaster, or at least more awkward than the console.

If they can make this work, then great, more power to the people who have PS3s and Vitas. I just don't really see this ending well, though.
I'm actually in full agreement of this. For one the Vita has 4 less buttons and far worse analog sticks than either console making aiming worse. Granted there's a couple of functions that could jump to the touch screen with ease like just hitting the icon for your character's skill. I'm not hoping this turns out bad I just don't think it will be as good as any of the other versions.
Golden Abyss already showed how you deal with that: use the 6 axis to fine-tune aiming. I dare say it controls even better than the PS3 Uncharteds.
 

Rad Party God

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80Maxwell08 said:
SupahGamuh said:
I'd definitely buy this.

Gearbox, make it happen. Now.
You read the article right? They are busy making the current versions and can't. They are offering any other studio who wants to do it the assets so they can. In other words this happening is dependent on another studio not Gearbox.
Yes, I know what the article said and only they (or 2K Games or whatever) can make it happen, because I doubt there will suddendly be studios piling up, eager to port the game to the Vita. Although that may be a huge understatement.

My point still stands, only they can make it happen.
 

80Maxwell08

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ResonanceGames said:
Amusingly enough it's my time with the Uncharted demo and Unit 13`demo that makes me think the controls are inferior. The sixaxis was just getting in the way the whole time I was trying it out. It's what made me not even consider getting either game.

SupahGamuh said:
My point stands as well. For one Borderlands sold a huge amount before so I would bet a lot a studios would like to try getting some of that as well. Not to mention 2K could just employ another company to do it (which wasn't in your original post by the way). Granted you mentioned you could be wrong about the studios though time will tell if either of us are right or wrong one that one. My point is it's not only up to Gearbox there's a bunch of other variables to factor in as well.
 

Bat Vader

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This seems like a pretty neat idea. Hopefully a good studio decides to try and do it.
 

surg3n

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Yup, still got a kidney here going spare, if that would in any way, help make this happen :D.