After Battleborn launches on May 3 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, developer Gearbox will release five additional heroes for free, with five paid add-on packs each offering a new story operation and skins/taunts.
Mentioning that they have “big plans” for Battleborn, Gearbox detailed the free post-launch content, which also includes maps, multiplayer modes, and community features:
Gamers can expect five more heroes hitting after launch – completely FREE – for all platforms, bringing the total roster to 30! And that’s just the beginning of many free updates we’re planning. Competitive multiplayer modes, maps, balance updates, and community features will also be free. When gamers throw down their hard earned cash they want that experience to last. This is why it’s very important to us that we deliver more than $60 worth of content at launch and continue to add more value in the form of free heroes, maps, modes, and other features post-launch.
The first of the five new free heroes to release will be Alani, a member of the Eldrid faction who was raised as a healer, but forced to be a warrior, and 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. We’ll have more info on Alani, including her release date, as we get closer to launch. In the meantime, PlayStation 4 players who participate in the upcoming Open Beta will instantly-unlock Alani once she’s available after launch, saving players the time it takes to earn her through playing the game.
As for the paid content, each of the five add-ons is priced at $4.99, or you can get them together in the $19.99 Season Pass. There’s also the Battleborn Digital Deluxe Edition for $74.99, which includes the game, Season Pass, and some bonus cosmetic customizations.
Here’s what Gearbox said about the paid add-on packs:
Battleborn’s universe is vast, and we’re happy to say it’ll continue expanding via five new add-on packs. Those that are familiar with Borderlands post-launch content over the years should feel right at home with Battleborn’s add-on packs, each pack will cost $4.99 and include one new Story Operation, as well as exclusive hero skins and taunts. These PvE Operations will be highly replayable solo, or co-operatively online and splitscreen with your friends, and will let you experience new side-stories during the fight to save the last star in the universe.
Concepts for the plot of these Story Operations are beginning to crystalize now that the game is complete and in certification, and we can’t wait to share more details about each Operation as we get closer to their release post-launch.
In addition to the “huge variety of skins and taunts that come with the game at launch,” more cosmetic customizations will be sold post-launch in-game. “This kind of optional cosmetic content has absolutely no effect on the gameplay, and helps us keep all the additional heroes, modes, maps, and other features that extend the core gameplay experience, free for everyone,” they explained.
The Battleborn open beta is expected to start “soon.” Stay tuned for an official start date.
What do you think of Gearbox and 2K’s post-launch plans?
[Source: Battleborn, Gearbox]
