History VideoGame / Battleborn

''Battleborn'' was a futuristic HeroShooter[=/=]{{MOBA}} hybrid from the folks at Creator/GearboxSoftware, creators of the mind-bendingly popular ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'' franchise, that launched on May 3, 2016. The game follows numerous factions currently vying for control of the Solus System, the last remaining star in the universe. As these groups struggle for the only source of energy remaining, a much larger issue looms, namely the unstoppable horde of star-eaters, the Varelsi. [[ThisIsGonnaSuck Good luck with that.]]

Tonally, ''Battleborn'' could be considered a SpiritualSuccessor to ''Borderlands'', featuring a dark setting and premise, contrasted with a self-referential sense of humor, ComedicSociopathy, and cartoony visuals. However, its gameplay took a lot of inspiration from the MOBA genre, featuring 5v5 battles with unique champions and [=NPCs=] to grind for loot and experience. The main twist to this is the perspective, as the game takes place in first person.

On November 25, 2019, it was announced that Battleborn would be shutting down. The Platinum currency became unavailable to purchase after January 2020, and the game's servers shut down on January 31st, 2021. Due to the nature of the game's design, even the single player campaign has become [[DefunctOnlineVideoGames unplayable]].

** When killed by a sentry in Incursion, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ouin1WltUE it'd sometimes do a taunt]] just like the playable characters. Said taunt is [[Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy Star-Lord's]] distinct cranking FlippingTheBird take.

** Moves and Lore tasks for Galilea are all VideoGame/TheLegendOfZelda quotes.

* SpiritualSuccessor: To ''Videogame/MondayNightCombat'', being a shooter with strong MOBA elements.

** Toby who is a cute little Finisci Aviant, essentially an anthropomorphic [[EverythingsBetterWithPenguins penguin]] that looks no different than a regular one complete with thumbless flippers and all. Although [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter ridiculously cute]] much to his chagrin, the [[BadassAdorable little fella is a force to be reckoned with]] as he rides his MiniMecha "Berg" into battle to [[KillerRabbit devastate opponents]].

Battleborn featured a large starting roster of 25 playable heroes with additional, free heroes after launch. The characters page can be found [[Characters/{{Battleborn}} here]].

On June 6, 2017, the game added a FreeToPlay multiplayer update known as [[https://battleborn.com/en/news/view/en-battleborn-free-trial-faq/ Free Trial]]. Free Trial allows unlimited access to all competitive multiplayer modes and the same character and account growth and progression one would find in the full game. Free Trial players will have access to a subset of Battleborn's unique heroes through a rotating roster of six heroes that changes weekly. Heroes can be unlocked and kept from the in-game Marketplace using Credits earned while playing matches, or through Platinum premium currency. Players if they so choose can upgrade to the full base game which includes unlocking all 25 base characters, all Story Mode missions as well as the Prologue, and permanent access to private matches. Additionally, all player progression stats will carry over upon upgrading to the full game. On September 15, 2017, Randy Varnell, the game's creative director, [[https://forums.gearboxsoftware.com/t/a-message-from-randy-varnell/1637649 announced]] the upcoming Fall update will be the final content update to the game.

** [[TheAlliance The UPR]] has a modern military look to them and their tech. They are rather ulitarian as they prefer function over fashion in this regard. They're however not as advanced as factions like the LLC and the Jennerit whose tech are just as sophisticated in level as they are in appearance.

* TheAdventureContinues: [[spoiler:The ending after the Heliophage mission. Rendain may be dead, but the Varelsi are going to keep coming.]]

* FilkSong: Music/SteamPoweredGiraffe contributed the song [[http://officialsteampoweredgiraffe.tumblr.com/post/144107308741/take-a-listen-to-our-newest-song-steam-powered "Montana"]] which can be heard in one of the titular character's lore unlocks.

The game's official website can be found [[https://battleborn.com/en/ here]]. The game's official reveal trailer can be seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3pgQc17JB0 here.]] The Rendain trailer which spotlights on the eponymous villain can be seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0KMARbTWps here.]] The Multiplayer reveal trailer can be seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAtCU80llME here.]] The game's story trailer can be seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYILRya5Dgg here.]] The Battleborn Bootcamp Trailer which gives some in-depth explanation of the game and its playable characters can be seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aLQNgyeqh8 here.]] The game's launch trailer can be seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEtV0eGYmAU here.]]

The trailer for Attikus and the Thrall Rebellion can be seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNajixPavFo here.]] The trailer for Toby's Friendship Raid can be seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCcrQa63J1E here.]] The trailer for Oscar Mike vs. the Battle School can be seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dML0ENhZS_Q here.]] The trailer for Montana and the Demon Bear can be seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLHqeuHZ_GA here.]] The trailer for Phoebe and the Heart of Ekkunar can be seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA05ppZSKtM here.]]

On November 25, 2019, it was announced that Battleborn would be shutting down. The Platinum currency will be unavailable to purchase after January 2020, and the game's servers shut down on January 31st, 2021. Due to the nature of the game's design, even the single player campaign has become [[DefunctOnlineVideoGames unplayable]].

''Battleborn'' is a futuristic HeroShooter[=/=]{{MOBA}} hybrid from the folks at Creator/GearboxSoftware, creators of the mind-bendingly popular ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'' franchise, that launched on May 3, 2016. The game follows numerous factions currently vying for control of the Solus System, the last remaining star in the universe. As these groups struggle for the only source of energy remaining, a much larger issue looms, namely the unstoppable horde of star-eaters, the Varelsi. [[ThisIsGonnaSuck Good luck with that.]]

Tonally, ''Battleborn'' could be considered a SpiritualSuccessor to ''Borderlands'', featuring a dark setting and premise, contrasted with a self-referential sense of humor, ComedicSociopathy, and cartoony visuals. However, its gameplay takes a lot of inspiration from the MOBA genre, featuring 5v5 battles with unique champions and [=NPCs=] to grind for loot and experience. The main twist to this is the perspective, as the game takes place in first person.

Battleborn features a large starting roster of 25 playable heroes with additional, free heroes after launch. The characters page can be found [[Characters/{{Battleborn}} here]].

The game can be played through two main ways, [[PvE Story Mode]] and [[PlayerVersusPlayer Competitive Multiplayer]]:

* '''Story Mode:''' Battleborn's Story Mode is a narrative experience. Play it solo, with 2-player splitscreen or go online and create a full 5-player party. Story Mode is split up to be modular, letting you to choose which missions you'll enjoy next. Then you can go ahead and replay missions for the chance to earn even better loot.
* '''Competitive Multiplayer:''' Battleborn's team-based competitive multiplayer action can be experienced by up to 10 players online in 5v5 matches, and includes three distinct multiplayer modes. Two additional modes were later released post-launch. Just before the addition of Supercharge, all these modes were made FreeToPlay via the Free Trial update.

** '''Supercharge''': The second of the additional modes released. Supercharge is an exclusively 3v3 hybrid mode that combines Meltdown and Capture. Like Meltdown, the goal is to guide minions to be sacrificed and earn points. The twist however is that teams can sweeten their minion waves by fighting to control a single capture point. The team that owns the capture point "supercharges" their minion wave, adding tougher minions and more opportunities for scoring points.

Additionally, further PvE comes in the form of five DLC Story Operations. Story Operations are side stories that expand on some Battleborn heroes' lore and can played either solo or co-op with up to two buddies. They are shorter than the main Story Missions and highly replayable with dialogue, enemies, and objectives changing depending on how many Ops points are collected in a current playthrough. Furthermore, subsequent replays of a story operation will increase in difficulty to provide more challenge though difficulty can also be reset down by talking to Nova near respawn points to suit personal preferences. Each playthrough also moves towards unlocking more lore, skins, titles, and taunts depending on how many Ops points are collected at the end. The Story Operations are:

The game also features multiple progressions systems. Playing either Story Mode or Competitive Multiplayer Modes will earn XP towards temporary Helix augmentations as well as persistent Command Rank and Character Rank levels:

On November 25, 2019, it was announced that Battleborn would be shutting down. The Platinum currency will be unavailable to purchase after January 2020, and the game's servers will be shut down in January 2021. Due to the nature of the game's design, even the single player campaign will become [[DefunctOnlineVideoGames unplayable at this point]].

On November 25, 2019, it was announced that Battleborn would be sunsetting. The Platinum currency would be unavailable to purchase in February 2020, and the game's servers would be shut down on January 2021. Due to the nature of the game's levels, even the single player campaign will become unplayable at this point. Meaning that Battleborn would be the next in a long line of games that become [[DefunctOnlineVideoGames unplayable]].

On November 25, 2019, it was announced that Battleborn would be sunsetting. The Platinum currency would be unavailable to purchase in February 2020, and the game's servers would be shut down on January 2021. Due to the nature of the game's levels, even the single player campaign will become unplayable at this point. Meaning that Battleborn would be the next in a long line of games that become unplayable.

On June 6, 2017, the game added a FreeToPlay multiplayer update known as [[https://battleborn.com/en/news/view/en-battleborn-free-trial-faq/ Free Trial]]. Free Trial allows unlimited access to all competitive multiplayer modes and the same character and account growth and progression one would find in the full game. Free Trial players will have access to a subset of Battleborn's unique heroes through a rotating roster of six heroes that changes weekly. Heroes can be unlocked and kept from the in-game Marketplace using Credits earned while playing matches, or through Platinum premium currency. Players if they so choose can upgrade to the full base game which includes unlocking all 25 base characters, all Story Mode missions as well as the Prologue, and permanent access to private matches. Additionally, all player progression stats will carry over upon upgrading to the full game. On September 15, 2017, Randy Varnell, the game's creative director, [[https://forums.gearboxsoftware.com/t/a-message-from-randy-varnell/1637649 announced]] the upcoming Fall update will be the final content update to the game. For the immediate foreseeable future, the game's servers will continue running.

* MagicFromScience: Although the Eldrid are a fantasy inspired faction that uses what by all means would be considered as magic, their "magic" is actually derived from utilizing more science grounded concepts.

* ScienceFantasy: Although the game is deeply sci-fi based, it has a number of things that are more fantasy in basis. These include among things, [[MagicFromScience magical abilities derived from science grounded concepts]] and {{Magitek}}-like technology. The most notable of all of these however are the Eldrid, an entire faction consisting of fantasy inspired individuals whose number includes a [[MushroomMan sentient Fungus]], a SpaceElf, [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame a space dwarf]], and [[{{Snowlem}} a skeletal ice golem]].

The game can be played through two main ways, [[PvE Story Mode]] and [[PvP Competitive Multiplayer]]:

* IntelligentGerbil: A good number of the alien races in the lore are basically sapient versions of Earth animals. To name a few, there are the Aviants, BirdPeople whose subspecies [[SlidingScaleOfAnthropomorphism range]] from straight up PettingZooPeople to [[AccessoryWearingCartoonAnimal Accessory Wearing]] FunnyAnimals; Pendles' race, the Roa which are basically anthropomorphic SnakePeople with snake tail-like CombatTentacles that naturally molt off upon adulthood; and the MonstrousSeal-like alien race which the main antagonist of the DLC Toby's Friendship Raid belongs to.

** When Oscar Mike starts up his stealth generator, he might yell out [[MetalGearSolid "Tactical espionage action!"]]

** The challenges to play or win a game as Ambra are respectively named [[DarkSouls Praise The Sun and Grossly Incandescent]].

On June 6, 2017, the game added a FreeToPlay multiplayer update known as [[https://battleborn.com/en/news/view/en-battleborn-free-trial-faq/ Free Trial]]. Free Trial allows unlimited access to all competitive multiplayer modes and the same character and account growth and progression one would find in the full game. Free Trial players will have access to a subset of Battleborn's unique heroes through a rotating roster of six heroes that changes weekly. Heroes can be unlocked and kept from the in-game Marketplace using Credits earned while playing matches, or through Platinum premium currency. Players if they so choose can upgrade to the full base game which includes unlocking all 25 base characters, all Story Mode missions as well as the Prologue, and permanent access to private matches. Additionally, all player progression stats will carry over upon upgrading to the full game. On September 15, 2017, Randy Varnell, the game's creative director, announced the upcoming Fall update will be the final content update to the game. For the immediate foreseeable future, the game's servers will continue running.