The latest rumours surrounding Gearbox are putting the future of Borderlands at risk. The way events are unfolding, the series could go down different paths.

The Borderlands games have long been a cornerstone of the games industry. The main series has not only been an overwhelming success in terms of sales. It has also branched out in different directions with the Tales spin-offs or Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. Although Gearbox’s entry into not every franchise was a significant success, either in terms of revenue or fan reception, the story and gameplay of Borderlands 3 was a major step forward. It is, therefore, surprising that Embracer Group AB, which bought Gearbox just over two years ago, is now willing to sell the company. This raises the question of what will happen to the franchise now.

While it seems that the company is still exploring its options for the time being, one of the most immediate questions is what will happen to the Borderlands games in the future, especially in light of Randy Pitchford’s hinting in recent months at the release of a new instalment in the series.

For Gearbox, there are currently several possible routes to take. However, if other companies eventually acquire the studio, two of the most prominent names come to mind – Microsoft and Sony.

What could happen to Borderlands if Microsoft or Sony acquired Gearbox?

After a legal battle between Microsoft and Sony over the former’s acquisition of Activision-Blizzard, the gaming giants have agreed that Call of Duty will remain on PlayStation for a long time to come. Both parties were apparently happy with the outcome. The Embracer and Gearbox rumours are fresh. As such, there has been no further comment from other companies on their possible interest for the time being. But it could well be that either Microsoft or Sony will make a bid for Gearbox. Especially considering the money the former is willing to spend on the acquisition. And the latter has a growing expansion ambition.

With Sony and PlayStation having more live-action games and Xbox looking to increase its first-party offerings, both companies could make huge profits from the Gearbox acquisition.

But if either does, the future of Borderlands could change dramatically. Depending on who the buyer is. For example, Sony’s acquisition of Bungie already seems to have paid off to some extent. After all, the studio has given targeted feedback to other PlayStation companies on live-action titles. This is said to have set Naughty Dog’s multiplayer back a little.

As Gearbox has been trying to make the gaming universe of its flagship series bigger, Borderlands 4 could easily be an MMO or some other live-action title under the Sony banner. Perhaps taking inspiration from Bungie’s Destiny 2. On the other hand, if Microsoft were to buy Gearbox, Borderlands could likely become PC and Xbox exclusive to increase the number of first-party titles available on Xbox Game Pass from day one.

Considering that the Borderlands games have never had microtransactions or additional live-action elements, with the franchise’s most notable similarities being the cosmetic packages in Borderlands 2, a Microsoft acquisition could quickly leave the series in its current state, with the only difference being the platform.

Of course, there are other possibilities. For example, Gearbox could go independent. Or it could be acquired by other companies, such as Amazon Games. But with both Microsoft and Sony looking to expand their catalogue, it would make sense for either of them to grab a slice of the Borderlands pie.

Source: YouTube