Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is real, launching on Xbox 360, PS3 & PC this autumn

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is real and launching on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC this autumn, 2K Games has announced.

Developed by 2K Australia in collaboration with Gearbox, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel takes place between the original Borderlands and Borderlands 2 and explores the rise of Handsome Jack, putting players into the role of one of four characters – including Athena the Gladiator, Wilhelm the Enforcer, Nisha the Lawbringer and, for the first time in the series, Claptrap.

“Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is a whole new game, it’s a standalone game in the Borderlands franchise,” Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford explained in a presentation to VideoGamer.com earlier this week. “It takes place between Borderlands 1 and Borderlands 2, so it’s a sequel to Borderlands 1 and a prequel to Borderlands 2. You’re going to become one of four new player characters that you can choose between, and you’re actually on Handsome Jack’s team. The story is about Handsome Jack’s rise to power.”

As this week’s leak revealed, players will get to explore Pandora’s moon and have the ability to loot oxygen, which they’ll need to manage to survive.

“One of the things that’s been taunting us as we’ve played through all the Borderlands games… is the moon that’s always been up there in the sky, and that moon base,” Pitchford continues. “We’re finally going to get to go up there. We’re going to go to the moon, we’re going to that moon base and we’re going to see a side of the Borderlands universe that we’ve never seen before.”

The game is not due to launch on Xbox One or PlayStation 4.

For more details on the characters, story and new gameplay mechanics, have a gander at our preview, or head through here for the first screenshots.