Borderlands 3 is ready to arrive, depending on your time zone you may already be playing or gearing up to jump into the long-awaited sequel. There is always a bit of information nobody knew that could have radically changed the game or gives some insight into its development. These facts will undoubtedly make you think differently about this cel-shaded shooter.
#5: Borderlands Taken Seriously?
The series has always taken a light-hearted approach to its characters and story while having some moments of seriousness. The first game is darker in tone compared to its sequels and the spin-off Telltale game, but it was meant to be even more serious.
The iconic aesthetic initially was more realistic, so was the narrative and personalities that inhabited the world. This shift in visuals caused rewrites and rerecordings of dialogue to fit the art style.
#4: Nathan Fillion Inspired Handsome Jack
Let’s all agree that the writing and Dameon Clarke’s performance makes Handsome Jack one of the greatest villains in history, across video games or any other medium. The inspiration for the character may surprise fans, it is Nathan Fillion.
The Firefly and Castle actor had an interview with Jimmy Kimmel. Something sparked in the minds of the writers when they watched this interaction to base the antagonist of Borderlands 2 on Fillion’s mannerisms. He was described as “charming and funny, but also slightly arrogant in a down-to-Earth kind of way,” and not to insult the star as a psychopath.
#3: Dedication to a Fan
Michael Mamaril, a 22-year-old fan of the games, passed away in Oct. 2011 due to cancer. To memorialize his dedication to Gearbox’s looter-shooter, they made him an NPC that hangs out in Sanctuary.
#2: How Ashly Burch Became Tiny Tina
Quite a few divisive characters lie in the Borderlands universe, Tiny Tina is one of them. The story behind her actress getting the part for this bloodthirsty girl is quite simple. Her brother Anthony wrote Borderlands 2, Pre-Sequel, and Tales from the Borderlands. Connections work, especially when it is family.
#1: David Eddings Getting to Become the Most Annoying Character
Clap Trap might be the most controversial video game character ever. Not because he says anything offensive, it is due to his annoying nature. You need a voice to give a headache to gamers, that is when you blame David Eddings.
The alleged abuse which left him to leave Gearbox and Claptrap behind is well documented, but not much has been on how the VP of business development became the dumb robot companion.
In a Rooster Teeth video, the company that Eddings now works, founder Burnie Burns talked with the former voice actor about his time at Gearbox Software. He gained voice acting experience from radio and working to fill in gaps during the development process at other studios. The character was described as an “afterthought” as the developers needed something to help guide the player in certain areas of the story, eventually landing this opportunity in Eddings’ lap.
When the Pre-Sequel came, the idea for Claptrap to be a playable character had emerged. Eddings suggested this was a bad idea as many people hated the little robot, yet the yellow moron with wheels is just as popular as he is despised. It went through, so did the multiple warnings to prepare players that being Claptrap for dozens of hours might be a bad thing to do to yourself.
Was there anything I missed? Give me any interesting trivia about the cel-shaded looter-shooter that I did not know about, try and surprise me if you can.
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Image via Gearbox Software
Tristan Zelden 