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The highly-anticipated Borderlands 3 is out next week, launching on September 13 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via the Epic Games Store. Developer Gearbox Software and publisher 2K Games have kept things fairly simple for the looter shooter’s release, and we have all of the details on pre-loading, pre-order bonuses, and when exactly you can start playing.
What time does Borderlands 3 unlock in my region?
Gearbox is doing what it calls a “rolling midnight” release on consoles. You can expect to start playing Borderlands 3 as the clock strikes 12 am on September 13 no matter where you live, with the one exception being in North America. The game launches at midnight Eastern time across the entire region, so those on the west coast will be able to start playing on September 12 at 9 pm PDT.
The situation is a bit different on PC, as Borderlands 3 unlocks at 12:00 am BST (British Summer Time) no matter where you’re located, which translates to 4 pm PDT and 7 pm EST.
When does preloading start?
You’ll be able to start preloading 48 hours before Borderlands 3 releases in your region, no matter what platform you’re playing on. This is positive news after Epic Games Chief Tim Sweeney previously said that the Epic Games Store–where Borderlands 3 is exclusive for the first six months–wouldn’t support preloading.
What are the PC system requirements for Borderlands 3?
If you’re planning on picking up the PC version of Borderlands 3, the specs are fairly reasonable. On the low end, Gearbox only calls for an AMD FX-8350 or Intel i5-3570, along with an AMD Radeon HD 7970 or Nvidia GeForce GTX 680. More significantly, the game will require 75 GB of storage space to go along with that hardware.
On the high end, the recommended specs require an AMD Ryzen 5 2600 or Intel i7-4770, with an AMD Radeon RX 590 or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB, and 16GB of RAM.
Are there any pre-order bonuses?
If you pre-order Borderlands 3, you’ll be given a weapon trinket and gold weapon skins for all guns in the game. There’s also a free PS4 theme if you pre-order on the PlayStation Store, and UK players who pre-order at Game will receive a free Psycho mask (which is a physical item), while stocks last.

If you purchase Borderlands 3 on PC, it comes with a free Fortnite Psycho Bundle Pack until Dec 31, 2020. This bundle includes a Psycho Bandit outfit, Claptrap pet, and Psycho Buzz Axes for Fortnite, and applies to any version of Borderlands 3 available on the Epic Games Store.
How many versions of Borderlands 3 are there, and what’s included in each one?
There are four versions of Borderlands 3 to choose from. The standard edition just includes the game and any pre-order bonuses. You can pre-order it at the links below:
PS4
Xbox One
PC
The Deluxe Edition features more goodies than the vanilla standard version, coming with a Retro Cosmetic Pack, Neon Cosmetic Pack, Gearbox Cosmetic Pack, and Toy Box Weapon Pack. There are also XP and Loot Drop Boost Mods included.
PS4
Xbox One
PC
The Super Deluxe Edition includes everything that’s part of the Deluxe Edition, plus access to Borderlands 3’s season pass and a steelbook case. It will be available initially for $100, but the price will increase to $120 from September 17. In the UK, the Super Deluxe Edition will be exclusive to Game, and the price will increase from £90 to £105 for console and £100 for PC starting September 17.
PS4
Xbox One
PC
Finally, the Diamond Loot Chest Collector’s Edition comes with everything included in the Super Deluxe Edition, along with a plethora of physical collectibles. There’s a Diamond Loot Chest replica, a Sanctuary 3 snap model, 10 character figurines, five character art lithographs, four Vault Key keychains, and a cloth map of the galaxy.
PS4
Xbox One


