Borderlands Mobile is suddenly here and apparently quite good – but fans still aren’t impressed

Borderlands Mobile is a surprising new entry in the series – but at the moment it is only available for iPad and iPhone and only in the US. That is because this is not a full release yet, but a limited soft launch. Publisher 2K and developer Zynga apparently want to test first how players respond to a mobile Borderlands. So far, however, it is still difficult to say how well the game is really being received.

Eight minutes of gameplay are already available in a video on IGN’s YouTube channel. The mobile game seems to preserve the core Borderlands formula to a large extent. At heart, it is all about blasting enemies, collecting loot and upgrading your character – complete with the series’ trademark offbeat humor and distinctive comic-book art style. In terms of setting, the game appears to take place around the time of Borderlands 3 and once again revolves around corporations, Vaults and the hunt for valuable loot. At launch, however, only one class seems to be available: the Summoner. More classes will likely be added in future updates.

Fans fear aggressive monetization and are annoyed by the limited availability

For now, it remains difficult to assess just how well the game is being received overall. The concept itself does not seem to have generated much enthusiasm among fans so far. In the comments section under IGN’s video, the mood is mostly skeptical. Since the game is free-to-play, many expect aggressive monetization. As these systems have not yet been fully rolled out, though, that cannot be confirmed at this point.

There are also plenty of complaints about the game’s limited availability. At the same time, a few commenters have praised the gameplay, which looks surprisingly solid for a mobile title and does seem to capture a genuine Borderlands feel. The game has already received more than 450 ratings in the US App Store, resulting in an average of 4.5 stars. It therefore appears to have potential. How well it performs in the long run may depend heavily on its monetization. An Android release has not yet been officially announced, but it is widely considered likely.