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Borderlands 2 Key Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Engine | Unreal Engine 3 |
| Genre | Action RPG, Looter-Shooter |
| Initial Release | 2012-09-18 |
| Developer | Gearbox Software |
| Publisher | 2K Games |
| Setting | Planet Pandora |
| Perspective | First-Person |
| Platforms | PC, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch |
| Multiplayer | 4-Player Online Co-op |
| Unique Feature | A genre-defining looter-shooter experience with a massive, procedurally generated arsenal of guns and a highly-acclaimed story driven by one of gaming's most memorable villains. |
Borderlands 2 System Requirements
1080p
tune Minimum (Targets 1080p, Low settings, ~30-60 FPS) – Low Preset, 1080p resolution. This tier aims for a basic playable framerate.
tune Recommended (Targets 1080p, High settings, ~60+ FPS) – High Preset, 1080p resolution, aiming for a consistent 60 FPS or higher.
1440p
tune High (Targets 1440p, High settings, ~60+ FPS) – High Preset, 1440p resolution, aiming for a high and stable framerate.
2160p
tune 4K Ultra Settings (Targets 2160p/4K, High settings, ~60+ FPS) – High Preset, 2160p (4K) resolution, aiming for 60 FPS or higher.
Borderlands 2 Laptop Recommendations
memory Intel Core I7 12700 H
developer_board NVIDIA RTX 3070 140W
storage 32GB DDR4-3200MHz
1349
Model: MSI Pulse GL66 with RTX 3070 and i7 12th Gen
memory CPU: Intel Core I7 12700 H (Score: 900)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA RTX 3070 (Score: 6600) @ 140W TGP
storage RAM: 32GB DDR4-3200MHz
save Storage: 1000GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 1920 x 1080 (FHD)
Meets criteria for tier: 1080p - Minimum (Low Preset, 1080p resolution. This tier aims for a basic playable framerate.).
memory Intel Core I9 13900 H
developer_board NVIDIA RTX 4060 140W
storage 16GB DDR5-5200MHz
999
Model: Acer Nitro V with RTX 4060 and i9 13th Gen
memory CPU: Intel Core I9 13900 H (Score: 1058)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4060 (Score: 6700) @ 140W TGP
storage RAM: 16GB DDR5-5200MHz
save Storage: 512GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 1920 x 1080 (FHD)
Meets criteria for tier: 1080p - Minimum (Low Preset, 1080p resolution. This tier aims for a basic playable framerate.).
memory Intel Core I9 14900 H
developer_board NVIDIA RTX 4060 140W
storage 32GB DDR5-5600MHz
1749
Model: Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (i9-14900HX, RTX 4060)
memory CPU: Intel Core I9 14900 H (Score: 1200)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4060 (Score: 6700) @ 140W TGP
storage RAM: 32GB DDR5-5600MHz
save Storage: 2000GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 2560 x 1600 (WQXGA)
Meets criteria for tier: 1080p - Minimum (Low Preset, 1080p resolution. This tier aims for a basic playable framerate.).
memory Intel Core I9 12900 H
developer_board NVIDIA RTX 3070 TI 150W
storage 16GB DDR5-4800MHz
1397
Model: Asus Rog Strix Scar 15 with RTX 3070 Ti and i9 12th Gen
memory CPU: Intel Core I9 12900 H (Score: 1030)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA RTX 3070 TI (Score: 7100) @ 150W TGP
storage RAM: 16GB DDR5-4800MHz
save Storage: 1000GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 2560 x 1440 (QHD)
Meets criteria for tier: 1080p - Minimum (Low Preset, 1080p resolution. This tier aims for a basic playable framerate.).
memory AMD Ryzen 7 7435 HS
developer_board NVIDIA RTX 3050 75W
storage 32GB DDR5-4800MHz
799
Model: ASUS TUF A15 with RTX 3050 and Ryzen 7
memory CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7435 HS (Score: 1655)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA RTX 3050 (Score: 7220) @ 75W TGP
storage RAM: 32GB DDR5-4800MHz
save Storage: 1000GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 1920 x 1080 (FHD)
Meets criteria for tier: 1080p - Minimum (Low Preset, 1080p resolution. This tier aims for a basic playable framerate.).
memory AMD Ryzen 7 680 H
developer_board NVIDIA RTX 3060 140W
storage 16GB DDR5-4800MHz
1299
Model: ASUS ROG Strix G15 with RTX 3060 and Ryzen 7
memory CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 680 H (Score: 880)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA RTX 3060 (Score: 7448) @ 140W TGP
storage RAM: 16GB DDR5-4800MHz
save Storage: 1000GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 1920 x 1080 (FHD)
Meets criteria for tier: 1080p - Minimum (Low Preset, 1080p resolution. This tier aims for a basic playable framerate.).
memory AMD Ryzen 9 590 HS
developer_board NVIDIA RTX 3080 100W
storage 16GB DDR4-3200MHz
1489
Model: ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 Ultra with RTX 3080 and Ryzen 9
memory CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 590 HS (Score: 820)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA RTX 3080 (Score: 7904) @ 100W TGP
storage RAM: 16GB DDR4-3200MHz
save Storage: 1000GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 2560 x 1440 (QHD)
Meets criteria for tier: 1080p - Minimum (Low Preset, 1080p resolution. This tier aims for a basic playable framerate.).
memory Intel Core I7 13620 H
developer_board NVIDIA RTX 4070
storage 16GB DDR5-4800MHz
1350
Model: MSI Katana 15 with RTX 4070
memory CPU: Intel Core I7 13620 H (Score: 843)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4070 (Score: 8700)
storage RAM: 16GB DDR5-4800MHz
save Storage: 1000GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 2560 x 1440 (QHD)
Meets criteria for tier: 1080p - Minimum (Low Preset, 1080p resolution. This tier aims for a basic playable framerate.).
memory Intel Core I7 14700 H
developer_board NVIDIA RTX 4070
storage 16GB DDR5-5600MHz
1899
Model: Alienware M18 with RTX 4070
memory CPU: Intel Core I7 14700 H (Score: 860)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4070 (Score: 8700)
storage RAM: 16GB DDR5-5600MHz
save Storage: 1000GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 2560 x 1600 (QHD+)
Meets criteria for tier: 1080p - Minimum (Low Preset, 1080p resolution. This tier aims for a basic playable framerate.).
memory Intel Core I9 14900 H
developer_board NVIDIA RTX 4070
storage 32GB DDR5-5600MHz
1699
Model: MSI Creator M16 HX with RTX 4070
memory CPU: Intel Core I9 14900 H (Score: 1200)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4070 (Score: 8700)
storage RAM: 32GB DDR5-5600MHz
save Storage: 2000GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 2560 x 1600 (QHD+)
Meets criteria for tier: 1080p - Minimum (Low Preset, 1080p resolution. This tier aims for a basic playable framerate.).
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Core Requirements
- desktop_windowsOperating System: Windows XP SP3 / Vista / 7 / 8 / 10 / 11
The game is compatible with a very wide range of Windows operating systems, starting from Windows XP SP3. A 64-bit OS is recommended.
- memoryDirectX: DirectX 9.0c
The official requirement is DirectX 9.0c. The game runs on a modified version of Unreal Engine 3, which primarily utilizes this API.
- save_altStorage Note: 20 GB available space
The game requires 20 GB of storage space. An SSD is recommended for faster loading times, but not required.
settings_applications Optimization Notes:
Upscaling: Borderlands 2 does not have official integrated support for modern upscaling technologies like NVIDIA DLSS or AMD FSR. Performance is based on native resolution rendering. The game does feature NVIDIA PhysX for advanced particle effects, which can be demanding on the CPU or GPU.
Key Settings: Performance is most affected by settings like View Distance, PhysX Effects, and Ambient Occlusion. Disabling or lowering PhysX is the most effective way to improve framerates on non-NVIDIA or older hardware.
Borderlands 2: Map Size and Regions
The game features a large, semi-open world divided into multiple distinct zones. Players explore diverse biomes on Pandora, including the arctic tundra of the Southern Shelf, the acidic Caustic Caverns, the urban metropolis of Opportunity, and the desolate dust bowl known as The Dust. Travel between major regions is done via a Fast Travel network.
Borderlands 2: Post-Launch Content / DLC
Borderlands 2 is famous for its extensive post-launch support. This includes four major campaign DLCs (Captain Scarlett and Her Pirate's Booty, Mr. Torgue's Campaign of Carnage, Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt, and the acclaimed Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep), two additional playable Vault Hunter classes (Gaige the Mechromancer and Krieg the Psycho), and numerous smaller content packs and headhunter missions.
Borderlands 2 Skills & Upgrades Overview
Each of the four (later six) playable Vault Hunters has three unique skill trees that cater to different playstyles. Players earn skill points by leveling up to unlock powerful new abilities, including a signature 'Action Skill'. After completing the main story, players unlock 'Badass Rank,' a persistent, account-wide progression system that allows for small, incremental stat boosts.
Borderlands 2: Game Editions
The game was originally released with Standard and Deluxe editions. The most common version today is the 'Game of the Year Edition' or 'The Handsome Collection' (which also includes Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel), both of which bundle the base game with its major Season Pass DLCs.
Borderlands 2: Cross-Platform / Crossplay
The original releases of Borderlands 2 do not support cross-platform play between different console families (e.g., PlayStation and Xbox). However, PC players on Steam and the Epic Games Store can play together.
Borderlands 2 Specific Game Elements
Borderlands 2 Weapons
- securityAction Skills (Character Abilities)
Each of the six playable Vault Hunters has a unique, powerful, cooldown-based Action Skill that defines their combat role, such as Axton's Sabre Turret or Maya's Phaselock.
- securityGrenade Mods (Throwable)
Lootable mods that alter the behavior of grenades, creating effects like singularities, bouncing projectiles, homing capabilities, or splitting into multiple smaller grenades.
- securityProcedurally Generated Guns (Varies (Pistols, SMGs, Shotguns, Assault Rifles, Sniper Rifles, Rocket Launchers))
The heart of the series. Players will find millions of guns with randomized stats, parts, and elemental effects (incendiary, shock, corrosive, explosive, slag) from manufacturers like Jakobs, Maliwan, Tediore, and Dahl.
Borderlands 2 Vehicles
- directions_carBandit Technical (Light Assault Vehicle)
A rugged pickup truck used by bandits. It is slower but more durable than the Outrunner and can be equipped with different mounted weapons.
- directions_carOutrunner (Light Assault Vehicle)
A fast and nimble four-wheeled buggy that can be equipped with a machine gun or rocket launcher turret. Can be spawned at Catch-A-Ride stations with various cosmetic skins.
Borderlands 2 Characters
- personAxton, the Commando - Playable Vault Hunter (playable)
A soldier class who can deploy a versatile Sabre Turret as his Action Skill.
- personGaige, the Mechromancer (DLC) - Playable Vault Hunter (playable)
A punk-rock genius who can summon a powerful, customizable robot companion named Deathtrap as her Action Skill.
- personKrieg, the Psycho (DLC) - Playable Vault Hunter (playable)
A high-risk, high-reward melee specialist whose Action Skill, Buzz Axe Rampage, sends him into a frenzy with a powerful buzz axe.
- personMaya, the Siren - Playable Vault Hunter (playable)
A mystical class who can suspend enemies in a bubble with her Phaselock Action Skill, providing crowd control and support.
- personSalvador, the Gunzerker - Playable Vault Hunter (playable)
A short and stocky brawler whose Action Skill, Gunzerking, allows him to dual-wield any two weapons in the game.
- personZer0, the Assassin - Playable Vault Hunter (playable)
A stealthy assassin whose Action Skill, Decepti0n, allows him to turn invisible, deploy a decoy, and line up a devastating critical hit.
Top 3 Characters:
Jack: The main antagonist. A charismatic, hilarious, and utterly psychopathic corporate dictator who constantly taunts the player. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest villains in video game history. 2. Tiny Tina: A thirteen-year-old explosives expert with a tragic past and a completely unhinged, hilarious personality. 3. Claptrap: The lovably annoying, general-purpose robot who guides the player in the early game and serves as the series' mascot.
Borderlands 2 Missions / Objectives
- flagMain Story Quests
Objective: A cinematic campaign that follows the new Vault Hunters' quest to stop Handsome Jack and the Hyperion corporation from taking control of Pandora.
- flagRaid Bosses
Objective: Extremely difficult, optional endgame bosses designed for a coordinated team of four max-level players. They drop some of the best and most unique loot in the game.
- flagSide Quests
Objective: A massive number of optional missions featuring the series' signature humor and eccentric characters. These provide XP, powerful loot, and world-building.
Top 3 Missions/Objectives:
Borderlands 2 Companions / Summons
- groupCo-op Teammates (Human (Player))
Ability: The game is built from the ground up for four-player co-op. Teammates can revive each other, combine their Action Skills for devastating effects, and trade loot.
- groupDeathtrap (Gaige's Action Skill) (Robot)
Ability: Gaige the Mechromancer can summon her robot companion, Deathtrap, to fight alongside her. Deathtrap can be upgraded through her skill trees to have a variety of powerful attacks and abilities.
Borderlands 2 Collectibles
- collections_bookmarkECHO Recorders
Location/Use: Audio logs found throughout the world that provide backstory, lore, and humorous side-stories from the inhabitants of Pandora.
- collections_bookmarkSHiFT Keys
Location/Use: Golden Keys, often given out through 'SHiFT codes' on social media, used to open a special chest in the city of Sanctuary that contains high-quality, level-appropriate purple loot.
- collections_bookmarkVault Symbols
Location/Use: Hidden symbols of the Vault Cult painted in hard-to-reach places. Finding them all completes in-game challenges.
Top 3 Collectibles:
Recorders: Audio logs found throughout the world that provide backstory, lore, and humorous side-stories. 2. Vault Symbols: Hidden symbols of the Vault Cult painted in hard-to-reach places. Finding them all completes in-game challenges. 3. SHiFT Keys: Golden Keys, often given out through 'SHiFT codes' on social media, used to open a special chest in the city of Sanctuary that contains high-quality, level-appropriate purple loot.
Borderlands 2 Armor
- shieldClass Mods
Focus/Stats: Class-specific items that grant bonus points to skills in the Vault Hunter's skill trees, allowing them to exceed the normal skill point limit. They also provide powerful passive stat bonuses.
- shieldRelics
Focus/Stats: Equippable items that provide a variety of passive bonuses, such as increased health, cooldown reduction, or enhanced damage with specific weapon types.
- shieldShields
Focus/Stats: A key piece of defensive gear. Shields provide a regenerating layer of health and come with a wide variety of special effects, such as nova blasts on depletion, damage boosters when full, or elemental resistances.
Borderlands 2 Clothing / Appearance
- checkroomCosmetic Customization
Details: A deep customization system allows players to unlock and equip a wide variety of heads and body skins for their Vault Hunters to personalize their appearance. These are found as rare loot drops or earned from challenges.
Borderlands 2 Other Features & Info
- labelMultiplayer Modes
The entire game, including all campaign and DLC content, is designed for seamless drop-in/drop-out four-player online co-op. The game's difficulty and loot drops scale based on the number of players in the session.
- labelUser Interface
Features a classic FPS UI with a health and shield bar, a mini-map, an ammo count, and an experience bar. The inventory and skill tree menus are stylized with the game's signature grunge, cel-shaded aesthetic.
- labelSound and Music
The game features a memorable soundtrack that blends industrial, electronic, and western-style music. The voice acting is a major highlight, particularly the performance of Dameon Clarke as the charismatic and psychopathic villain, Handsome Jack.
- labelGraphics and Visuals
Borderlands 2 solidified the series' iconic 'concept art' visual style, which uses cel-shading to create a vibrant, comic-book-like look. This unique art direction helps the game's graphics hold up well over time. An optional Ultra HD Texture Pack is available for PC players.
- labelStory and Setting
Five years after the first game, the planet Pandora is under the tyrannical control of Handsome Jack, the CEO of the Hyperion corporation. After luring a new group of Vault Hunters to the planet only to try and execute them, Jack's plan to awaken an ancient Eridian superweapon known as 'the Warrior' is set into motion. The Vault Hunters must team up with the Crimson Raiders, a resistance movement led by the original game's heroes, to stop him.
- labelTop 5 Weapons/Tools
- 1. Unkempt Harold: An iconic Torgue pistol that fires a spread of explosive projectiles. 2. Conference Call: A Hyperion shotgun that fires projectiles which create more projectiles on impact, blanketing an area. 3. The Bee: An infamous shield that adds massive Amp damage to every shot while fully charged, enabling incredible damage output. 4. Grog Nozzle: A mission-exclusive pistol (from a DLC) that provides an insane amount of healing based on damage dealt, making it a top-tier utility item. 5. Slag Element: A unique elemental type that acts as a debuff, causing afflicted enemies to take significantly more damage from all non-slag sources, crucial for high-level play.
- labelTop 3 Gameplay Mechanics
- 1. Procedural Gun Generation: The core 'looter-shooter' loop. The game features a system that procedurally generates millions of guns with different stats, parts, and effects, ensuring that players are always hunting for better loot. 2. Action Skills & Skill Trees: Each of the six playable Vault Hunters has a unique, game-changing Action Skill and three deep skill trees, allowing for incredible build diversity. 3. Co-op Synergy: The game is built for four-player co-op, with character skills and loot designed to create powerful synergies between different Vault Hunters, such as Maya's Phaselock setting up enemies for Axton's turret.
Borderlands 2 Frequently Asked Questions
- help_outline What is Borderlands 2?Borderlands 2 is a first-person shooter with deep action RPG elements, known as a 'looter-shooter'. The core gameplay is about completing quests and defeating enemies to find a near-infinite variety of procedurally generated guns.
- help_outline Is Borderlands 2 a multiplayer game?Yes, the entire game can be played solo or with up to three other players in drop-in/drop-out online co-op. The game's difficulty and loot quality scale with the number of players.
- help_outline Who is Handsome Jack?Handsome Jack is the main antagonist of Borderlands 2 and is widely considered one of the most charismatic, funny, and well-written villains in video game history.
- help_outline What is the best version to play?The best way to experience the game today is through 'The Handsome Collection' (available on PC, PS4, Xbox One) or the 'Legendary Collection' (on Nintendo Switch), as these bundles include the base game and almost all of its extensive DLC content.