Borderlands 3 Update Overhauls Mayhem Mode

Borderlands 3 players now have an entirely different end-game experience to look forward to with the release of Mayhem Mode 2.0, the long-awaited overhaul of the game’s Mayhem Mode. An update released on Thursday included the Mayhem Mode 2.0 feature which allows players to make the game even more challenging than the base story and even more challenging than the previous Mayhem Mode allowed with better rewards available on top of that. Activating Mayhem Mode 2.0 has also been simplified, and once it’s on, players should expect to have some unique experiences during every subsequent playthrough of Borderlands 3.

The idea of Mayhem Mode 2.0 is to add different variables to the game to make sure each playthrough is different than the last. Some of these variables make the game easier in some regards while others will pose more difficult challenges to players. Gearbox Software provided some examples of how these variables called Modifiers work in Mayhem Mode 2.0 and what to expect from them.

“There will be more than 25 all-new modifiers that can be applied to your game, each rated as Easy, Medium, Hard, or Very Hard,” Gearbox said. “Easy modifiers are largely helpful, and include things like Big Kick Energy, which actually increases your weapons’ damage but also increases their recoil and spread. There’s also Galaxy Brain, which dramatically increases the size of enemies’ heads so that crit shots are easier to land.”

Moving up from the Easy Modifiers means things are going to get a bit tougher. The Modifiers applied depend entirely on which of the 10 Mayhem Levels players want to play on with the highest level applying four different Modifiers, one from each category of difficulty.

Of course, the Modifiers aren’t the only things that change as players move up in the Mayhem Mode 2.0 ranks. Enemies will also become progressively stronger throughout the levels with more shields, health, and damage, but the risks aren’t without rewards. Players who play on the more challenging levels can expect to get the biggest loot drops. Eight different Legendary weapons, for example, are only attainable by beating bosses from Mayhem Level 6 and beyond.

Borderlands 3’s big Mayhem Mode 2.0 feature is included in the update scheduled to release on Thursday.