Gearbox Finally Listens: Borderlands 4 Lets You Silence Claptrap (Thank the Vault Hunters!)
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Gearbox is finally giving players the power to mute Claptrap in Borderlands 4, answering the prayers of many Vault Hunters who've had enough of the little robot's antics. It's a slider, mate, a slider to silence! Plus, they're adding a combat radar, so maybe they *are* listening to us this time.
Right, so, Claptrap. You either love him, hate him, or love to hate him. That little wheeled wonder has been the, shall we say, *persistent* mascot of the Borderlands franchise since day one. But let's be honest, sometimes his chatter is less 'comic relief' and more 'controller-through-the-TV relief.'
Well, hold onto your hats, because Eurogamer's reporting that Gearbox is finally throwing a bone to the Claptrap-averse among us in *Borderlands 4*. Get this: they're including a slider. A bloody slider dedicated solely to adjusting Claptrap's volume. From 100% all the way down to blessed, glorious silence. (Insert angelic choir sound effect here.)
It's not every day you see a game developer actually *admitting* that their beloved character grates on some people's nerves, is it? But here we are. And apparently, Narrative Director Sam Winkler even wrote new lines *specifically* for this feature. "I wrote some lines just for this feature," Winkler said, "and it includes maybe the dumbest most niche reference to a certain terrible accent in a certain classic immersive sim."
Now, some might argue that Gearbox is "caving" to the haters. Winkler, in a moment of pure gold, responded to that sentiment with: "I pitched that you should be able to put him from zero percent to 200 percent but I think the government said no." Can you imagine Claptrap at double volume? I shudder to think.
So, the big question: are you cranking Claptrap up to 11 (or, you know, muting him entirely)? Personally, I reckon I'll be experimenting. Maybe a little bit of Claptrap in the morning to wake me up, then straight to zero once the actual looting starts.
And that's not all the good news coming out of the *Borderlands 4* camp. Apparently, after community pleas, Gearbox is also including an optional combat radar. Sounds like they're actually *listening* to the players this time around. (Gasp!)
*Borderlands 4* is slated to drop on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on September 12th, bringing with it four new Vault Hunters and a brand-new horde to blast to bits. Get ready, Vault Hunters. Whether you're a Claptrap devotee or a sworn enemy, Pandora's about to get a whole lot louder (or quieter, depending on your preference).
Tags: Borderlands 4, Claptrap, Gearbox, Gaming News, Character Options
Original article: Eurogamer