From the onset, it was clear thatBorderlands 3’s Bounty of Blood DLC would be a black sheep among the other DLCs. Whereas the first two tell stories connected to the various characters of the in-game universe, the second introduces players to a brand new planet, a set of brand new characters, and more. Of course,Bounty of Blood has its unique legendariesand is clearly a piece ofBorderlandsDLC, but the story it tells is entirely self-contained.
This makes the fact that the entire DLC goes by without a single hint, a single Easter egg, or a single subtle nod toward theRed Dead Redemptionfranchise all the more surprising. Both games are some of the biggest AAA titles to release in recent years, and withBorderlands 3’s penchant for parody, pop culture references, and Easter eggs, it initially seemed a given.STORY SPOILERSfollow.
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Borderlands 3: Bounty of Blood - A Fistful of Redemption (Emphasis on the Redemption?)
The very title, which is the mouthfulBounty of Blood: A Fistful of Redemption, seems to suggest that it was developed withRed Dead Redemptionin mind. As it turns out, though, the subtitle doesn’t really have much bearing on the story except for perhaps Juno’s turn from Devil Rider to Sheriff. The western aesthetic and this alone doesn’t really seem to establish a connection, as previousBL3DLC also perused movie themes, and to make the claim that a western DLC automatically correlates withRDRis entirely reductive.
All it would need and all many would expect—some hailed it as aRed Dead Redemption 2parody upon reveal, after all—is a simple remark, a simple quest, or a simple Easter Egg. However, there doesn’t seem to be a single moment that screams “RDR” throughout playing it. The main story quickly derails the Western motif, turning it into aBorderlandsstory with a massive Vault-like monster, and its side quests aren’t much better. Sure, they’re Western-themed, but that comes with the territory.
Not once does Rose say “I have a plan” a laDutch Van Der Linde, nor is there any type of Easter egg tied to any of the franchise’s characters like Arthur Morgan or Jack Marston. Perhaps the easiest to tie in would be a weapon name or flavor text, but that’s also notably not a thing. Somehow, it seemsBorderlands 3received a western-themed DLC without referencing the biggest western game to date.
It would be one thing ifBorderlands 3’s Bounty of Blood DLC uncharacteristically went without these types of Easter eggs, but that’s not the case.Bounty of Blood has a COVID-19 Easter egg, a plethora of Jurassic Park Easter eggs, a Godzilla Easter egg, and more. The question becomes, why doesBorderlands 3not include the most obvious Easter egg when, in the past, it has parodied everything fromSuper MariotoDOOM?
One possible scenario is that it’s because it isRed Dead Redemption 2, a juggernaut from Rockstar Games, and Gearbox just didn’t pursue the idea further than its title. Even as a parody, it could have been something to do with the IP and the property, and that itself may still be unlikely. Parodies are protected by U.S. Copyright Law, after all.
Another possibility is that aRed Dead RedemptionEaster egg does exist and has thus far been missed by players. Certain tricks, collectibles, andvideo game Easter eggs have gone yearswithout being discovered, and it’s within a realm of possibility that this is the case as well. It’s not the most likely scenario, but it is plausible.
Perhaps the most obvious thing is thatGearbox, for some unknown reason, just decided not to referenceRed Dead Redemption 2. It may have not wanted it to be the talk of the DLC or have something small overshadow the DLC. It’s hard to imagine that it didn’t come up,though, but with the amount of work that went into the DLC, the story, the level design, the new gameplay mechanics, and other Easter eggs, it’s possible it just simple did not manifest. It would have been a big moment for fans of both games if it did, however, and so it seems safe to say this isBorderlands 3’s Bounty of Blood DLC’s biggest missed opportunity.
Borderlands 3is out now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.
