Battleborn

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As Gearbox progresses through development, it's keeping an eye on the networking needs a game like this requires. 2K will be holding a technical closed beta and then at least one open beta phase. The timing of the public test is predicated on the data the studio receives from its smaller pool.

An open beta gives players a chance to get hands-on and understand more about Battleborn is. For me, playing was a better educator than anything, which is why the game is playable on the show floor at Gamescom and will be at PAX in a few weeks.

Miller, who is the director of product development at 2K, tells us that there's one important reason why this beta is so important, though. "You can look at the recent press in the industry, and I don't need any more justification than that," she says. "You see all these articles about how people are upset they are that games are broken. They can't get online and they're having a bad experience. Gearbox and 2K, especially with Borderlands, have tried to be responsive to the community. When things have been identified, we respond very quickly. One of our key pillars of success for this game is launching it with smooth service."

Gearbox and 2K would do well to include some of what I played today in the beta. While MOBAs are rapidly gaining acceptance among wider audiences, the genre is typically intimidating to new players. Easing them into the helix system with a mode more akin to Borderlands (while also giving those players the chance to try out competitive play) would be an eye-opening experience.

We'll find out what the duo has in store sometime before the game releases on February 9, 2016, for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.