Borderlands 2 officially announced

The follow-up to cult console hit Borderlands was just made official.

Publisher 2K Games has confirmed it is working on a sequel to the weapon-heavy action title and plans to release it in the company’s 2013 fiscal year.

Developed by Gearbox Software, the new title will include a new slate of characters, as well as brand new weapons, environments, and gameplay mechanics. The story will pick up right where the previous Borderlands title left off.

The first game, originally released in 2009, is an intense, science fiction first-person shooter about the colonization and mining of a new planet.

The game ends with much of the story wrapped up but of course left open a few holes and potential cliffhangers, as well as the opening for a whole new story to emerge.

It received highly critical praise with a vast majority of reviews offering high scores of 90% or greater. Among the most popular aspects of the title were its unique blend of shooter and RPG elements, stunning visuals, and a truly compelling storyline. In just a few months, it managed to sell more than three million copies.

The game will first be shown off at the Gamescom trade show in Europe later this year, followed by PAX Prime. More developments will surely come as development progresses, but for now fans can start waiting for the next entry in what could potentially become a new blockbuster game series.