Free Borderlands Patch Will Bump Level Cap To 69 This October

Forthcoming Borderlands DLC Claptrap's New Robot Revolution won't boost the game's level cap like the previous bit of content, The Secret Armory of General Knoxx, did, but that doesn't mean you won't be able to enjoy new levels and main game rebalancing after that Claptrap-centric DLC hits later this September. Gearbox has plans to release a cap raise for all via a free patch for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 versions of the game this fall, the studio revealed during its recent PAX panel (via Joystiq).

The reason why the Clatprap DLC won't include this patch is simple: Gearbox doesn't want to bone users who haven't purchased every scrap of additional content for the RPG. According to studio head Randy Pitchford at the panel, "you'd have to buy every previous DLC" for the main game balance tweaks and level upgrade to work--if it were to be included exclusively in Claptrap's New Robot Revolution.

That's a neat way to avoid a mess and score some points with the less faithful Borderlands flock, but is the raise going to be significant? If you consider eight levels levels significant, then yes, it will be indeed. Gearbox has decided to give users the ability to reach level 69--a classy boost over the 61 General Knoxx DLC gave its owners. But if you want to take it to 69, dude, you're going to need to own that DLC. Players that don't have that third DLC release will be able to take it up to level 58.

Gearbox expects this patch to hit around October 12, the same date Borderlands Game of the Year edition is slated to hit store shelves. This special edition will ship with the four previous bits of DLC and will include a "comprehensive" foldout map of the game's universe. The Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the GOTY package will be sold for $60, while the PC version will be sold for $50.